Aspect ratio question about Defy TV

[valvashon]

Our local ION station carries Defy TV as one of their subchannels. All of the other SD channels are flagged as 16:9 with 16:9 programming. Even Grit with it's mix of widescreen movies and old 4:3 TV shows is flagged as 16:9 and the shows look correct.
If I set my TV (a Samsung, in this case) to 4:3 when on Defy it shows it as a picture or window box, with black bars on all four sides of a 16:9 program in the correct aspect ratio. Is this a formatting error on the part of the local ION station or is this how Defy is displayed on your local ION station?

 

[Mediafrog+]

Houston’s Ion station (KPXB) has all eight subchannels as 16:9, including Defy, and all display correctly. Might be an error on your local station.

That being said, I’m amazed at how many misformatted subchannels there are on other stations, usually LPTVs.

 

[newsmark]

It also displays correctly on 16.5 in Salt Lake City.

 

[Deleted member 108832]

Houston’s Ion station (KPXB) has all eight subchannels as 16:9, including Defy, and all display correctly. Might be an error on your local station.

That being said, I’m amazed at how many misformatted subchannels there are on other stations, usually LPTVs.

Same here in Tyler with CBS affiliate KYTX, which runs Defy on .6. The multiplex operates at 16:9.

Completely agree on the LPTV comment you've made. Anything offered by HC2 Holdings, tend to be the main culprit for misformatted subs here.

 

[Radionys]

What I hate is programs that were originally made for analog tv (4 x 3) blown up to 16 x 9 and everyone's faces are squished I'd rather have the black bars on the sides.

 

[anotherguyTN]

What I hate is programs that were originally made for analog tv (4 x 3) blown up to 16 x 9 and everyone's faces are squished I'd rather have the black bars on the sides.

Either that or the picture is stretched to where people look like they have balloon heads.

 

[spunker88]

Defy along with all the other Scripps/Katz diginets are in 16:9 in my area. It sounds like your local affiliate is running the channel in 4:3 and adding black bars to the top/bottom to make the 16:9 picture fit. Your 16:9 TV is then showing black bars on the left/right since its a 4:3 channel and thats how you end up with black bars on all sides. Most 16:9 TVs will have a picture setting to zoom in that is itended for this scenario where 16:9 content is shown on a 4:3 channels.