[Papagenox]

...or just my old 2010 TiVo Premiere?

Basically, all SD channels are now stretched out horizontally, with black bars above and below, to fit my 16x9 (1080p) screen, regardless of the "Zoom" button setting: Panel/Full/?

This only started happening maybe a couple of weeks ago on pretty much every SD channel. To get the aspect ratio right I have to grab my TV remote and do the picture size dance, and I never used to have to do that.

 

[Yudoka]

Is it maybe you're TV? If its a newer smart TV and connected to the internet, they may have pushed an update and screwed up something.

 

[slowbiscuit]

Definitely not, you've got a TV or Tivo setting wrong.

 

[PSU_Sudzi]

I just checked my SD channels and by the default TiVo setting of panel they are all small boxes surrounded by black on all sides. You can adjust to stretch or full to make them bigger.

Edit: I also have Comcast in Philly suburbs.

 

[JoeKustra]

Ask your cable company. Mine are the postage stamp style like PDU_Sudzi. A old SD program on an HD channel is usually shown with barn doors (black on left & right).

 

[Papagenox]

Ask your cable company. Mine are the postage stamp style like PDU_Sudzi. A old SD program on an HD channel is usually shown with barn doors (black on left & right).

That's how my SD shows used to look (assuming they were 4:3 to begin with--the modern 16:9 content on an SD channel showed up in a postage stamp by default--the barn doors you describe plus black above and below), but now everything is as I describe. I sure didn't do anything to change how they displayed. Also, the Zoom button (that's what it's called IIRC) on the TiVo remote has zero effect. Maybe Comcast in Portland is doing something different than in other markets.

Either that, or something fried on my TiVo Premiere's motherboard (very possible, see my thread in the Tivo Premiere subforum for the details--the left rubberized feet had pretty much crumbled to little bits due to heat even though the unit had plenty of clearance on the front/back and sides. The thing is nearly 10 years old.

 

[Papagenox]

Is it maybe you're TV? If its a newer smart TV and connected to the internet, they may have pushed an update and screwed up something.

My TV is a 2013-vintage Panasonic Plasma ST60 (IIRC) 50 in (pretty much one of the last plasmas they made). It is a smart TV but I don't have it connected directly to my network.

 

[shwru980r]

My TV is a 2013-vintage Panasonic Plasma ST60 (IIRC) 50 in (pretty much one of the last plasmas they made). It is a smart TV but I don't have it connected directly to my network.

I think if you have the TV aspect ratio set to 4:3 in the Tivo then the Zoom button will only change the aspect ratio for HD channels and if you have the aspect ratio set to 16:9 then the zoom button will only change the aspect ratio for SD channels. Check the zoom button on your HD channels to see if the aspect ratio changes and check the TV aspect ratio in settings to make sure it's set to 16:9.

 

[Papageno]

Wanted to report back. I'm actually the OP, but apparently I had an old (now invalid) email associated with that username so it wouldn't let me reply any more with that account. Anyway, yesterday I noticed that at least one SD channel was now showing up right on my TV. I'll have to check out some others and see what my TV's "picture size" setting is currently and make sure it stays there.

 

[SNJpage1]

I have noticed the past few weeks that the SD channels are boxed with bars on all four sides. I have to use the zoom button to get full screen. I have Comcast in southern NJ.

 

[JoeKustra]

My cable feed also sends SD in a postage stamp format. It maintains the 4x3 aspect ratio without having black bars on the left & right. Some of my 480i channels are still shown with barn doors, especially older shows.

 

[Papageno]

As I think I mentioned above BTW, my Zoom button seems to do nothing now. Whether I'm watching HD or SD channels, it doesn't affect the picture any. I think my Premiere is on the way out (it is nearly 10 years old after all). My aspect ratio as determined by the "format" button on the remote is 1080i.