When I hook up the HDMI cable from the satellite box to input 7(hdmi) on my sony 4:3 tube tv, all of the programming is in letterbox. Even though the box is set for 4:3 viewing. Directv was no help. Any thoughts on why everything is in letterbox? Thanks, A.J.
HR20-700 aspect ratio
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A few questions:
1. What is the model of the TV; is it a older 4:3 that will do a 16:9 enhanced HD? I assume it is because it has a HDMI connection.
2. Does the HR20 have and adjustment settings for how it handles picture; such a pillars, letter boxing, native, stretch - similar to what the H20 has? If so, what are those set to?
1. What is the model of the TV; is it a older 4:3 that will do a 16:9 enhanced HD? I assume it is because it has a HDMI connection.
2. Does the HR20 have and adjustment settings for how it handles picture; such a pillars, letter boxing, native, stretch - similar to what the H20 has? If so, what are those set to?
It's a Sony KV 32HS420 1 year old. The HR20 is set to native, it also defaults back to crop in the display settings but it broadcasts in letterbox. I hooked my s video cable back into the box and ran it to vid 1 on the tv. that way if I dont want to watch letterbox, I can switch to vid 1 for a full screen. It's not a big deal but I would have thought that I should be able to get both formats through the HDMI and video 7 for optimum picture quality.
I think this is just an HDMI problem, probably in the HR20 - I suppose they will fix it along with the other HDMI issues. Meanwhile, buy yourself a component cable and use the component video connections, most people can't see any difference between component and HDMI. The crop control works fine over component video with a Hi-Def signal, I just tried it - set the TV type to 4:3, switch "native" off and tell the box to output in 1080i, set to crop - the HR20 expands the signal to fill the 4:3 screen.
When you setup the HR20, did you tell it you have a 4:3 TV? First do that.
Second, if you are sending out of the HR20 in 720p or 1080i all the time then it will always appear as "letterbox" on your 4:3 TV.
If you don't want that then when viewing SD material select the format button to 480i. You could also turn Native to "on" if you can stand the slower channel changes.
Second, if you are sending out of the HR20 in 720p or 1080i all the time then it will always appear as "letterbox" on your 4:3 TV.
If you don't want that then when viewing SD material select the format button to 480i. You could also turn Native to "on" if you can stand the slower channel changes.
Your 4:3 Sony "reads" any HDMI/720p or 1080i signal as an HD digital, whether the original signal was or not. Set up the way you have it, you can get it to letterbox all the time, or go 4:3 all the time, but it won't switch back and forth-the correction, if any, has to come from the HR20, and if that is not possible, the above suggested switch to component, or changing resoution outputs, should work fine. The HR10-250 will compensate for this, but our Sony TV won't. I leave it on 720p ll the time and the box makes the correction.
Sometimes, DirecTV's "progress" and new boxes come at a price, eh?
Sometimes, DirecTV's "progress" and new boxes come at a price, eh?
Question for Texasbrit or others on this topic
Thanks for the info. I too am having problems with the new hr20-700 and my TV. It's a Sony XBR 36 inch 450 model. It's about 3 years old and IS HD ready. I had no problems with my old receiver, a Sony HD-300. But now I can't get the picture to look right.
Using your advice, I have the box set to 4:3, cropped, native OFF, and 1080i resolution. Everything works, but I noticed on the receiver that the resolution is set to 480p or 480i, I'm not sure. Does it default to this resolution? If so, why set it to 1080i? If it says 480, am I getting 1080i on the HD channels? The only other weirdness is that cropping a HD channel not only blows it up, which is fine I guess, but it shifts to the left, cutting off titles and graphics.
Thanks for the info. I too am having problems with the new hr20-700 and my TV. It's a Sony XBR 36 inch 450 model. It's about 3 years old and IS HD ready. I had no problems with my old receiver, a Sony HD-300. But now I can't get the picture to look right.
Using your advice, I have the box set to 4:3, cropped, native OFF, and 1080i resolution. Everything works, but I noticed on the receiver that the resolution is set to 480p or 480i, I'm not sure. Does it default to this resolution? If so, why set it to 1080i? If it says 480, am I getting 1080i on the HD channels? The only other weirdness is that cropping a HD channel not only blows it up, which is fine I guess, but it shifts to the left, cutting off titles and graphics.
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