# TLC HD picture size?



## ls7dude (Jan 31, 2007)

Good Evening All,

I have a 622 with a Philips 50" plasma. If anyone knows anything about the Philips models, if the screen or picture isn't filled, the TV will do it for you. 

Most of TLC's HD stuff is in widescreen format, but I've seen most of the time when I watch it, that the screen is almost a full picture, but about 2" from the sides on either end. I guess my Philips doesn't pick that small of a deficit up and doesn't bother automatically fixing it. 

For what reason would TLC HD not be completely filling the screen? This is the only channel that does this for me.

Thanks.


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## lpmiller (Mar 8, 2007)

because it's upconverted SD, not a true HD source.


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## ls7dude (Jan 31, 2007)

I'm not certain that this is the case. I view other upconverted SD pictures at full screen. I will have to pay more attention to see if it is HD or upconvert. It is still an issue as I've seen it again since posting.


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## TBoneit (Jul 27, 2006)

And if you were in my Area WLIW ch21 PBS is showing Rosemary and Thyme in a ******* AR somewhere between 4:3 And 16:9. I keep saying why. I'm pretty sure it is in WS in england.

From a video forum "The new "fashion" in Europe, is something like 14:9 on 16:9 when the source is 4:3. They crop around 72 vertical lines and zoom. This is very common today, especially on the music channels " from someone in Greece 

And from someone in Australia "We get 14:9 as a compromise for 16:9 material on most analogue broadcasts. Personally, I'd rather get 4:3 for 4:3 and widescreen (1.778:1) letterboxed for analogue. All the digital broadcasts are 16:9 regardless of source" 

I guess I'll have to check the WLIW HD feed for comprison on that show if I ever get home early enough from work. Dish Please PBS in HD!


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## ls7dude (Jan 31, 2007)

Well, the HD commercials on TLC HD come through fine with the correct sizing and all. I've been watching Trading Spaces, Property Ladder, etc... and they are all off on the size by an inch or two on each side. I have no idea what the issue is.


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## Lincoln6Echo (Jul 11, 2007)

ls7dude said:


> Well, the HD commercials on TLC HD come through fine with the correct sizing and all. I've been watching Trading Spaces, Property Ladder, etc... and they are all off on the size by an inch or two on each side. I have no idea what the issue is.


It's not your TV. It's the source material.

All Discovery networks (TLC, DISC, Science, Animal Planet) are not always using full 16:9 material. It's either upconverted SD stuff, or possibly stuff that was shot HD, but in a slightly different ratio than 16:9.


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## allargon (May 3, 2007)

Much of TLC's content appears zoomed to me.

TNT and Discovery must have a lot of people with older plasma TV's running their networks. That's the only reason I can imagine for their hatred of "black/grey" bars.


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## ls7dude (Jan 31, 2007)

Lincoln6Echo said:


> It's not your TV. It's the source material.
> 
> All Discovery networks (TLC, DISC, Science, Animal Planet) are not always using full 16:9 material. It's either upconverted SD stuff, or possibly stuff that was shot HD, but in a slightly different ratio than 16:9.


I am getting to the point where I can pretty much tell if it's HD or converted.. and I think some of this stuff is shot in HD and a different ratio, you're right. I am getting used to it, but I'd still like the size to be correct!


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## Lincoln6Echo (Jul 11, 2007)

ls7dude said:


> I am getting to the point where I can pretty much tell if it's HD or converted.. and I think some of this stuff is shot in HD and a different ratio, you're right. I am getting used to it, but I'd still like the size to be correct!


Well, I don't know exactly how your Phillips does it, but my Sharp AQUOS set at "Dot by Dot" will not do ANY automatic stretching. So whatever the resolution is, that's what the picture is gonna be like. For example, when a 4:3 SD channel runs a 16:9 program or commercial, I get a small 16:9 image right in the middle of the screen surrounded by black bars. Of course, I can use the 622's remote to Zoom in to fill the screen, but that just makes the SD resolution look worse. So, I'm just thankful that we're getting up-converted SD on some of the HD channels.

As for optical disc content, I have yet to go Hi-Def with HD-DVD or BD, but I do have a 1080p up-converting Oppo 981HD player than does a pretty good job of up-converting. In fact, for well mastered discs, I have a hard time telling that it's not a true HD source.


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## TBoneit (Jul 27, 2006)

ls7dude said:


> I am getting to the point where I can pretty much tell if it's HD or converted.. and I think some of this stuff is shot in HD and a different ratio, you're right. I am getting used to it, but I'd still like the size to be correct!


The correct size is whatever it ws shot in. If it was shot as 4:3 then 4:3 is the correct size and trimming the top and bottom to make it 16:9 would be wrong. 
If it was shot as 16:9 the 16:9 is the correct size.

What the Movie channels do by chopping 2.35:1 or cinemascope movies to fit a 16:9 screen is wrong. Show it in the original Aspect Ratio. OAR is what the movie was made to be displayed at. Anything else distorts the directors vision of what the audience should see.

Strangely enough to some I don't mind a decent colorization of a B&W movie.


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