Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: 4:3 lines appear when HD TV goes to black. Why?

This is topic 4:3 lines appear when HD TV goes to black. Why? in forum The Afterlife at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=12;t=000908

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 11-30-2010, 11:48 AM:

When watching any network show via cable (here in Brooklyn it is Cablevision), whenever they go to black between the actual 16:9 ratio show, two black(er) lines marking the old 4:3 ratio space appear, then disappear as the next 16:9 image comes on the screen. I'm just wondering why that would be since 4:3 components are no longer in the production chain (I am guessing). No 4:3 picture is ever part of the program start to finish, so why would any part of the transmission have any remnants of the old 4:3 component, and just when it is in black?

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 11-30-2010, 04:45 PM:

I have Cablevision and it does not do that for me. My suspicion is that something is set to "auto" in either the cable box's aspect ratio setup or the TV's, so when ever the signal goes down to null, it resets back to 4x3. My guess is that it is your tv.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 11-30-2010, 05:40 PM:

The problem could be pillar box burn-in with the HDTV set.

The problem could also have something to do with SD quality material being broadcast by the cable company and/or cable networks. I often see differences with black levels on SD material compared to the black levels of the "pillars" flanking the SD video content. The difference is especially obvious when a letter boxed SD commercial airs.

Posted by Jesse Skeen (Member # 586) on 12-02-2010, 10:38 PM:

I've noticed this a couple times on local stations here, but of course I don't watch a lot of TV (and of course don't have cable since I value my money). I'm amazed that they're still showing commercials that are letterboxed in a 4x3 frame, then showing that in 16x9 with black side bars- since commercials are the only things broadcasters care about now, you would think after the first one aired like that someone would be breathing down the tech guy's neck saying "Fix it- NOW."