Download Understanding Widescreen TV

Understanding Widescreen TV
What is Widescreen?
The term “widescreen” is used to describe the format in which the picture is broadcast and displayed. Widescreen
is considered to give a better viewing experience as it closely resembles the way the human eye views the world enhancing the sense of realism. The ratio of the width to the height of a widescreen TV picture is 16 to 9 and is often
called ‘16:9 format’.
The progressive introduction of the widescreen format is part of an industry wide trend towards a format which
provides a better viewing experience. Most TV programmes are now broadcast in the widescreen (16:9) format however
older programmes were in the narrower 4:3 format. If set up correctly a widescreen TV should display the picture on
your screen in either 16:9 or 4:3 as appropriate for the programme. An older standard 4:3 TV can mean the sides of a
widescreen picture are cut off depending on how the television is set up.
If you have a dedicated decoder for each television, you can change the decoder settings to suit that particular TV by
selecting either 16:9 for a Widescreen TV, or 4:3 Centre cut for standard 4:3 TV.
If you have a single decoder feeding a combination of both standard 4:3 and widescreen TV’s you will need to choose
whether to set the decoder to best display the picture for the widescreen or standard television sets. When making this
decision consider that standard TV’s will miss out on the sides of a programme if the decoders are set to widescreen,
whereby if the decoders are set to standard 4:3 then the widescreen TV’s will have black bars on either side of the
picture but both will have the total picture. It is important to consider that any new television set purchased within the
last 2- 3 years will be widescreen including some of the smaller screens. Any new television set or upgrade in the future
will also be widescreen.
Widescreen Glossary
16:9 The widescreen shape of TVs and programme transmissions.
4:3
The standard shape of ‘older’ CRT TV’s and programme transmissions
Pillarbox
A description of how standard (4:3)
programmes appear on a widescreen (16:9)
TV. The whole of the picture displays, as if
it were on a standard TV, with black bars at
either side of the picture.
4:3 Content
Letterbox
A description of how widescreen (16:9)
programmes appear on a standard (4:3)
TV. This option means the whole picture
is displayed but black bars will appear
at the top and bottom of the screen and
when older 4:3 content is broadcast you
will notice a black border around the
whole picture.
16:9 Content
Centrecut
A description of how widescreen (16:9)
programmes appear on a standard (4:3)
TV. Ensures the picture fills the screen.
There won’t be any black bars around
the picture but you will lose the edge of
any graphics and miss the outer edges
of any widescreen programming.
16:9 Content
Setting your TV’s and decoders
Television settings
Every TV model and make is slightly different. In general though you will need to check your TV’s aspect ratio is set
correctly (16:9, widescreen, or full) as well as set the decoder. The TV remote will usually have a button called ‘aspect
ratio’ or check your TV instruction manual for further information.
Standard Decoder Settings
Standard (4:3) television
1. Use your TV remote control to select the input or channel used to view SKY TV.
1. Press the select button (the oval button inside the four arrows) on your SKY remote control.
2. Highlight the Setup Icon (Spanner) using the left and right arrow buttons on your SKY remote control.
3. Highlight Advanced Set-up and press the select button.
4. At the Advance Setup screen enter your 4-digit pin number and press the Select button (Please contact SKY if you
are unsure of your pin number).
5. Press the up or down arrow button until TV setup is highlighted and press the Select button.
6. Press the Up/Down button until 4.3(centre cut) is highlighted. Press the select button
7. The decoder will go back to the Advanced Setup screen. Press the go back button twice more and you will go back to
viewing the SKY Channel.
On the SKY set top box set-up menu, viewers who are watching widescreen programmes on standard 4:3 television sets
can select from two different options - 4:3 letterbox and 4:3 centre cut. ...We recommend that viewers select the centre
cut option.
Widescreen (16:9) television
1. Use your TV remote control to select the input or channel used to view SKY TV.
2. Press the Select Button (the oval button inside the four arrows) on your remote.
3. Highlight the Setup Icon (spanner) using the left and right arrow buttons of your remote control.
4. Using the Up and down arrows highlight Advanced Setup.
5. At the Advanced Setup screen enter your pin number and press the select button (Please contact SKY if you are
unsure of your pin number).
6. Press the Up/Down button to highlight TV setup and press the select button.
7. Press the Up/Down button until 16:9 Widescreen is highlighted. Press the select button.
8. The decoder will go back to the advanced setup screen, press the go back button twice more and this will take you
back to viewing.
You should leave the decoder permanently on this setting. You will notice when watching a widescreen transmission
that the top and bottom of the screen will have a thin black line the full length of the screen. This is the way the screen
is meant to look in widescreen format and no picture has been lost.
MYSKY and MY SKY HDi
These boxes have an aspect control ratio which can be set to allow either the set top box (STB or decoder) or the TV
set to choose the correct aspect ratio for the picture (as appropriate). For further information please refer to your user
manual under SET UP.
Considerations:
Whilst most new programming will be screened in full 16:9 format not all SKY channels or programmes are available in
widescreen, for example classic movies, or classic comedy which were produced prior to widescreen. Therefore viewers
with a widescreen television will at times notice black bars on the left and right of the screen for older programmes and
programmes not produced in widescreen.
Please feel free to contact our SKY Business customer services team on 0800-759-333 with any queries you may have.