OTA question

[David8956]

New to site, but I have not seen an answer to this question. Is the signal you receive from an OTA ant. from the "digital" towers of the local stations in 16:9 format even on non-HD shows (like FOX on 613) ? Or are those broadcast in 4:3 ? I have a 57" Sony 16:9, using BHN and their SA3100HD box. While watching channel 628 their shows are in 4:3 if not a HD show, so I switch back to the analog signal to get it full screen. (This box does not have a DVI output, TV accepts DVI, would changing to a box with a DVI output make any difference while watching 628 ?) Tired of not being able to get a good digital or HD signal, and ready to buy an OTA set up if I can watch those shows in 16:9. Thanks for you help !

[bdraw]

Most of the OTA station broadcast 16x9 all the time. The only one that doesnt is channel 66-1 WXPXDT. Channel 44-1 and 8-1 broadcast in 14x9.
My TV doesnt have a DVI so I am not sure about that one. What you can do is get the pace box and then you will have DVI out and it has the ability to stretch 613 and 628 to get rid of the black bars on your TV.

You can also try to use the S-Video out and try the various viewing modes that are in your TV.

The only real reason to buy a OTA STB is to be able to watch CBS and NBC. CBS has more HD content than any non-cable channel. Including one SEC football game on saturday, and all of their primetime shows, excluding reality, and news.

Either way I would call BHN and ask them to swap out your SA3100HD for a Pace 550HD.
There should be no charge.

[David8956]

Thanks for the advice. At this time I can only watch NBC & CBS in analog as BHN does not carry their digital signals, and on the 3100HD box I have now I don't have the option of stretching those digital signals to full screen. (Something I don't understand is when I'm watching a HD show on 628, or a widescreen digital feed on Fox's 613, it always goes to the 4:3 format for commercials, then back to widescreen for the show. Is this just BHN ? Or does this also happen when you use an OTA set up ?)

[bdraw]

This is all HD. I have never seen a real commercial in HD. Suposibly some of the commercials during the Superbowl were in HD one year. HDNET and DiscoveryHD are the only channels that show HD commercials, but they are both just commercials for their own shows.

There is a rumor that BHN will carry CBS and NBC in HD before long. Its really too bad the 49er game looks incredible right now.

[Hop]

I have never seen a commercial in HD either. There seem to be a lot of people dragging their feet in regards to HD. I can't believe that they don't see the importance of HD. Well, HD sets are selling way ahead of predictions and the more that have them the more pressure will be put on the networks, etc.

[OccamMD]

The superbowl HD commercials for the matrix where incredible.