Need help with my Widescreen HD TV & DVR, PLEASE!

[Dirty Hazy]

My screen measures...
32 1/4in -left to right(wide)
18 1/8in -top to bottom(high/tall) ***might be 18 1/4in

I have picture format sizes on my cable box that let me select multiple formats. The formats I can choose from are...

1080i
720p
480p Widescreen
480i Widescreen
480p Standard
480i Standard


The thing is, I have no idea which one(s) to use!!!

Different formats seem to cut off different parts of the screen and only some formats will stretch the square picture into a rectangle. I think it still trims some of the picture off when it does this, but some times it appears to be worse than other times.

PLEASE HELP!!!

My tv is a Magnavox and my cable box is from Time Warner. It is an HD-DVR made by "Scientific Atlanta" and the model is called "Explorer 8300 HDC".

HELP!!! HELP!!!

[ani]

I would reccomend 720p for a HDTV.

[PsiKoTicK]

Ok, are you watching an HD channel or a normal channel?

The Scientific Atlanta boxes are semi retarded, by the way. Stretching the picture into a rectangle does NOT make them high def, and the picture is distorted. Personally, I let the cable box leave them as a square. To do the same thing, leave it on either 720p Normal or 1080i normal. DO NOT USE STRETCH OR ZOOM (The aspect button is the # key on the bottom right corner of the keypad).

If you want to stretch the standard def picture to a rectangle, you will need to hit that button until it goes to stretch, then hit it AGAIN and put it back on "normal" on an HD channel (as the cable box will not do auto stretch SD and normal HD).

ZOOM is awful, and should never be used. It cuts parts of the picture off to try and make the square picture not be distorted and still fill the rectangular screen. If you use Zoom on an HD channel, you end up cutting off the top, bottom, and sides... which is silly. Zoom is the devil.

Edit: Oh, make sure you are using Component Cables or HDMI if you try to do 720/1080, as you will get horrible results otherwise.

If you are using the Yellow/Red/White (aka, Video and Left/Right audio) just leave it in 480i.

[Gopher Mod]

If you're using a 32" HDTV, it's best to leave it at 720p.

[Dirty Hazy]

ok, I am using more than just the red/yellow/white.

Do you recommend me using ANY of the 480 selections, if not why not? If so, what are the pros to doing so?

I watch shows on both HD and non-HD channels. Is 1080i the best all around except I get stuck with black bars which I hate, or is 720p better?

If I have them both set, does the box know which picture is best or.... agh, why is this so confusing?

More help please!!! (Thanks, too!)

[Dirty Hazy]

Think my tv is 42" but definitely widescreen

[Gopher Mod]

Dec 28, 2008 12:33:40 GMT -5 Dirty Hazy said:

Think my tv is 42" but definitely widescreen

If you measured your screen left to right at 32 1/4", it's a 32".

[Dirty Hazy]

Dec 28, 2008 12:37:30 GMT -5 Gopher Mod said:

Dec 28, 2008 12:33:40 GMT -5 Dirty Hazy said:

Think my tv is 42" but definitely widescreen

If you measured your screen left to right at 32 1/4", it's a 32".

I thought the tv goes by the diagonal measurement...?

[Bob Schlapowitz]

Dec 28, 2008 23:48:06 GMT -5 Dirty Hazy said:

Dec 28, 2008 12:37:30 GMT -5 Gopher Mod said:

If you measured your screen left to right at 32 1/4", it's a 32".

I thought the tv goes by the diagonal measurement...?

It does.

[Lord Rahl]

Dec 28, 2008 12:32:18 GMT -5 Dirty Hazy said:

Is 1080i the best all around except I get stuck with black bars which I hate, or is 720p better?

Actually, from all I've heard and been told, 1080i and 720p are basically the same.

And those boxes are the biggest POS I've ever seen. I have one. Its my 4th or 5th one. The HDMI never works on them it seems like. I finally just gave up on HDMI and use component (red, blue, green).

[Insomniac]

Doing the math with those given measurements, it's a 37" screen.

[Dirty Hazy]

really, 37? I swear it was 42. Hmph.