Gray side panels with 4:3 display on 16:9 TV

 

New member
Username: Ott_gangl

Post Number: 2
Registered: Nov-05
Time Warner cable installed a 8300HD box on my new HDTV wide screen TV and when programs are show in 4x3 there are grey bars on either side whereas with the TV tuner they are black, which I prefer.

The Explorer HDTV setup wizard is supposed to come on when the buttons, Info and Guide, on the front of the box are pressed while the power on the box is off and the TV is on but nothing happens, the box only displays the time, nothing on the TV.

To change the border colors supposedly there is a "Set:TV Borders" lurking somewhere in the 'settings' program but I can't find it anywhere, not in the basic nor in the extended settings program.

I would appreciate any help...

.....Ott
 

New member
Username: Alexgolten

Post Number: 1
Registered: Dec-05
I am having exactly the same issue and Time Warner has not been able to help. Did you figure out how to fix it?
 

New member
Username: Ott_gangl

Post Number: 3
Registered: Nov-05
No, I have tried to solve it by myself since on HD channels they are black but no dice. Time Warner cable was no help. I ran across some info on the internet that said the sidebars could be changed to any color via a 'Set:TV Borders' setting and it gave instructions only my TV does not have those options nor does the 8300 cable box.

....Ott
 

Silver Member
Username: Cableguy

Deep in the ... U.S.

Post Number: 538
Registered: Mar-05
Actually what you can do is very easy, two options:
#1. Stop watching analog or digital channels on your component inputs (or HDMI if connected) Use S-video, composite video or RF connection to view non-hd channels. This will eliminate the grey bars on the sides of your picture.
#2. Go into your settings/more settings down to output format select 480i/480p/720p(if you TV can handle 720p)and 1080i, make sure there is a dot beside each of the options and be sure to accept the change via the button on your remote the menu says to push to "accept change". Then you will need to go into the aspect ratio and tell make sure it is set up to read widescreen-16:9,4:3 stretch. This will eliminate the grey bars you see on your analog and digital channels, when viewing them on your HD input.
Of the two options, you will get a better PQ on your analog and digital channels if you are using the composite inputs instead of the HD inputs to view non-HD channels. The option is yours, but that's how you can correct the grey bars. The same scenario exist if you try to watch your HD channels on your composite inputs, except you will see grey bars at the top and bottom of the picture, to resolve that: when watching HD channels make sure you are on the HD input and not the composite.
Hope that helps both of you.
 

New member
Username: Ott_gangl

Post Number: 4
Registered: Nov-05
Cableguy, great info. I am using the TimeWarner 8300 DVR box with the component cables. Should I also connect the S-video output from the cable box to the TV (SonyKDFE50A10)at the same time and set that up on one of the video inputs on the TV and switch to that when watching non-HD channels and wont this degrade the image?

You input is greatly appreciated...thanks...

....Ott
 

Silver Member
Username: Cableguy

Deep in the ... U.S.

Post Number: 540
Registered: Mar-05
Ott,
That is exactly what I mentioned above as one of the options you should be using. Now, I personally don't like the S-video connection as I prefer the composite cable to S-video. I'm not going to say don't connect the S-video, whatever makes your boat float lol. On your Sony TV, Video input 1 has the S-video connection, but if you use 3 for composite you can leave video 1 free for any other S-video connection you want. Usually I go into the menu and label the inputs, (let's say you're using Component and Composite connections) Composite connection to Video 3, relabel that input to Cable, and Component Video input 4 to HDTV. You can also turn off inputs that are not being used to skip over unused inputs to minimize the number of inputs you need to jump through to get from point A to point B. It's in your owners manual on page 79.

quote " won't this degrade to image?"

The composite inputs were designed for a analog or digital reception, hence why you have still have them available for many devices that are not HD...older VCR's, DVD players, Video Camera's etc... You will find that the analog and digital channels appear out of focus when watching them on your Component, or HD inputs, as to a crisper edge on the composite input. The same way you will see HD channels look out of focus when viewing them on the non-HD inputs along with the grey bars at the top and bottom. Use the specific input designed for that type of signal and life will be better. You also have options in your menu to default your 4:3 viewing to normal (black bars on the left and right of the screen) or full, zoom, or wide zoom (page 69 in your owners manual). Most of the time I set it to full, so you get a 16:9 picture instead of the black bars, keeping in mind a 4:3 picture was never intended to be stretched, but you'll see it looks just fine.
Happy tweaking!

 

Anonymous
 
cable guy, you really seem to know your stuff. thanks for helping people like me. I live in NYC and have a new Panasonic HDTV Plasma 37 inch - TH -37. I have Time Warner Cable with 8300 HD box. I have had time warner here...I have talked with Panasonic. They both say it's the others problem. I have followed your above directions exactly but on the HDTV channels I still get gray bars on top and bottom. I have tried everything. The gray bars will not go away. Could it be the box? Again I have followed all your directions, pressed "accept" - changed aspects, etc. Could it be the TV? FYI, the box says HDTV when on the 700 channels. And cables are hooked up right. Just the pic is smaller and within gray bars even when I know HD shows are on. Also, when on non-HDTV, pics are in full screen and look good. Any other things for me to try?
 

STLJAMES
Unregistered guest
I have a HD Sony bigscreen and recently switched from Dish network to Charter cable. The HD channels look good but the non-HD channels have a " grey box" in the center of the picture that looks a bit grayer than the rest of the picture. Said differently there is definitiely a border around the entire screen that is a bit brighter that the rest of the screen.

Any ideas what is causing this and what I can do to eliminate it? I didn't notice it with the Dish Network box (was using the Dish 811 HD box).

Thanks!!
 

clthoma2
Unregistered guest
Cable Guy,

If I have something DVR'ed in HD, is there a good solution to for sending it to my DVD Recorder? I realize that it will not be in HD quality, but I would at least like to keep it in the 16:9 format. Currently I have an S-video going from the 8300's video 2 out into the panasonic dmr-es10k dvd recorder. I am getting the top and bottom grey bars? Any suggestions on the best way to record stuff that was recorded from the HD channels?
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