Change the color of 4:3 bars on HD-200

[scott2020]

Is there a way to change the colors of the bars that appear when watching 4:3 SD content? On my Samsung TV there is an option to use black or gray, but I can't find anything like that in Sage. Sometimes when the program changes, Sage changes to 4:3 with black bars on the sides and I can change the AR to "fill" or something like that to get rid of them, but if someone isn't paying attention the bars could stay up for awhile. I'd like to change to a light gray instead of black.

Thanks,
Scott

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by scott2020

Is there a way to change the colors of the bars that appear when watching 4:3 SD content? On my Samsung TV there is an option to use black or gray, but I can't find anything like that in Sage. Sometimes when the program changes, Sage changes to 4:3 with black bars on the sides and I can change the AR to "fill" or something like that to get rid of them, but if someone isn't paying attention the bars could stay up for awhile. I'd like to change to a light gray instead of black.

Thanks,
Scott

Why not just set your videos to play back always in fill mode.

[scott2020]

When I am watching TV (or someone in the household is watching live TV and walks away...) when a new program starts, the AR changes from whatever was manually set (source, fill, etc) back to source. If it is an HD program then there is no problem, but if it is SD it displays the black bars on the sides. Someone can then manually set the AR back to Fill or whatever, but each time a new show starts, the AR changes back to source.

Scott

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by scott2020

When I am watching TV (or someone in the household is watching live TV and walks away...) when a new program starts, the AR changes from whatever was manually set (source, fill, etc) back to source. If it is an HD program then there is no problem, but if it is SD it displays the black bars on the sides. Someone can then manually set the AR back to Fill or whatever, but each time a new show starts, the AR changes back to source.

Scott

Click the Options button when watching an SD show. You can set your aspect ratio permanently to fill. I have it set this way on my parents Plasma.

[scott2020]

Originally Posted by paulbeers

Click the Options button when watching an SD show. You can set your aspect ratio permanently to fill. I have it set this way on my parents Plasma.

I guess I am missing that option in SageMC? I am not running the default STV. I can see where I can change the AR using the options, but I don't see where to permanently set it to Fill or something other than source.

[razrsharpe]

on my setup if a program changes to 4:3 (even for a limited time during commercials) the TV (pioneer) will automatically insert the gray pillar bars. My AR mode in Sage is always (99.9% of the time) set to source. I would think your samsung should do this automatically (put the gray pillar bars in for 4:3 content)?

And a PS... who watches 4:3 content stretched?.... people look all gross and distorted when you do that

EDIT: if you dig into studio you can most likely change the background color permanently or map it to a property item... but not sure bc ive never gone looking for it

[scott2020]

Maybe I have my Sage set up wrong. I am using SageMC 16x9 and have my aspect ratio set in Sage to 16x9. If I set the TV to "just scan" or 4:3 as a test, I get the gray bars from the Samsung AND the black bars from Sage, and then the program. I would rather have the TV change and put the TV's bars on 4:3 content and not the Sage box, but I can't figure out the setting. Thanks for your help!