Info and forum posts by 'nice1'

RE: Sky HD help please

It`s not your TV or the box - it`s how High Definition pictures are broadcast.

All HD pictures are broadcast in, and can only be received in 16:9 format.

Therefore when broadcasting 4:3 or 14:9 images in HD, to prevent the picture from being distorted broadcasters "pillarbox" the image by inserting black bars either side of the image to make up the whole 16:9 image being transmitted. In SD such an image could be "zoomed" to fill the screen (and crop the top and bottom of the image too) - but it is not possible to zoom or further "stretch" HD pictures - they are already in 16:9.

If you want to distort a 4:3 picture to artificially fill the screen then you would have to view it in SD and use the TV aspect ratio functions to do it.

This item was edited on Thursday, 6th January 2011, 17:49

RE: speaker/amp Reccomendations

It`s always worth looking at Richer Sounds.
Currently they have a Sony AV amp with HDMI for only £100 (see http://www.richersounds.com/product/av-receivers/sony/strdh500/sony-strdh500)
And lots of speaker packages at http://www.richersounds.com/products/hi-fi-separates/speakers/speaker-packages

RE: Sky HD Tech Question

Quote:
when i switch over to Sky 1 HD programmes such as the Simpsons and Futurama are coming up with the black bars down the side (4:3??)
That is correct set up. These programmes are not produced in a widescreen (16:9) format, they are 4:3 aspect ratio.
As high definition signals through HDMI can only be displayed in widescreen format, to avoid the transmitted image being cropped, stretched or otherwise distorted to fill the frame the broadcaster "pillar boxes" the image so that the entire moving image of the correct ratio is shown centrally with black bars used to filling the empty screen space at the sides.
This is similar to when broadcasting movies that have an aspect ratio greater than 16:9 - black bars will be shown top and bottom of the screen rather than at the side.

RE: looking for a good multi-region DVD player

Quote:
I`m also hoping to find one with a zoom feature as having checked comets` and currys` websites they seem to suggest most players don`t have them any more, and as I`ll be using the player with 4:3 TV, it would be a very useful feature to have

Why on earth would you want to watch movies with a third of the image missing?
Sounds like pan and scan VHS is what you are looking for!

RE: humax pvr

Lots of advice here on the Humax users` forum, Hummy.org:
http://www.hummy.org.uk/invison/index.php?s=949aea47547785fbca867d1cddbaaae5&

This item was edited on Sunday, 7th October 2007, 08:41

RE: Do DVD players in the UK play foreign VCD?

Video CDs aren`t region coded but are system formatted according to location - ie PAL or NTSC

You therefore need to ensure your player and/or TV can cope with both.

I`ve not come across any machine that can play only SVCDs and not VCDs. it`s generally the other way round.
Most cheap end machines however can cope with nearly everything... it tends to be the more expensive DVD players that can`t play VCDs.

RE: Toshiba auto picture format problem ?

I`ve had 2 Toshiba widescreen TVs and both have had an auto function that allows automatic switching between aspect ratios. I`d be surprised if this set doesn`t too
Personally however, I can`t see what the problem is with viewing a 4:3 image as 4:3... that`s the shape it is supposed to be!
But for those of you who feel that it is wrong somehow (do you complain at the cinema if the movie you are watching doesn`t extend the full width of the available screen?) most manufacturers provide a stretch facility whereby the picture is distorted at the edges but keeps the central area more or less in proportion.
On Toshibas it is called `Super Live`. On my old Panasonic it is called `Just`.

There should be a menu on your TV that will allow you to select which aspect ratio is displayed in Auto mode when receiving 4:3 transmissions.
4:3 is the correct setting (ie the set will switch from 16:9 widescreen to 4:3 when it detects there is no widescreen signal). But you can select Superlive instead if you want it to default to filling the screen on 4:3 broadcasts.

If the auto function isn`t working it is worth checking that all other equipment plugged into your TV is switched off. I noticed that with my Toshibas whatever else was plugged in (but not being viewed) would disable the auto function.
It never happened with my Panasonic but does with the Tosh. I thought the set was faulty at first but realised this only ever happened when I the the DVD player was switched on!

This item was edited on Friday, 8th December 2006, 11:39

RE: Game Film/Actor thread...

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

RE: POLL: How many languages do you understand?

Quote:
Are they all derivations of one language eg. Arabic and Farsi
correct me if I`m wrong but I think you`ll find that Farsi (Persian) and Arabic are two completely different languages - as different say as Spanish and Norwegian

RE: Game Film/Actor thread...

Ann Margaret

RE: Game Film/Actor thread...

The English Patient

RE: Game Film/Actor thread...

Liv Tyler

RE: Game Film/Actor thread...

Eric Idle

RE: Game Film/Actor thread...

Robert Shaw

RE: Game Film/Actor thread...

Kingdom of Heaven

RE: Game Film/Actor thread...

True Lies

RE: Game Film/Actor thread...

Halloween: Resurrection

RE: Game Film/Actor thread...

war of the roses

RE: Game of Word Association anyone?

the Eagle

RE: Game of Word Association anyone ?

toe

RE: Game of Word Association anyone ?

Rolls Royce

RE: Post your Fez here - Post your images for the Reviewer Clan!!

Quote:
You`re not missing out! Promise.

methinks Sminty is being a wee bit modest.
She`s a very pretty girl imo.
Shame there aren`t more pics of good lookin girls like her on this site rather than all us ugly blokes

RE: Game of Word Association anyone ?

opera

RE: DVDR880 remote

I `d be most surpised if you get a response from mattc to be honest.
He joined and posted just two messages on this website way back in January 2004 and was never heard of again!
With regards to your question, you need a "One For All" remote control as advised in Spaced-Man`s answer here to a previous query of yours on this.

This item was edited on Tuesday, 27th June 2006, 18:43

RE: Game of Word Association anyone ?

black

RE: Game of Word Association anyone ?

lawyer

RE: Game of Word Association anyone ?

man

RE: Game of Word Association anyone ?

love

RE: Hack code for Toshiba DR160

Almost impossible to hack.
Surely if you want a multi-region Toshiba why not just buy one already multi-region from the box?

RE: cold in scotland

Quote:
Don`t recall Engish (media or public) willing Scotland on in 1974 & 78 when England failed to qualify
Yes I`m with Paul here.
I certainly recall supporting Scotland very strongly through the 74 and 78 World Cups and being really disapointed when they were eliminated.
I have always supported our UK teams in international events and was most surprised to find that this was not widely reciprocated north of the border.
And there was plenty of coverage in the media back then in the 70s too (in fact it was very heavy coverage considering Scotland is an area of the UK with less than 10% of the total UK population). All the Scottish matches were shown live on prime time TV down in England. I`m sure if Scotland were in the cup this time it would be no different. And I would be willing them on as much as England.
When I was living in Scotland in 2004 you wouldn`t have known the European Championship was going on, or if you did, that a UK team was playing such were the sensitivities of the media for fear of upsetting people about it.