HD Channels showing in 4:3 - what's going on?
R_E_L
Enthusiast - Level 3

I just switched from Comcast to Verizon and must say am disappointed  ...

I am Not sure What is going on but many of the HD channels I was viewing with Comcast now looks HD but 4:3 ratio. I live in the Seattle area and a good example of this issue is channel 13 (Q13) which typically I saw in HD now looks HD in the sense of good picture quality but its shows in 4:3.

there are many channels like this. Not all shows but way, way more then I had with Comcast.

Maybe Comcast stretched those shows? What ever they did, it looks much better.

Any ideas?

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Re: HD Channels showing in 4:3 - what's going on?
R_E_L
Enthusiast - Level 3

Thanks Justin.

Its not That I don't see any programming in 16:9 format, its that some of my old station with Comcast are now showing more in 4:3 format then before. That means the STB is set correctly. I also believe that Verizon does pass on the signal they are getting without alteration.

Only conclusion is to make is that Comcast was "working" on the signal they got from the station and have stretched/zoom the picture so it will show in a 16:9 format.

a workaround might be to stetch the picture on the TV, some V's can change the zoom and do the stretching on their own but many models can.

I guess the only thing left is for me to hope That either Verizon will do the same trick or wait for the other stations to start broadcasting in true 16:9.

now i will have to see if i can get used to the picture.

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Re: HD Channels showing in 4:3 - what's going on?
KenAF
Specialist - Level 2

@R_E_L wrote:

I just switched from Comcast to Verizon and must say am disappointed  ...

I am Not sure What is going on but many of the HD channels I was viewing with Comcast now looks HD but 4:3 ratio. I live in the Seattle area and a good example of this issue is channel 13 (Q13) which typically I saw in HD now looks HD in the sense of good picture quality but its shows in 4:3.

there are many channels like this. Not all shows but way, way more then I had with Comcast.

Maybe Comcast stretched those shows? What ever they did, it looks much better.

Any ideas?


Note all the channels below 50 are in SD.  The HD channels are in the 500+ range.

Most locals only show high-definition during prime-time, i.e. 8-11pm, with exception to major sporting events on weekends and one or two morning news shows and soaps.  The rest of the time, they are 4:3 with black bars on the side.  With Verizon, you get the locals exactly as they are passed by the affiliate.

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Re: HD Channels showing in 4:3 - what's going on?
R_E_L
Enthusiast - Level 3

Thanks yes, I am talking about the channels over 500 -

it may very much be the case that this is how the providers sends the signal and it was Comcast that made it look wide screen.

Am not sure I could settle for "well Verizon just pass on what they get" if the end result looks inferior to what I had.

I guess it also serves as an eye opening on how many of the shows are not true HD and there is a long way to go. I feel I just saw HD in the nude, the naked truth and i dont like it Smiley Wink ....   

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Re: HD Channels showing in 4:3 - what's going on?
KenAF
Specialist - Level 2

@R_E_L wrote:

Thanks yes, I am talking about the channels over 500 -

it may very much be the case that this is how the providers sends the signal and it was Comcast that made it look wide screen.

Am not sure I could settle for "well Verizon just pass on what they get" if the end result looks inferior to what I had.

I guess it also serves as an eye opening on how many of the shows are not true HD and there is a long way to go. I feel I just saw HD in the nude, the naked truth and i dont like it Smiley Wink ....   


Comcast also passes what they receive in the overwhelming majority of their service areas.  I suspect it's just a matter of the the time you tuned in.

Whenever you see black bars on a HD channel, those bars are added by the channel, not by the FiOS box.  When you see black bars on the right and left of SD channels, those are added by the box.  The Motorola STB/DVR gives you the option of (a) displaying SD channels in 4:3 with bars on the sides or (b) stretching everything to fill the screen, making people look fat.

Many cable channels are 24/7 HD, or close to it.  But the local networks aren't there yet.  For now, most local networks don't offer any locally-produced content in high-definition; this includes both news and synidcated programming like Seinfeld reruns.  Primetime content produced by the parent networks is usually in HD (with exception to some reality TV shows), as are most network sports like pro and college football football.   As alluded to in the previous post, there are also few morning network news shows like Good Morning America in HD and a few day-time soap operas in HD, but that's about all the HD you get from most local networks on weekdays before Jeopardy at ~7pm on ABC.

More and more local networks are adding cameras to offer local programming in HD, but this takes time.  Most syndicated programming ex: old Seinfeld episodes) shown on the local networks will continue to be in SD, upconverted with black bars on the sides.

Re: HD Channels showing in 4:3 - what's going on?
Justin46
Legend

I suspect the HD STB you are using is set up for a non 16:9 TV. Switch to a channel that always broadcasts in 16:9 format, like ESPN (570), CNN (600), or FOX News (618) - even though all of the content may not be 16:9 these channels always seem to broadcast a 16:9 signal with their own custom pillars on the sides. Now, if you don't see 16:9, try this:

1) Hit the Menu button on the remote

2) Scroll down to Settings and hit the Right Arrow

2) Scroll down to Video Settings and hit Right Arrow to get to Video Format (this will show you what the STB is currently set to deliver to your TV, which I suspect is now 480p)

3 Press OK

5) Scroll down to 1080i (or 720p, whichever you want) and press ok 

6) Hit the Exit button

Another possibility is that you are not connected to the TV with a connection that supports HD. Are you using HDMI or component? If not you need to, those are the only connections that will transfer HD signals. 

I assure you that FiOS delivers true 16:9 HD pictures if your equipment is set up correctly. But of course your comment is correct, not everything broadcast on HD channels is really 16:9 content.

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
IMG 1.6.0, Build 06.89
Keller, TX

Re: HD Channels showing in 4:3 - what's going on?
R_E_L
Enthusiast - Level 3

Thanks Justin.

Its not That I don't see any programming in 16:9 format, its that some of my old station with Comcast are now showing more in 4:3 format then before. That means the STB is set correctly. I also believe that Verizon does pass on the signal they are getting without alteration.

Only conclusion is to make is that Comcast was "working" on the signal they got from the station and have stretched/zoom the picture so it will show in a 16:9 format.

a workaround might be to stetch the picture on the TV, some V's can change the zoom and do the stretching on their own but many models can.

I guess the only thing left is for me to hope That either Verizon will do the same trick or wait for the other stations to start broadcasting in true 16:9.

now i will have to see if i can get used to the picture.

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Re: HD Channels showing in 4:3 - what's going on?
Justin46
Legend

Well, it was worth a try.

Have you experimented with the Aspect button (the # key) on the remote? If it is a 4:3 picture being displayed from an HD channel, you can stretch the image using the STB. May not be what you want, but can show the image full screen even if it is a 4:3 format image.

Care to share with us a few of the channels you see now in 4:3 that you didn't with Comcast? Maybe we can see something that you don't. Just a thought....

Stick with FiOS. Yes, it is different in some ways from cable, but I wouldn't go back to cable (Charter Cable) now for anything, if I lost my FiOS service I would go satellite.

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
IMG 1.6.0, Build 06.89
Keller, TX

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Re: HD Channels showing in 4:3 - what's going on?
R_E_L
Enthusiast - Level 3

The trick with the # is a big help!!!! Thanks.

I assume this mode is for the box and not per channel, yes?

would have been nice to have an on screen indication at what zoom level the picture is set.

at any rate, its way better then seeing the black bars.

The main station I was referring to is our local fox channel. Even the local shows doesn't show up in 16:9.

Another show that I always seen in 16:9 was the Jimmy Kimmel Live show on ABC. I can find more example if needed.

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Re: HD Channels showing in 4:3 - what's going on?
Justin46
Legend

On my DVR there are 4 aspects available, normal, wider, wider still, and bigger (I don't know any other way to describe them), and I agree, it would be nice if the STB gave you a brief indication of which you were seeing.

I lose the setting and go back to normal every time I change channels.

OK, local FOX channel. Right now there is an NFL game on, is it in 16:9? Mine is. Now, local stuff, like local news, has to be picked up by the local Verizon office (I don't remember what the office is called, VHO or something), so if the local news, for example, used to be in 16:9 on Comcast and is now 4:3 on FiOS, then the local station is sending the wrong signal to Verizon (and I guess sending the correct signal to Comcast). I am not sure what path to suggest for getting something like that resolved: call the local FOX station, see if you can find a local number for Verizon, maybe go over the the dslreports.com website, register (required for what I am suggesting), and go to the Verizon Direct forum and post a specific problem report there. They have Verizon technicians there that will work on your problem, Gustavo is great, he helped me once when the FSC couldn't figure out anything. You problem report is confidential between you and the Verizon techs, although anybody can see the the topic. Or of course call the FSC and report the problem that way.

Have never watched Jimmy K. so I have no idea whether it is even supposed to be in 16:9, but if you got it in 16:9 from Comcast it should be the same on FiOS.

Hope you can get it all straightened out.

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
IMG 1.6.0, Build 06.89
Keller, TX

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Re: HD Channels showing in 4:3 - what's going on?
R_E_L
Enthusiast - Level 3

Thanks. I will take a look at that.

BTW: yes, the game is on but still something is wrong ..... Arizona leading 30 to 7 .....  that also never happened on Comcast Smiley Happy

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