4x3 aspect TV on many channels - Techwatch Support Forums: Digital & Satellite TV, FTA, Cable, Computers, Mobile Phones, Apple and General Tech Forums

niblet · 08-10-08, 09:17 PM

Hello all.

Got my FloppyDTV working with it's CAM and Fun4 card, I can see lots of lovely channels now in Vista Media Centre!

I am getting a lot of channels in standard aspect 4x3 instead of widescreen though, channels such as ITV3, Channel 5 and some of the music channels are standard, the movies and some others are in widescreen.

I'm just doing another scan to see what I can find, has anyone come across this before?

Confused Stu · 08-10-08, 09:29 PM

Same story here, my friend. Wikipedia shows the channels are split by VM between 16:9 and 4:3 (h**p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_channels_on_Virgin_TV). With your normal set top box, I think it just passes this format through to your TV where your TV expands the 4:3 to fill the screen. With the PC, it always puts through the same size picture so your TV always sees 1366x768 (or whatever) and so doesn't know which are 4:3 to expand them.

Could well be complete rubbish, but that's what I think is happening and I'm happy! Don't ruin it for me.

niblet · 08-10-08, 10:48 PM

Well, I've found the zoom option in VMC so at least I can mess around with the piccy that way.

As an aside is there any way of exporting and manipulating the channel guide setup, I'm using the TV pack and there must be an easier way of sorting the channels around!

TogaForComfort · 09-10-08, 11:52 AM

I would love to know of an easier way of arranging the EPG, I have completed it now, but I agree, there must be an easier way

niblet · 09-10-08, 03:55 PM

I'm going to have a look at this MCE EPG Editor
I'll let you know how it behaves

TogaForComfort · 10-10-08, 12:45 PM

I looked at that but is does not say if it works on TV Pack. Let me know how you get on

Ugg · 19-10-08, 08:40 PM

I use media portal and typically when it cannot figure out what aspect ratio to use its down to the codec you use. Try cyberlink power DVD 8 its a free download but you will have to find it. Solved my issues.

Cafe.Rcaer · 22-10-08, 06:24 PM

I tried that guide editor - didn't work on the TV pack.

08-10-08, 09:17 PM	#1 (permalink)
niblet Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 14 Thanks: 6 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	4x3 aspect TV on many channels Hello all. Got my FloppyDTV working with it's CAM and Fun4 card, I can see lots of lovely channels now in Vista Media Centre! I am getting a lot of channels in standard aspect 4x3 instead of widescreen though, channels such as ITV3, Channel 5 and some of the music channels are standard, the movies and some others are in widescreen. I'm just doing another scan to see what I can find, has anyone come across this before?

08-10-08, 09:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
Confused Stu Confused but learning Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 310 Thanks: 47 Thanked 89 Times in 71 Posts	Re: 4x3 aspect TV on many channels Same story here, my friend. Wikipedia shows the channels are split by VM between 16:9 and 4:3 (h**p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_channels_on_Virgin_TV). With your normal set top box, I think it just passes this format through to your TV where your TV expands the 4:3 to fill the screen. With the PC, it always puts through the same size picture so your TV always sees 1366x768 (or whatever) and so doesn't know which are 4:3 to expand them. Could well be complete rubbish, but that's what I think is happening and I'm happy! Don't ruin it for me.

08-10-08, 10:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
niblet Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 14 Thanks: 6 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: 4x3 aspect TV on many channels Well, I've found the zoom option in VMC so at least I can mess around with the piccy that way. As an aside is there any way of exporting and manipulating the channel guide setup, I'm using the TV pack and there must be an easier way of sorting the channels around!

09-10-08, 11:52 AM	#4 (permalink)
TogaForComfort Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 65 Thanks: 12 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Re: 4x3 aspect TV on many channels I would love to know of an easier way of arranging the EPG, I have completed it now, but I agree, there must be an easier way

09-10-08, 03:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
niblet Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 14 Thanks: 6 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: 4x3 aspect TV on many channels I'm going to have a look at this MCE EPG Editor I'll let you know how it behaves

10-10-08, 12:45 PM	#6 (permalink)
TogaForComfort Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 65 Thanks: 12 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Re: 4x3 aspect TV on many channels I looked at that but is does not say if it works on TV Pack. Let me know how you get on

19-10-08, 08:40 PM	#7 (permalink)
Ugg Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Up North Posts: 91 Thanks: 6 Thanked 12 Times in 10 Posts	Re: 4x3 aspect TV on many channels I use media portal and typically when it cannot figure out what aspect ratio to use its down to the codec you use. Try cyberlink power DVD 8 its a free download but you will have to find it. Solved my issues.

22-10-08, 06:24 PM	#8 (permalink)
Cafe.Rcaer Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 255 Thanks: 4 Thanked 27 Times in 22 Posts	Re: 4x3 aspect TV on many channels I tried that guide editor - didn't work on the TV pack.

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