4:3 or 16:9

[onyxbfly]

Hey Guys and gals,

I have a Sharp Aquos LC-52D85U 52". I know that the native aspect ratio for my tv is 16:9. Here in lies my question. Should the HDTV cable box that is hooked up via component be set to 4:3 or 4:3 letterbox or 16:9? I know that when I select the view i can set it from stretch to dot by dot to super stretch and zoom. Dot by dot is the best for viewing. When we got cable (not for the digital revolution lol but for my fiances incessant need to be plugged into CNN) I noticed that the faces seemed a bit stretched as if the aspect ratio was not set properly. After cycling through the menus I had to call comcast because the aspect ratio setting was in a menu that I did not have access to. She walked me through the steps and on some shows you can see it correctly some commercials are letter boxed in 4:3 with black bars on the left and right. What should the cable box be set to.

Thanks for your time and patience with this matter.

Best Regards,

Touré

[wafi]

Originally Posted by onyxbfly

Hey Guys and gals,

I have a Sharp Aquos LC-52D85U 52". I know that the native aspect ratio for my tv is 16:9. Here in lies my question. Should the HDTV cable box that is hooked up via component be set to 4:3 or 4:3 letterbox or 16:9? I know that when I select the view i can set it from stretch to dot by dot to super stretch and zoom. Dot by dot is the best for viewing. When we got cable (not for the digital revolution lol but for my fiances incessant need to be plugged into CNN) I noticed that the faces seemed a bit stretched as if the aspect ratio was not set properly. After cycling through the menus I had to call comcast because the aspect ratio setting was in a menu that I did not have access to. She walked me through the steps and on some shows you can see it correctly some commercials are letter boxed in 4:3 with black bars on the left and right. What should the cable box be set to.

Thanks for your time and patience with this matter.

Best Regards,

Touré

I'd go for "native" if you have that option on your STB...that way whatever is on 4:3 will show up as 4:3 and the same for 16:9.

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by wafi

I'd go for "native" if you have that option on your STB...that way whatever is on 4:3 will show up as 4:3 and the same for 16:9.

I would too, as you don't want to "stretch" the picture to fill the screen with 4:3 material, like some certain TV stations do. It only makes the picture look worse than it is.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by wafi

I'd go for "native" if you have that option on your STB...that way whatever is on 4:3 will show up as 4:3 and the same for 16:9.

Originally Posted by forsberg21

I would too, as you don't want to "stretch" the picture to fill the screen with 4:3 material, like some certain TV stations do. It only makes the picture look worse than it is.

I'll 3rd. that! Go "native"!

John

[VinnAY]

to add to the convo here, since he doesn't say what make/model STB he has, my 8300HD and 8300HDC, have no "native" setting. It's 4:3 or 16:9, with options to stretch, or zoom as sub-menus of each.

I have mine set to 16:9 "normal", I think it's called.

[onyxbfly]

Finally made it home after Philly traffic. The model STB that I have is DCT6200. I have it set to 16:9 it is hooked up via component cables. The 4:3 override is set to 480i. I actually prefer the letterbox on some shows that are broadcast and now I cant find any lol.


Thanks for the advice. I don't have a clue offhand which model my stb is I will check when I get home. But I don't recall seeing a option for native.