# Feature Request: Set widescreen signalling bit on 16:9 480i output



## jcd4878 (Feb 26, 2004)

The 921 is not properly setting the widescreen signalling bit. When outputing 480i/16:9/Normal, the WS bit flag should be set when downscaling 16:9 formated content, and not set when 4:3 content is shown, so that my DVD recorder can create correct anamorphically encoded DVD discs. This allows DVD players playing back the disc (hooked up to a 4:3 TV in the bedroom) to auto veritcal squeeze the anamorphic image down to have blackbars when the WS bit is set and the user chooses 4:3/letterbox mode on the DVD player. As it is now, some of my DVD players that do not have a "Force letterbox mode" button doesn't know the image is 16:9 and leaves the video vertically stretched when in the 4:3/letterbox mode. I think this is because the WS bit flag was not set by the 921's 480i output, causing the DVD player to think its seeing a non-anamorphic 4:3 video image thus not applying the letterbox mode because it does not need to! Any 16:9 anamorphic video going out the SD outputs needs to set the WS signalling bit for this to work right.

-Jerry


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## Slordak (Dec 17, 2003)

The 921 can't output 480i over its high definition outputs, as I understand it. Can the "widescreen signalling bit" (or other piece of data used to indicate this to the television) be signalled on standard definition outputs such as composite or S-Video outputs?

If so, then obviously this would be desirable if the television is configured to be 16:9, since it would indicate to the device receiving the signal that the signal is in fact an anamorphic 16:9 signal. Since the 921 currently sends an anamorphically "squeezed" signal when set to 16:9, even over the standard definition outputs, having this signalled properly would help significantly. This would cause many televisions to automatically switch into "full mode", which is desired, and would produce the correct behavior on DVD recorders as well.


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## jcd4878 (Feb 26, 2004)

Yes, that's the point. If the wide screen signalling bit is properly outputed by the 921 while in SD output mode through the s-video/composite outputs, then any 16:9 TV or my DVD recorder would be able to auto-detect a anamorphically squeezed 16:9 video signal. In the case of a 16:9 TV, it would auto stretch the image to fill the whole screen so it looks correct.

BTW, I'm not trying to record the HD outputs, I can't do this with current SD DVD recorders. I'm want the 480i outputs in SD mode to have the wide screen signalling bit set so my recordings will play back correctly on DVD players that look for this bit in the video. I far as I can tell, the 921 does not output this bit correctly for SD 480i outputs.

-Jerry


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## jsanders (Jan 21, 2004)

I think you need to be a little bit more explicit in what you are asking for. NTSC is an analog signal, a specification much older than wide screen televisions. There are no "bits" in analog signals. You need to do some research about exactly what sort of "signal" you are talking about so you get your terminology correct. Maybe reference an article about what you are talking about, so that the developers know what you are talking about.


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## jcd4878 (Feb 26, 2004)

jsanders said:


> I think you need to be a little bit more explicit in what you are asking for. NTSC is an analog signal, a specification much older than wide screen televisions. There are no "bits" in analog signals. You need to do some research about exactly what sort of "signal" you are talking about so you get your terminology correct. Maybe reference an article about what you are talking about, so that the developers know what you are talking about.


I assumed the developers are not stupid and know what I'm talking about, but for reference:

The WSS bit is an analog bit in the vertical blank interval. It lives right next to the line that carries close captioning data. It is only for current analog signals and not used for newer digital transmissions. Its a world wide standard and works with NTSC, PAL, SECAM. All Dish needs to do is output the WSS bit and i'll get what I want. I know the 921 can do it cause it can output close caption data, thus they got the hardware to output VBI data.

Anyways heres a link to read all about it.
http://www.intersil.com/data/an/an9716.pdf

This PDF covers all three NTSC, PAL, SECAM methods.


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## Slordak (Dec 17, 2003)

Bump... This is important, since if the signal is setup correctly, the 921 will cause the television to automatically lock into anamorphic / full mode when sending a 16:9 signal over the SD outputs. This is definitely desired, since it avoids having to have the user manually change the mode on the TV!


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