'THIN' tv picture when using portable sat system (1 Viewer)

wingman

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A few days ago, I posted a question about picture framing when checking out my portable Satellite system. Got a few replies, but I still can't sort the problem.

The picture on the screen looks like CinemaScope with a 1" gap at top and bottom. It's perfectly watchable, but annoying.

It is NOT the aspect ratio setting for picture size. I have scrolled through all of these settings (Standard/Wide etc) to no avail. Curiously, BBC 2 and a few other channels are full screen as are the terrestrial TV progs. However, Sky News and other channels are 'Thin'

It's not the receiver or the dish, because I have two of both and both are the same when hot-swapped as a check.

I'm not in the 'van mind, just checking in the back garden (well I was until the bloody winds got up!).

Any of you Satellite boffs out there any ideas?
 

Satandpcguy

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So what type of TV do you have : a 4:3 "old normal" or a 16:9 wide screen TV?

And what are the screen settings you have on your satellite receiver?

note that many channels still broadcast in 4:3

And some in 16:9

And so bars will appear top and bottom depending what mode the channel is broadcasting in. And some channels the picture will be thin or fat if broadcast in 4:3 and watched on a 16:9 tv.

If your TV is 16:9, and you are getting back bars top and bottom on Sky news, then the formatting on the TV or sat box is not correct.

Remember you need the settings on both the tv and sat box to be the same
 
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Heyupluv

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A few days ago, I posted a question about picture framing when checking out my portable Satellite system. Got a few replies, but I still can't sort the problem.

The picture on the screen looks like CinemaScope with a 1" gap at top and bottom. It's perfectly watchable, but annoying.

It is NOT the aspect ratio setting for picture size. I have scrolled through all of these settings (Standard/Wide etc) to no avail. Curiously, BBC 2 and a few other channels are full screen as are the terrestrial TV progs. However, Sky News and other channels are 'Thin'

It's not the receiver or the dish, because I have two of both and both are the same when hot-swapped as a check.

I'm not in the 'van mind, just checking in the back garden (well I was until the bloody winds got up!).

Any of you Satellite boffs out there any ideas?

You could try the settings on your receiver...try this below on your SKY receiver..remote...
You say you have tried on your Tv settings...Standard/Wide

CHANGING YOUR SKY DIGIBOX PICTURE SETTINGS FOR OLDER / SQUARER TV's:
Traditional SKY boxes:
On your remote control:
Press"services"
Press 4 (System Setup)
Press 1 (Picture settings)

16.9, 4.3, 4.3L

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TheBig1

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its not the satellite box or dish, its a setting on the tv. its recognising programmes broadcast in widescreen or letterbox view and attempting to display them that way rather than standard 4:3 view
 

Minxy

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I agree, it's nothing to do with the satellite itself, it's the TV. On our home tv we can set the screen 'size mode' to what is best for what we are viewing, so if it's an old programme (I like the old USA Law and Order) which is in 4:3 format but have it larger so that I don't get the bands at the sides but as a consequence I lose the top and bottom of the picture, if we watch some movies they sometimes are in extra-wide cinema mode and then we get the band top and bottom, again we can set the size to suit what we want. On some TVs it will automatically set the size mode so that you don't lose any of the picture itself so that might be what's happening with yours, but you should be able to override it.

Saying that, on some films we've had form 'other sources' we weren't able to alter them and there is nothing worse than trying to watch a film where the proportions are wrong so it looked like a modern day version of 'The Hobbit'!!! ::bigsmile:
 
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wingman

wingman

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Sorry for not replying sooner lads and thanks for the info'. Certainly food for thought,

I will have another go at the TV and receiver settings again.

I'm not using a SKY receiver, it's one by Maxview. The 'spare' receiver is by Maplins, but they are almost identical (even the remotes work both receivers).

The TV set is made by Kugan - it's a sort of Avtex clone. It's a 16" jobby, quite modern with all the necessities like 12/240v, USB port, Scart, DVD player slot in the side etc etc. picture settings are 'Standard' 'soft' and 'user'. It doesn't appear to have 4:3 or 16:9 type settings like you get on a lounge TV. I can however use the Zoom facility which fills the screen nicely and removes the borders. BUT the zoom icon remains on the screen. If you exit from the zoom,the screen reverts to borders top and bottom on those progs (like Sky News) Urghhhhhhh!

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Satandpcguy

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If you exit from the zoom,the screen reverts to borders top and bottom on those progs (like Sky News) Urghhhhhhh!

And that is the problem - you are trying to watch a 16:9 image on a 4:3 screen. Sky News is transmitted in 16:9/ widescreen.

And the formatting means you will have the bars top and bottom, as it tries to show you as much of the image as possible.

Similar to "letterbox" mode.

It may look ugly, but you are seeing more of the intended image.

But zooming will mean you zoom and cut out the left and right edges of the image...

So it is one or the other - more image but with black bars, or less image with no bars.
 
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