I have a HD (High Definition) cable set box from Rogers, along with a HD widscreen TV. I was under the impression that HD programmes were created and broadcast in 16-9 widscreen format, so I would have expected that if I was watching one it would display as full screen with no borders at the top, bottom or sides and without having to "zoom in" to fill the screen and lose some of the picture.

I have played around with the settings and I cannot get this to work, there is always a border down the left and right sides. The TV manual suggests not to have these borders for any length of time as the screen will 'age' unevenly. So I have to zoom in the picture and lose some of the top and bottom.

So my question is should HD programming show as full widscreen without any need for adjusting the picture.

Does anyone have a similar set up and has got this to work properly?

Thanks

Mark

Yes, I have StarChoice satellite TV with a HD set. The impression that you have is correct, you should not have these side borders if the program is being broadcast in HDTV.

If I were you, I would phone Rogers Cable (technical support) and ask them what is going on and what to do to rectify it. I would suspect that your TV is not set up right or you are watching programs that aren't really being broadcast in HDTV. Are you getting access to the HD channels? Not all programming on HD channels is in HD.

Thanks for that, at least I know now that they should show full widescreen and it must be one of the settings. I'll keep at....will try Rogers but their technical people have not impressed me a lot so far......at least the ones I have dealt with! (Just in case anyone works for Rogers). The technician that installed the box did it the day before we bought the TV and he couldn't get it working with our old TV. I told him it didn't matter as we were getting a new one and to leave it. After he left I downloaded the set top box user guide and got it to work...........a not so technical, technician.

Thanks again for the info

Mark

Mark

The only time I get the borders (on right and left) is when I view a program that is being broadcast in SD. All HD programs display properly. I can watch a HD program, then when they go to a commercial I will get the borders since the commercial is not being broadcast in HD.

It may interest you to know, that I can watch HD programming on my other SD TVs. The sat. receiver I have has this capacity. It can take a HD program and convert it into a mode that the SD TV can display..... but then I have the border issues similar to yours.

Just to add to what has already been said, When watching a HD channel the advertisments usually revert back to normal screen size i.e. have the black areas down both sides. I also have at least one HD channel that does not broadcast in wide screen.

Phil

What service do you have? Rogers?

Hi

What you might want to check is on the TV is the input from the HD box, if you use the 3 cables from the box to your TV ensure that input is set on the TV to HD1 or HD2 or the USB cable if you are using that. Use the remote to change the input.

you need to make sure that the connections between your HD box and your HDTV are HD compatible. you need to be using DVI or HDMI really, component at the very least. Remember that S-Video, composite and Coax are not HD compliant at all a.d will downgrade the signal to SD effectively. If they are connected correctly it's a settings thing.
HTH,

Alex

Good advice there; also remember to turn off all the electronics and pull the plugs before changing any connections.

I think you would want to use the HDMI cable - not any USB cable.

I was thinking a little more regarding the issue of connections between the decoder and the HDTV. I don't believe that using the "wrong" cables - be it S-video or coaxial - will cause the side bars to be present. That only affects the resolution. I normally use the VDI cable, but when I use a coaxial cable I don't get the side bars but the resolution is terrible.

Thanks again for all the info, the connection being used is HDMI cable (on the subject of which, why do Monster charge so much. Didn't get one of theirs, seemed a rip off.

So I guess it's the settings somewhere. When watching a HD Channel a HDTV logo shows up on the display on the cable box, so I assume this means that it is a HDTV programme. It also displays 1080i, so whether trying to change it to 720p will make any difference.

I am usually fairly technically minded but am finding it all very confusing

Mark

IMO, the Monster cables are a rip off even though they are of very high quality. For example, they charge a small fortune for a DVI cable, but I got one thrown in for free with my HD satellite reciever. I only paid $149 for the entire package (including all the cables, the receiver and remote). Monster wanted about that much for the DVI cable alone!

I would use the 1080 i setting, or anything else until you can make the side bars disappear.

Did you talk to Rogers yet?

No have been at the Zoo all day, but have been playing around this evening and I think all the settings are correct. It looks like it is just what was said earlier, not all HD channels are show HD programmes all the time, including the adverts. Some programmes are full screen some have a border.

Guess will just have to get used to it until everything is in HD!!

Yeah Best buy wanted $169 for a monster cable, got another make for $30 instead. Just waiting for an optial cable now to plug in the home theatre.

So what happens when you watch SD programming on your widescreen do you get the borders or do you stretch/zoom the picture?

Mark

In SD, I just put up with the borders - like I am at the moment.

So, it would appear that your system is working fine after all - false alarm.