16X9 or 4:3 Does it make a difference

[yukon]

On my 42' plasma it doesn't matter whether I choose the 4X3 or the 16X9. It looks the same.. Is it like this on everyones and if so why do they even put it on there.....

 

[slacker9876]

On my 42' plasma it doesn't matter whether I choose the 4X3 or the 16X9. It looks the same.. Is it like this on everyones and if so why do they even put it on there.....

If you change the actual aspect ratio on you TV, you will get pillarboxes, which is good because then images are not stretched. Watching a 4:3 show in 16:9 format changes the entire image ... and it is usually for the worse.

I do not know about the 811, but my DirecTV HR10-250 (HD TiVo) allows me to set pillar and letter boxing, and it make a huge difference. Odd thing is I would think the 55" Mitsu would do a better job, but it doesn't.

 

[yukon]

Now I know how my TV does it, but i'm talking about in the 811 setup screen.. It doesn't change anything.... Just wondering why its even there or if maybe something wrong with my 811... yeah my TV gives the boxes when i do it from the tv, but just wondering what difference it makes on the STB

 

[Kevinw]

Makes a difference on mine when watching HD. Set at 4:3 ,I get a window boxed -letterboxed picture. Mine stay a at 16:9.

 

[caesar gdi]

Yukon,

I bet its your TV that's auto stretching the 4:3

 

[goose61282]

I have a 4:3 and I didn't notices any difference either. I also notice that on my locals in normalHD the picture looks streatched vertically. And sometimes there's bars on every side. zoom semms to fix it but it seems unusual to my uneducated self.

 

[PILMAN]

If your using a plasma your gonna want to use 16:9 as it's a wide screen, certain things you may get boxes, others will fit your screen fine and the picture will look fine too.