Why isn't TV sent as 16:9 shown as 16:9?

[Moskus]

...instead it's shown as 4:3 with black bars on top and bottom of the picture. Most of the TV programs here in Norway are sent in 16:9 so this is starting to drive me crazy!

I use Windows Home Server with the SageTV server running, and I use Placeshifter on my other computers (will start to use the SageTV client on my Media Center machine connected to my 40" screen).


What can I do about it?

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by Moskus

...instead it's shown as 4:3 with black bars on top and bottom of the picture. Most of the TV programs here in Norway are sent in 16:9 so this is starting to drive me crazy!

I use Windows Home Server with the SageTV server running, and I use Placeshifter on my other computers (will start to use the SageTV client on my Media Center machine connected to my 40" screen).


What can I do about it?

Did you set the interface to 16:9 instead of 4:3 in the client setup?

[Moskus]

Yes I did, but that only stretches the image sideways. I still have the black bars on top and bottom of the picture...

[stanger89]

How are you recording it?

[Moskus]

I'm using a Hauppauge WinTV-PVR USB2 card, using cable (as opposed to "antenna"). The channels are found using SageTVs search.

Can I specify which channels that send in 16:9 (like, all of them)?

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by Moskus

I'm using a Hauppauge WinTV-PVR USB2 card

You don't have a 16x9 recording, you have a 16x9 video inside a 4x3 SD recording. You'll need to use the Aspect Ratio settings to zoom into the video to get it display the 16x9 portion full screen. (I've only dealt with that on an HD100, so if you need help with that step for PC playback, someone else will have to offer a suggestion. Perhaps start with the link in Stanger's sig line.)

- Andy

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Moskus

I'm using a Hauppauge WinTV-PVR USB2 card, using cable (as opposed to "antenna"). The channels are found using SageTVs search.

Can I specify which channels that send in 16:9 (like, all of them)?

No, what you're seeing is that the broadcast letterboxed 16x9, not a true 16x9 feed. There's no way to change what's being broadcast.

[Moskus]

Originally Posted by stanger89

No, what you're seeing is that the broadcast letterboxed 16x9, not a true 16x9 feed. There's no way to change what's being broadcast.

That's a little confusing because my 16:9 TVs show the same broadcasts using the 16:9 with and height of the picture, not a letterboxed signal (as in "I don't see any black bars on the TVs, only when I'm using SageTV).

There's no way for SageTV to crop the picture or something like that?

I actually have to live with this?

[Brent]

Originally Posted by Moskus

That's a little confusing because my 16:9 TVs show the same broadcasts using the 16:9 with and height of the picture, not a letterboxed signal (as in "I don't see any black bars on the TVs, only when I'm using SageTV).

There's no way for SageTV to crop the picture or something like that?

I actually have to live with this?

This isn't any different from watching the feed directly on your TV or cablebox without SageTV. It's just the way its being broadcast. You could probably crop it somehow with video editing software, but why would you want to waste the time?

[Moskus]

Hmmm... still confused here.

I don't get black bars when watching a TV show directly on my TV. But if I watch the same show via SageTV I get the black bars (as SageTV sees it as a 4:3 broadcast, apparently).

[Opus4]

Did you not read my reply above, or did you not understand what I meant? SageTV sees it as 4x3 because you don't have a 16x9 recording -- the tuner you are using cannot record in 16x9 format regardless of the source. As I said above, you will need to zoom into the 16x9 portion of the 4x3 recording.

- Andy

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Moskus

Hmmm... still confused here.

I don't get black bars when watching a TV show directly on my TV. But if I watch the same show via SageTV I get the black bars (as SageTV sees it as a 4:3 broadcast, apparently).

How is your TV connected? The way I read your original response, you have the USB2 connected directly to your cable line?

[Moskus]

Originally Posted by Opus4

Did you not read my reply above, or did you not understand what I meant? SageTV sees it as 4x3 because you don't have a 16x9 recording -- the tuner you are using cannot record in 16x9 format regardless of the source. As I said above, you will need to zoom into the 16x9 portion of the 4x3 recording.

I read your reply, but I'm still confused...

So to summarize: My TVs can zoom into the 16:9 portion of the broadcast automaticly but my Hauppauge and/or SageTV can not?

"You will need to zoom into the 16x9 portion of the 4x3 recording" sound like a good plan, but is it possible to do with SageTV? The Aspect Ratio does not help, only streches the image sideways (I was hoping it would crop the image as well, but so far I don't see that).

Originally Posted by stanger89

How is your TV connected? The way I read your original response, you have the USB2 connected directly to your cable line?

Exactly. I'm using the connector on the back, you can connect either an antenna or cable. See .





Sorry if I don't understand or seem stupid, I just try to get SageTV to do what I want. But perhaps I'm asking too much (or perhaps I'm asking the wrong question without realizing it).

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by Moskus

Sorry if I don't understand or seem stupid, I just try to get SageTV to do what I want. But perhaps I'm asking too much (or perhaps I'm asking the wrong question without realizing it).

I think what Opus is saying is the Hauppauge USB PVR2 can ONLY record in 4:3. It does not have the ability to encode the video at 16:9 and therefore the recording has the black bars. This makes it not a Sage issue, but an the actual encoder is the issue. The only thing you can do, is have Sage zoom the image onto the screen in hopes to fill your tv and not notice the black bars.

You can verify the limitation of your encoder by playing the video back outside of Sage (say thru Windows Media Player or VLC) and if there are black bars there, then you know it isn't Sage (which I am sure it isn't).

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Moskus

Exactly. I'm using the connector on the back, you can connect either an antenna or cable.

Is that how your TV is connected?

[Moskus]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Is that how your TV is connected?

Yes, I'm using the TVs analog tuner.

Originally Posted by paulbeers

I think what Opus is saying is the Hauppauge USB PVR2 can ONLY record in 4:3. It does not have the ability to encode the video at 16:9 and therefore the recording has the black bars. This makes it not a Sage issue, but an the actual encoder is the issue. The only thing you can do, is have Sage zoom the image onto the screen in hopes to fill your tv and not notice the black bars.

You can verify the limitation of your encoder by playing the video back outside of Sage (say thru Windows Media Player or VLC) and if there are black bars there, then you know it isn't Sage (which I am sure it isn't).

That will only verify if the file is recorded with black bars, it could still be SageTV (allthough I'm starting to doubt it)...

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by Moskus

Yes, I'm using the TVs analog tuner.



That will only verify if the file is recorded with black bars, it could still be SageTV (allthough I'm starting to doubt it)...

You can use the Hauppauge provided software to verify that it is the encoder....should have been on the software that came with the device.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Moskus

Yes, I'm using the TVs analog tuner.

Then I have no idea what your TV is doing. The fact that there are bars on the recording means that the program is broadcast with bars. Somehow your TV must be recognizing that and changing it's display mode.

The PVR only records the signal it's given, it has no capability to either add or remove bars (which is how I know that the bars are in the signal).

The only thing you can do to approximate the TVs functionality is to use the auto aspect ratio switcher to have sage automatically change ARs for shows you tell it to (which is apparently what your TV is basically doing).

[Moskus]

I guess you're right: I'm screwed.



I've seen the suggestions to "zoom in" to the 16x9 portion of the TV-show. How would I do that?
EDIT: I think I found it. It's under Setup -> Multimedia -> Aspect Ratio Settings. Right?

What SageTV needs is a good cropping function, or maybe it has only I don't know about it...




EDIT: Sorry for being such a pain. I'm a "noob" in the world of SageTV, but learning and loving it.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Moskus

What SageTV needs is a good cropping function, or maybe it has only I don't know about it...

See the link in my sig, it explains how to do everything you need.