# question on screen format for genie



## jefte1 (Feb 10, 2010)

Hi all, I have a question on screen format for my 60" vizio. Had direct installed today and the tech put my tv on wide format, which dreamed ok.we downloaded a tv show from on demand that we had missed last week. When I stated to play the show the format looked off, so I switched my tv to normal and it was fine. Is there a certain screen format. I should always use or just need to switch back and forth? Is there also a format in the genie settings I need to go by? And if so, what do I do? Thanks in advance for your help. :righton:


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

Best is to leave the Genie with the defaults, that is crop format and 16x9 aspect ratio


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## jefte1 (Feb 10, 2010)

How do I make sure it's on crop format?


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

There are TV Ratio 16x9 (Wide) and 4x3 (Standard) setting. Both for your TV & DVR - Some TVs have a Letterbox setting.

There are several Screen Formats - crop, pillar, stretch, origanal

And then there are the Resolutions - 480, 720 & 1080.



Both your DVR & TV should be set to Wide (16x9).

Resolution 720 at least.

If your screen still looks strange, it is the format that should be adjusted. I use Pillar for about 99% of my viewing.


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

Hard to say exactly for the TV as its settings and what they are named vary by manufacturer.

Personally though I keep my TV set on "Normal" which properly formats the picture for displaying both 16:9 HD and 4:3 SD images.

For the Genie, while you may want to play around with the receiver settings to see what works best for your viewing tastes. I personally prefer to only check the HD resolutions 720p, 1080i, and 1080p (if capable) in the settings, and select "Native" under the "Video" category.

This way the GUI for the channel guide, menus, channel banner, etc. will still fill out the entire 16:9 screen even when viewing 4:3 SD material.

Remember to keep your remote's format selection on "Pillar Box" if you choose this configuration, otherwise 4:3 SD programs will be stretched.


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

jefte1 said:


> How do I make sure it's on crop format?


Sorry I menat pillar box


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

But also note that any changes to make on the DirecTV receivers only affect SD channels. None of the DirecTV receivers can alter HD channels. so if you are watching an HD channel with SD content you would see a 4:3 picture. if you would like such program to be stretched, you will need to use your TV "zoom" feature as the DirecTV cannot stretch the channel as the black bars are part on the picture


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## Supramom2000 (Jun 21, 2007)

To check out all the display and resolution options, go to:

Menu => Settings & Help => Settings => Display

From there you will find TV Ratio, TV Resolutions, Video, etc. You can change them around to experiment.

You can also change these while watching a program by choosing "Info" and then using the arrow keys to move across the menu at the top of the screen to "Audi/Video" and then pressing enter on "Change Resolution & Format". Then you can toggle between the different choices.


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## jefte1 (Feb 10, 2010)

Thanks all, got it set up. Can't say enough about the picture quality. Everything I set up so far has recorded and even watched a couple of them and had no problems with playback. Some people where saying the 34's we're slow in responding, but mine is doing extremely well.so far have no complaints.


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

peds48 said:


> But also note that any changes to make on the DirecTV receivers only affect SD channels. None of the DirecTV receivers can alter HD channels. so if you are watching an HD channel with SD content you would see a 4:3 picture. if you would like such program to be stretched, you will need to use your TV "zoom" feature as the DirecTV cannot stretch the channel as the black bars are part on the picture


Actually peds;

Like many other set top box designs the DIRECTV receiver's ability to change image shape don't seem to depend on whether it has a native HD or SD resolution, but their aspect ratios in comparison to the one selected in the receiver settings.

If a received program's AR is the same as in the settings, you can't alter its shape. if its different you can.

For example, on an HD receiver with 16:9 (naturally) selected in the settings, try tuning to the BYU channel on 374 or Baby First on 293. both of which are SD, but with a 16:9 AR.

You won't be able to alter their picture formats either.


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## Jason Whiddon (Aug 17, 2006)

I always keep mine set to :

Native
Original Format
16x9

I set the resolutions in my Directv menu to what the display allows (check your manual). In my case its 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p.


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

Jason Whiddon said:


> I always keep mine set to :
> 
> Native
> Original Format
> ...


Yeah, but like I said earlier;

The only problem with those settings, is that whenever you watch a 4:3 SD channel on an HDTV and wish to bring up a GUI screen for any reason like the channel guide or something, it will also be in the same 4:3 size of the image instead of filling out the entire 16:9 screen as with viewing an HD channel.


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## ejbvt (Aug 14, 2011)

Crop format will chop some programs off. There is no setting to make all SD in proper aspect ratio. Best and most practical is Native off, only 1080i and 1080p checked, and pillar box mode selected. TV set to "screen fit" "set by program" or something similar (16:9 if you must) SD will be 4:3 and the HD will be 16:9. The guide will always be HD and 16:9.

Still, many SD programs will be out of aspect ratio and SHOULD be 16:9 SD but are smushed into the center of the screen. This is because they are flagged as 4:3 when they should not be. Some channels will be mixed "smushed" and regular. A few (BYUTV and BabyFirst) are proper 16:9 SD. Two of my locals are SD 16:9, too. 

Other settings slow it down and waste time.


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## ejbvt (Aug 14, 2011)

jefte1 said:


> Thanks all, got it set up. Can't say enough about the picture quality. Everything I set up so far has recorded and even watched a couple of them and had no problems with playback. Some people where saying the 34's we're slow in responding, but mine is doing extremely well.so far have no complaints.


It took mine over a month to become the piece of junk it is now. At first, it was great. It was noticeably shower after 3 days. It's all been downhill from there!


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

ejbvt said:


> Crop format will chop some programs off. There is no setting to make all SD in proper aspect ratio. Best and most practical is Native off, only 1080i and 1080p checked, and pillar box mode selected. TV set to "screen fit" "set by program" or something similar (16:9 if you must) SD will be 4:3 and the HD will be 16:9. The guide will always be HD and 16:9.


My experience is that going into the Guide from an SD channel makes the Guide SD as well. At that point, I don't care what the aspect ratio is; let me outta there!


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## ejbvt (Aug 14, 2011)

Laxguy said:


> My experience is that going into the Guide from an SD channel makes the Guide SD as well. At that point, I don't care what the aspect ratio is; let me outta there!


It will only do that if you select the 480i resolution and native on.

If you have only 1080i, 1080p, (some would say 720, as well, and I understand why) selected, all SD programming and the guide will stay within HD resolutions with native on.


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## peds48 (Jan 11, 2008)

HoTat2 said:


> Actually peds;
> 
> Like many other set top box designs the DIRECTV receiver's ability to change image shape don't seem to depend on whether it has a native HD or SD resolution, but their aspect ratios in comparison to the one selected in the receiver settings.
> 
> ...


Never watched those channels. However on the same note, these seems to be the exception not the rule. I am not referring to HD or SD resolution, but rather AR. On an HD channel with an SD picture regardless of the resolution you can't change the AR, you can however change the AR on any HD channel (with the exception of the channel you mentioned)


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

peds48 said:


> Never watched those channels. However on the same note, these seems to be the exception not the rule. I am not referring to HD or SD resolution, but rather AR. On an HD channel with an SD picture regardless of the resolution you can't change the AR, you can however change the AR on any HD channel (with the exception of the channel you mentioned)


Not following this explanation here peds;

Perhaps you can rephrase it?

Again from my findings, if 16:9 is selected in the receiver setup, HD channels, which are 16:9 or course, or any 16:9 SD channels' formats will be unalterable by the receiver.


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

ejbvt said:


> It will only do that if you select the 480i resolution and native on.
> 
> If you have only 1080i, 1080p, (some would say 720, as well, and I understand why) selected, all SD programming and the guide will stay within HD resolutions with native on.


This is similar to the viewer settings I use as well;

The only difference is I prefer to keep native on with 720p selected too as you suggest above some do, so to only use the receiver's internal scaler for converting all SD channels to 720p.

Just a personal preference of mine where I like all the HD channels in their native formats from the receiver and let the TV set handle any necessary scaling or de-interlacing for them.


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