16:9 Help

[meadoel]

I recently bought a Widescreen TV to go with my DirecTVO HDVR-2. Even though I set the DTivo to output in 16:9, it still doesn't. When It set it to 16:9, and the TV to 16:9, the image is simply a 4:3 image stretched wide.

Does anyone know how to solve that?

[maharg18]

Unfortunately there is no way to fix this. The 16:9 setting on the Directivo is only used in the unlikely event that Directv sends down something in anamorphic widescreen format. I say unlikely because they very, very rarely do.

[EricG]

The 16:9 setting is also for the guide and menus.

[psweig]

Did you look to see if your TV has multiple zoom options? I have a 16:9 Toshiba, and it works well with Zoom 2.

[meadoel]

I did check the multiple modes. It's a Samsung HL-R5067W with a Zoom1, Zoom2, a panoramic mode (which is normal in the middle and stretched at the ends) and normal 16:9. All introduce some measure of distortion except 16:9.

[AbMagFab]

Get an HD Tivo if you want HD TV.

SD TV is, by definition, 4x3. You won't get 16x9 from an SD source (like the SD DirecTivo).

[Indiana627]

The 16:9 setting is also for the guide and menus.

I just got a widescreen TV this week and set my Directivo up for 16:9 in the Video settings screen but it doesn't have any effect on the guide or menus - they're still coming up at 4:3. Am I doing something wrong?

[Yog-Sothoth]

SD TV is, by definition, 4x3. You won't get 16x9 from an SD source (like the SD DirecTivo).

Not true. There were widescreen TVs long before there was HDTV. Anamorphic DVDs (as an example) can still be viewed on the old sets, but they will be 480i. There are plenty of DVD players that don't support progressive scan, so the output is 480i (SD).

[RonP]

If the source material is 4:3 (and that's the case for everything but the HD channels) then all you can do is have the TV stretch it - with the Panorama mode being the least offensive.

If a movie is transmitted as 4:3 letterboxed (black bars on top and bottom) use one of the Zoom modes instead of the Panorama mode.

This isn't a bug, it's a feature...only a square picture is being transmitted so niether the TiVo nor the TV can create content (the extra width) that isn't there.

[Indiana627]

If the source material is 4:3 (and that's the case for everything but the HD channels) then all you can do is have the TV stretch it - with the Panorama mode being the least offensive.

If a movie is transmitted as 4:3 letterboxed (black bars on top and bottom) use one of the Zoom modes instead of the Panorama mode.

This isn't a bug, it's a feature...only a square picture is being transmitted so niether the TiVo nor the TV can create content (the extra width) that isn't there.

I understand the 16:9 setting in the Tivo won't affect the program being watched, but shouldn't it change the aspect ratio of the on screen guide and Tivo menus?

[phox_mulder]

I understand the 16:9 setting in the Tivo won't affect the program being watched, but shouldn't it change the aspect ratio of the on screen guide and Tivo menus?

Not on a SD DirecTiVo, or a standalone TiVo.

It does on the HD DirecTiVo though.

It might on a Series 1, since it had component video outputs.


phox

[maharg18]

Not on a SD DirecTiVo, or a standalone TiVo.

It does on the HD DirecTiVo though.

It might on a Series 1, since it had component video outputs.


phox


Series 1's didn't have component outputs.

[phox_mulder]

Series 1's didn't have component outputs.

Maybe I'm thinking of a Combo DVD unit then.


phox

[rminsk]

I understand the 16:9 setting in the Tivo won't affect the program being watched, but shouldn't it change the aspect ratio of the on screen guide and Tivo menus?The 16x9 mode is not for the menus. A while ago DirecTV did have a few 16x9 standard definition broadcasts on the PPV channels. DirecTV sets a bit in the stream identifing it as a 16x9 program. DirecTV has not used this feature in a long time.

[Indiana627]

So it's basically useless then. OK. Learn something new everyday...