[mythtv-users] Is cable going widescreen?

Preston Crow pc-mythtv08a at crowcastle.net
Tue Aug 26 13:44:52 UTC 2008


On Tue, 2008-08-26 at 09:33 -0400, Tom Dexter wrote:
> I've always wondered why all the networks choose not to broadcast 4:3
> shows in 4:3.  Instead, they broadcast their usual resolution (720p or
> 1080i) with black bars build into the signal to the left and right.
> Perhaps they don't want to change resolutions during broadcasting or
> something...maybe there's even a good reason for that.

Yes, there's a reason for it.  Apparently some TVs don't handle changes
mid-stream very nicely.  I know that CRT computer monitors don't change
resolution cleanly, and I've heard that some TV projectors have similar
issues.

Personally, I really wish they would shift resolution based on the
source material.

> For anyone with a 4:3 TV it really sucks, as you get black bars all
> the way around when you could be filling the screen.

Then record the 4:3 version of the channel for those shows.



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