# HD HBO and Showtime not full screen???



## oucory (Dec 12, 2003)

I can not receive these two channels in full screen on my sony 51 widescreen hdtv while the other hd channels are perfect? The channels are crisp and clear, but they have bars on both sides instead of being full screen? I called dish and they said HBO and Show HD are not true HD or something of that sort and this is how they are supposed to be? Is this true?


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## sethb (Oct 14, 2003)

Not all of the content on HBO HD is in HD, and I imagine the same applies to Showtime. I caught the end of "Riding in Cars with Boys" which was widescreen and anamorphic, but "Inside the NFL" was in SD, not HD, hence the bars you saw. I much prefer that method of displaying SD, compared to the retarded ESPN stretched method.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

Correct - some of the programming on both channels is there SD signal upconverted.

Welcome to DBSTalk oucory! and sethb as well if we didn't give you a welcome message! :hi:


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## dtcarson (Jan 10, 2003)

I think the HBO/Showtime websites [at least one of them] have an icon for 'True HDTV' on the program guides, to show which are in, well, True HDTV. I've caught a few things, and they do look sweet. Even the upconverted things look pretty good. Too bad the only 'True HDTV' program I've had time to see was Rollerball...


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

oucory said:


> I can not receive these two channels in full screen on my sony 51 widescreen hdtv while the other hd channels are perfect? The channels are crisp and clear, but they have bars on both sides instead of being full screen? I called dish and they said HBO and Show HD are not true HD or something of that sort and this is how they are supposed to be? Is this true?


Currently (Fri 9 a.m. ET) showing on these channels:

SHOHD: McBeth, made in 1948, filmed in b&w and 4:3 aspect ratio. Of course, it naturally displays with black bars on sides.
HOBHD: A.I. displays in full 16:9 aspect ratio on my Panny, no black bars.

So far, I haven't notice that many films on SHO and HBO HD channels being cropped. Have you checked your tv's settings?


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## ehren (Aug 3, 2003)

go to this, they show all HD programs on for a week at a time

http://www.titantv.com/ttv/home/HDTVUpdate.aspx

they need to pull SHO-HD, I don't think they have over 5 HD movies a day! You have to either zoom with the reciever or use a stretch or cinemawide with the tv if it has those options. The rca d34w20 has these and I liked the cinemawide used for a 4:3 movie on the Showtime HD channel or HBO at the electronics store.


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## oucory (Dec 12, 2003)

Thanks for the replies. I eventually put 2 and 2 together. I was just confuused by what the CSR told me.. Thanks again! Many Many questions to follow!


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