The switch back to standard 4:3 was because of the number of complaints from viewers according to the CSR that I talked to a week ago. At that time I was told a solution would be released early this month. It now appears that the solution is to do nothing leaving the signal as 4:3.

I asked what they intend to do when TVNZ switches to widescreen at the end of July and the CSR said he did not know.

From what I understand the type of complaints that caused the switch back are covered below (there may be others but these are the ones I have heard).

For those with 16:9 TV's

• TV3 switching between 16:9 and pillar-boxed 4:3 with no ability to have the screen auto switch as a lot of people have there widescreen TV set to do.

• If the TV had been set-up incorrectly the widescreen signal would appear in a 4:3 box with a black band all around the outside (windowboxing).

For those with 4:3 TV's

• The 16:9 picture appears letter-boxed in 4:3 TV's. Any 4:3 material would appear in a smaller box in the centre of the screen.

In short the complaints are all based around the picture not filling the screen. In particular pillar-boxing as most people have become used to letter-boxing.

The issues above can ALL be handled by configuration of the digital set top box and or the TV.

Looking at the issues

TV3 switching between 16:9 and pillar-boxed 4:3

This is caused by TV3 sending all material as 16:9 and pillar-boxing 4:3 material in the 16:9 feed. This is how TV3 have chosen to handle the co-existence of both 16:9 and 4:3 material. Although the 4:3 material will slowly go there is a solution for those that insist on the picture always filling the screen.

It is the same solution that Telstra are forcing on us now. It is ugly and I would never do it or recommend it by choice but the reality is that there are people out there that care more about the picture filling their screen then they care about the picture not being distorted or getting the whole picture.

Set the digital box to 4:3 and set it to centre-crop. Then set the TV to full screen or stretch as you prefer.

Small box within the screen

This can be caused for example by the Digital set top box being set to 4:3 and the TV set to stretch to full screen. This issue simply comes down to the setting on the digital set top box and the TV being set incorrectly. This can be the fault of the installer or the owner.

This one can be fixed quite easily. Set the digital set top box to 16:9 and either centre crop or full screen as you prefer. Set the TV to full.

16:9 picture letter-boxed in 4:3 TV's

This is displaying correctly however because of the method of pillar-boxing 4:3 material used by TV3 4:3 will display in a small box within the screen. Also a lot of people prefer to lose the picture on either side rather then have the black letter-box top and bottom.

This can also be fixed. Set the set top box to 4:3 and centre crop. Viola fixed! They will lose the wide screen material but they are losing that now anyway.

So why are Telstra not doing this? Well frankly I do not know. Instead they have taken the possibility to watch widescreen TV off those of us that want it and given nothing that people could not have been set-up with anyway.

From TelstraClear's web site “* Full widescreen TV support” Yeah Right!