Yep the SD receivers wouldn't be able to handle a true 16:9 feed.
Anyone ever hear rough numbers on the % of receivers still active that do not support an HDMI output (i.e. wide screen capable) ?
Yep the SD receivers wouldn't be able to handle a true 16:9 feed.
Yep the SD receivers wouldn't be able to handle a true 16:9 feed.
Before HD arrived, SD was always 4x3. I'd prefer the SD downconverted feeds to be sent as 4x3. SD is already lower rez than HD, making it a postage stamp 16x9 letterbox and having to zoom the picture in both horizontal and vertical directions just makes the picture look worse. I'd rather have the sides cut off (just as a normal SD camera would shoot it) than to take the SD resolution and make it even lower than SD resolution.
But there's no reason the RECEIVERS couldn't give you the option. I know Motorola cable boxes give you the option... either center cut, letterbox, or anamorphic. Let the customer decide.Other than my favorite: anamorphic widescreen. The problem with that idea is the remaining CRT SD TVs out there with no option to crop a 16:9 signal. Or is that what you meant? I have a very good friend in town who intends to keep his SD Sony TVs until they die. Unfortunately, they refuse to die. I tease him incessantly, and suggest great deals on modern HDTVs, but so far he's intransigent.
But there's no reason the RECEIVERS couldn't give you the option.
If the score bug or the ticker is cut off, then that is the fault of the broadcaster. ROOT Sports does NOT do it right. Whether viewing letterboxed or full screen 4x3 SD, those things should be viewable. Off the top of my head, MNF and NBC SNF does it right (score bug centered on the top or bottom of the screen. NFL Network has their ticker at the bottom, but only the area in the center 2/3rds of the ticker has the readable text. If I'm stuck watching sports in SD, I'd rather it be transmitted full screen 4x3 for better resolution than have a lower rez postage stamp that needs to be zoomed both horizontally and vertically, losing even more definition.Try watching a sports game or a newscast. Sports scores get cut off. A third of the picture is cut off. It's terrible. There's gotta be a happy-medium. FOX/Disney do it perfect. Take a lesson from them.
If the score bug or the ticker is cut off, then that is the fault of the broadcaster. ROOT Sports does NOT do it right. Whether viewing letterboxed or full screen 4x3 SD, those things should be viewable. Off the top of my head, MNF and NBC SNF does it right (score bug centered on the top or bottom of the screen. NFL Network has their ticker at the bottom, but only the area in the center 2/3rds of the ticker has the readable text. If I'm stuck watching sports in SD, I'd rather it be transmitted full screen 4x3 for better resolution than have a lower rez postage stamp that needs to be zoomed both horizontally and vertically, losing even more definition.
Not to try to bash Dish,
Of course not. Perish the thought.