Video Asylum

Why do so many TV channels stick a letterbox pic into bars top/bottom/ both sides??

65.31.171.38

Elizabeth

A

Mostly the PBS stations do this all the time.
Many other do it sometimes.
What is the point? do they save money?
Are they idiots?
So the broadcast is a 16.9 content, the station broadcasts it into the inside of the standard shadowed off 4:3 screen area, and thus leaving bars above and below the picture.
Yeah Zoom can 'fix it.. But what for?
Do they think only poor folks who have old tvs ever bother to watch crap on PBS??

This just makes me want to SCREAM!!!! I have emailed PBS several times to complain.. and no response.
What gives?

Follow Ups:

RE: Why do so many TV channels stick a letterbox pic into bars top/bottom/ both sides?? - Ben Van Dyk 06:21:44 05/21/12 (0)
I only have free tv with 4 pbs channels.2 are widescreen. I get about 16 channels only 3 or 4 channels are widescreen
dts-cds dvd-audio &mch sacds & blu-ray concerts & speaker amp sound system tweaks rule
black bars explained - Joe Murphy Jr 09:31:52 05/20/12 (8)
The station broadcasts in the 16x9 format. Any content that is in 4x3 format will show black bars on the sides. Content that was filmed in "widescreen" (formats > 4x3) will have black bars at the top and bottom if recorded to a 4x3 system without using the anamorphic process.

Here's an example: DVD is actually a 4x3 format. Using what's called the anamorphic process, a widescreen filmed is squeezed into the 4x3 format. When a widescreen display shows the anamorphic content, it unsqueezes the picture and, instead of black bars on the sides, you get a display filling picture. However, if the anamorphic process wasn't/isn't used -- early DVDs did not use the process -- you get a letterboxed image (top and bottom bars). And since this was/is recorded to a 4x3 system, bars appear on the sides as well.

So, in a nutshell, you're seeing exactly what you're supposed to see; therefore, you shouldn't blame PBS or any other station for sending you a picture in its native format.
- RE: black bars explained - Hornlover 08:25:53 05/21/12 (5)
  I much prefer PBS's habit of showing 4:3 content in 4:3 aspect ratio, rather than like all other channels stretching it to fit 16:9, resulting in a distorted image. That really bugs the crap out of me, and I see it all the time. Either show it in 4:3, or get a new HD camera!
  - agree - Joe Murphy Jr 14:14:22 05/21/12 (3)
    It's called OAR (Original Aspect Ratio) and that's how all content should be encoded/recorded and broadcast.
    
    Don't like the OAR? Then get a video processor and change the aspect ratio to the flavor you prefer.
    - Most new TVs already have that - jedrider 15:40:36 05/21/12 (2)
      I think they have had features for a while. Also, they are getting good at it and they give one enough choices to please everyone -- just a button click away. However, the resolution does limit it and it will always result in an image that is a bit fuzzy when expanding from a 4:3, not to mention that heads are sometimes clipped.
      - dedicated video processors are usually better - Joe Murphy Jr 17:05:37 05/21/12 (1)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Most new TVs already have that posted by jedrider on May 21, 2012 at 15:40:36
        
        They offer far more choices to reframe the video. You can zoom by percentage or aspect ratio. The better ones will even allow pixel mapping (your own personal aspect ratio).
        
        I have no problem with giving the final user the option to change the picture to his or her liking. However, the OAR should be delivered on the recorded media, stream or broadcast. Change it on your your end: don't influence the picture on the other end.
        
        RE: dedicated video processors are usually better - Rod H. 18:47:55 05/21/12 (0)
        
        In Reply to: RE: dedicated video processors are usually better posted by Joe Murphy Jr on May 21, 2012 at 17:05:37
        
        I love how my Panasonic TH42PH9UK allows me to incrementally adjust the picture when I can't get it perfect otherwise. Round objects are supposed to be round!
  - Why it bothers some people and not others?? - jedrider 10:54:56 05/21/12 (0)
    I assumed it was an 'audiophile', 'perfectionist' type issue as we generally prefer image sharpness. My wife demands full screen and I am happiest when the image is sharp and true, which on 4:3 material usually means tolerating the sound bars. My wife says she didn't get a full size T.V. to watch a little image ;-) I guess it requires the ability to tune out aspects of the image, such as distracting side bars.
- RE: black bars explained - cdb 14:57:12 05/20/12 (1)
  I think she was describing videotaped television broadcasts where credits or on screen text is loped off on the sides by vertical bars.
  
  I've seen that myself, it looks cheezy, and yeah, it was usually a PBS station.
  - no, she's referring to windowboxing - Joe Murphy Jr 15:38:55 05/20/12 (0)
    windowboxing
    
    She said:
    "So the broadcast is a 16.9 content, the station broadcasts it into the inside of the standard shadowed off 4:3 screen area, and thus leaving bars above and below the picture.
    Yeah Zoom can 'fix it.. But what for?" .
    
    Please explain how zooming, a feature which usually cuts off/crops a picture, can restore picture information that's missing in the first place. (Hint: it can't)
    
    Missing credit information (on the sides of the frame) is usually due to the original picture being zoomed and that "reframed" image recorded for future playback.
    
    Below is a link to the wiki page on letterboxing (aka black bars). Scroll down a bit past 1/2 way and read the section titled "Pillarboxing and windowboxing". Windowboxing is the technical term for the explanation that I provided in my response.
    - link (Open in New Window)

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