DTVPal Aspect Ratio

[Buy_The_Tie]

I have a system that used to be pretty sweet, but after the terminating of the analog signals, I've had a problem.

The system consists of an Antenna on the roof, connected to a DTVPal, which is connected to a Panasonic DVR / DVD Recorder combo.  It won't record in hi-def, but with the Panasonic set to the highest quality it works really well.  The DTVPal has a "Picture Format" that they dub as "Full"... which is to say they compress the entire 16x9 into the 4x3 frame.  On a normal 4x3 television this looks "squashed".  However, when I play it back on my Sony XBR4, I can "stretch" it back out into the correct full-screen aspect ratio.  This has worked this way for the past 6 months or so.

Yesterday evening, I did a re-scan (which I think has nothing to do with  my problem), then noticed that I could no longer select the "Full" Picture format on TMJ-4.  It is stuck on "Zoom" and I cannot change it.  I have two DTVPal boxes and they both now display this behavior.  On other stations I can change the picture format at will.

Is WTMJ doing something that would force a CECB like the DTVPal to remain fixed at "Zoom"?

Does anybody else have a DTVPal, and could they test to see if they are having this issue too?

I've also tried doing a power cycle on the DTVPal and even a factory initialize on it to no avail.

If I cannot get this back to working, I may have to break down and get some other sort of HDTV DVR (I'm really cheap, this doesn't sit well with me.).  

[Jimboy]

My DTVPAL does the same thing.
But my DigitalStream 9950 still allows me to change it.
They may be sending out AFD information (Active Format Descriptor).
Don't know yet. Perhaps they could tell you. Call them.

[Buy_The_Tie]

My DTVPAL does the same thing.
But my DigitalStream 9950 still allows me to change it.
They may be sending out AFD information (Active Format Descriptor).
Don't know yet. Perhaps they could tell you. Call them.

Ahhhh....

AFD... Active Format Descriptor....

I suspected they may have had such a mechanism.  I will contact them and report back.  Thanks!

[techboy]

WTMJ switched encoders from Flexicoder to Tandberg on June 12th.  Got that from an "insider".  Now my Panasonic receiver DVR DMR-EZ27 is having difficulty determining correct aspect ratio on WMTJ.  Also, my RCA digital TV no longer displays closed captions on WTMJ.  All other stations are still as they were before the "big switch".  To get the engineers at WTMJ to react to these issues, a list of affected devices needs to be forthcoming.  As far as they see on their ( WTMJ ) gear, everything is OK.   So, if you are experiencing an issue with WTMJ, make a posting discribing the problem and the brand and model of the equipment.

[beeper]

NBC has been using AFD nationally to selectively control aspect ratio for programs they think the end user should only view in 4:3.

The DISH DTV Pal, TR-40, and DTV Pal Plus are all similar models and are negatively affected.
They do not have a "set by program" picture format.
480i signals are automatically zoomed (cropped), and other resolutions normally have selectable picture formats.

When NBC's AFD is active, the picture format is locked to zoom (cropped).
So you can't use letterbox on a 4:3 TV, or horizontal squeeze for use on a 16:9 TV.

Other digital tuners like the Zenith DTT 901 are not affected.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1148095