Greets, I have a Kdl-40v2000 which used to be attached to an older Sony receiver via component cabling, and which was fed by my cable box via component. Under that setup, high def would be wide screen, and standard programming would appear as 4:3 with black side bars. I just replaced the receiver with a STR-DA3400ES. The cable box still connects to the receiver via component (because Time Warner's HDMI interface on their motorola box is a bad implementation), but connects to the TV via HDMI. NOW all programming appears wide. High Def is still wide as would be expected, but standard 4:3 is now stretched to wide, and looks awful. Any idea what setting could possibly be doing this? I have checked and checked. Thanks!
On your remote push settings, then scroll to display. Under display go to aspect ratio and select it. Switch from 16 x9 to 4x3. This will leave hd channels as they should be but change normal channels back to box look.
Thank you for your response. I looked for a SETTINGS and then DISPLAY on both the TV and Receiver and could not find either it or an aspect ratio setting. Can you please check and let me know. I so very much appreciate your help!
Did you try settings through your cable box. One thing that I did read about is how new technology is gearing towards everything being widescreen or 16:9 without any regards of what we already have or what is still being filmed in 4:3. The idea is that eventually everything will be filmed in hd and broadcast that way, so why have equipment that does both. Maybe the manufactures think that we would rather fill our screen with crappy video than have black bars on the sides. So, maybe your new reciever by default automatically stretches everything, cuz they think thats what we want, its cheaper and easier, or I could be wrong and what I read is false. You might have to contact manufacturer.
Thank you for your response. The cable box and TV did not change at all. The cabling out of the cable box did not change at all. There is some setting (or combination of settings) on the TV or Receiver, but no setting is documented. I am suspecting it has something to do with the receiver putting things out as 1080p, but the only thing that has anything to do with that is already set for "auto" (or "direct" makes no difference). Sigh.
I think your current problem stems from "connects to the TV via HDMI". With your old analog (component) connection you had some flexibility. With a DVD player connected via HDMI to a Vizio the aspect ratio is set in stone. Hitting the 'wide' button (which cycles through the various screen options available with SD cable) does nothing when in HDMI mode.
I suspect you are right. I dont recall if it was this board or another, but once I waded through the "read the manual" (and other useless posts designed simply to increase people's post counts rather than actually to be helpd) responses, someone had said to change the output resolution from AUTO to DIRECT in the receiver. That immediately killed 100% of my signal into the TV (as there was no HDMI (cable)->HDMI (receiver)->HDMI (TV) path. I had to change to component (which was still 16:9 on SD) just go be able to change it back to Auto. So I guess the bottom line is that there is no way to stop the 16:9 auto stretch of 4:3 programs when using a HDMI path through a sony receiver. For all of those who actually attempted to provide help (and not RTFM or other abstract sillyness), thank you!
I also read in HomeTheater Mag that some cable companies are stretching all programming to 16:9, the folks there were not impressed. Many folks seem used to watching squat people. I, like you, prefer a correct AR.
