Why is my HDTV picture in wide format and then in narrow format?

Question

Sometimes my HD picture is wide format and then narrow format on the same channel. Is this due strictly to the way the network broadcasts the signal?

Answer 1

yes and no

the station can broadcast 4:3 ratio shows in 16:9 widescreen.. but it look like crap with everything stretched out (fat people).
youll have to change the TVs own screensettings to adjust it to your liking, but chances are when you get rid of the "stretch" effect , you end up cropping the off the edges of the show your watching

if its filmed in HD or 16:9, itll look normal (unstrecthed) on the Tv's "normal" screen setting

tntHD claim to be always HD, but there are alot of 4:3 shows upconverted to HD, and stretched, the picture quality is better, but you still have the "fat people" stretched effect.

they always broadcast the feature nightly movies in true HD though. and the same with their sportscasts...always in HD

Answer 2

Like when watching football? I recently picked up a wide screen HDTV and started watcing football broadcast in HD. However, I think the commercials are not formatted for HD so they are shown 4:3 with the black bars on the sides. So to answer your question - yes I believe it is due to the way the network broadcasts the signal.

Answer 3

yes your right - depending on the braodcast the show cuold be in a different format - especially older shows and reruns

Answer 4

yeah your right