slop101

Used to be that all widescreen shows were broadcast letterboxed with black bars on my 4:3 TV, but starting just a couple weeks ago, all the same widescreen shows are now zoomed in, filling the screen with the sides cut off - what happened?

FWIW, I have DirecTV, and it seems that only network shows are like this and not cable.

TGM

sounds like a setting is off on your directv box.

Jimmy James

I know the broadcast networks in my area have been terrible about this. They seem to have chosen to zoom for no good reason, chopping off the sides. It's particularly annoying on a show with credits like say SNL -- it looks like utter shit. NBC seems to be the worst (but not only) offender.

Lateralus

I can't watch the Simpsons anymore, it just looks horrible; thank goodness for hulu.

slop101

But I never changed anything, and like I said, cable shows are still fine - like Battlestar Galactica is still letterbox, but SNL, for example is zoomed in to fill the screen.

Troy Stiffler

Ugh. Back when I had cable, Cox (in Phoenix) did this with most of their HD channels. If it wasn't broadcast in widescreen HD, it didn't get displayed correctly. Discover HD and all those stations weren't presented correctly.

I guess you have to pacify the masses, who don't like those stupid black bars on the top and bottom or sides!

Drexl

Maybe it has something to do with the digital transition, even if DirecTV isn't direc-ly affected. It may be that some affiliates are doing this when they make the switch.

TheVelvetRope

I think it's the network affiliates. My Fox station has been going back and forth, particularly over the last few weeks. For the time being, they're letterboxing, as they should, but just when I get comfortable with that, they'll zoom and destroy the picture, as they did with the first HD "Simpsons." My NBC does the same thing, and while they're showing widescreen again, whenever the show begins or comes back from commercial, the image flashes back and forth between letterboxed and zoomed, like some dipshit is flicking a switch trying to decide which way to go. VERY irritating. I don't watch anything on the other nets, so I don't know what they're up to, but I'm betting your affiliates are jacking around with your picture. I have DirecTV as well, and have never changed any settings either.

philo

It's been the same way for me with DISH Network since the end of last year. The main networks all zoomed in with no more widescreen. Looks like complete crap with text lopped off or people barely seen on the side of the screen. Dish told me last year the locals were upgrading equipment for digital. I've given up any hope of them fixing it. Strikes me as piss poor planning in the transition. Odd thing is my local PBS often has shows in widescreen.

Count Dooku

I have Time Warner Cable and have noticed the same thing on some shows but especially the Simpsons.

SPRBD

We've noticed it also and we live in LA, where the networks have not yet made the move to digital. It really sucks.