Archived from groups: alt.satellite,alt.satellite.expressvu,alt.video.satellite.mpeg-dvb,sci.engr.television.advanced (
More info?)
In article <9IoHc.38086$_p5.710174@wagner.videotron.net>,
"jimmi | immij" <not_real@videotron.ca> wrote:
> It all depends on how the show was encoded.
> let me explain, if you are watching NBC the show may be in 16:9, then
> commercials are typically in 4:3, the next show on NBC may be in 4:3.
> The fact of the matter remains that about 55% are in 16:9 but either way its
> still HDTV (1080 lines of interpolated resolution).
> Some TV's have the ability to resize the image etc..
> I find that with my 42" 16:9 for some odd reason i can resize the screen
> (This is a function of the TV) for all inputs except for a HD feed.
> Essentially I am stuck with what the show was encoded in for 1080i. But i
> havent investigated the issue further, maybe i can resize it.
>
Let me shed some light on this. I am a Engineering Maint. Supervisor for
the CBS affiliate in my town. We do 1080i which is what CBS does. IMHO,
it is the best HD format. ( people can debate this all night, I won't ).
Anyway, the issue you are having is confusion between standard NTSC and
HD feeds. With my 52" Sony set, ( and most other CONSUMER HD sets.. )
you can squish/squeeze any NTSC signal to "fit" the 16:9 screen.
Normal, Wide, Zoom, Wide Zoom for instance. The pix is a 480x320 ( I
think off the top of my head ) screen.
In the HD world, most people ( if they DO it correctly - that is TV
stations ) have something called an upconverter. Our HD signal mirrors
our NTSC CBS/Local signal. During MOST parts of the day, the output of
the NTSC channel is fed into the upconverter which takes an NTSC signal
and doubles likes and outputs a true 1080i signal. It is IN THE 1080i
FORMAT DIGITALLY but is still 4:3 with bars on the left and right of the
screen. You CANNOT resize this. The UPCONVERTER is a source on the HD
Master Control switcher. Most of the day, the HD MCR SX sits on
upconverter. However, prime time when CBS goes HD for most of their
shows ( other than news type stuff and Survivor type stuff ) the
operator punches CBS HD satellite rx up on the switcher. It's 1080i as
well but TRUE 1080i, not an upconverted NTSC.
The same kinda thing is going on in reverse, mainly in sports. Last
years CBS Superbowl was shot, taped, produced in 1080i HD. However
rather than running a HD truck and a NTSC truck and dual switchers, dual
camera's dual CG's, they had a DOWNCONVERTER that took the 1080i signal,
cropped it and outputed NTSC.
If you want more information, the company we buy gear from is Evertz.
They make some darn good stuff.
www. evertz.com
Alan