21 inch CRT 4:3

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Whiskey

Registered User
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I've a retro TV from 2002 which cost very little, and it still works like new

It's a 21 inch crt , 4:3 (not wide screen). It's worth about 10 euros, other people are throwing them out and getting 1080p LCDs and Plasmas

The quesion is, when I pick up RTE or BBC, is some of the picture on the left and right being truncated..........

Are broadcasts these days in widescreen (standard SD broadcasts)

If they are, I'm thinking I am not seeing 100% of what is broadcast...

Or is it a case that the broadcast is in 4:3 ratio, and widescreen TVs stretch it out, giving a distorted image on widescreen TV's
 
Whiskey said:
I've a retro TV from 2002 which cost very little, and it still works like new

It's a 21 inch crt , 4:3 (not wide screen). It's worth about 10 euros, other people are throwing them out and getting 1080p LCDs and Plasmas

The quesion is, when I pick up RTE or BBC, is some of the picture on the left and right being truncated..........

Are broadcasts these days in widescreen (standard SD broadcasts)

If they are, I'm thinking I am not seeing 100% of what is broadcast...

Or is it a case that the broadcast is in 4:3 ratio, and widescreen TVs stretch it out, giving a distorted image on widescreen TV's
Click to expand...

A whole can of worms can be opened when you start talking about broadcast ratios.

Generally speaking (very generally,at that) if a broadcast of 16:9 is being displayed on a 4:3 screen then it will be shown in "letterbox" format, ie: black bars top and bottom. That way no distortion or truncation takes place.

There are many sites that discuss broadcast formats and if you read some of them you will see how complicated it can become.
 
I have a TV of about that vintage too, I like it and it fits the cabinet it is in, works perfectly BUT I cannot see loads of picture on either side or all of subtitles if there are any. I notice it mostly with TV3 in morning, they have a big semi circular couch and if presenter and guest are sitting either end all I can see sometimes are their legs. Some programmes it will look like character is talking to themselves cos if other person is anywhere near side of shot they are cut out.
 
KerryG said:
I have a TV of about that vintage too, I like it and it fits the cabinet it is in, works perfectly BUT I cannot see loads of picture on either side or all of subtitles if there are any. I notice it mostly with TV3 in morning, they have a big semi circular couch and if presenter and guest are sitting either end all I can see sometimes are their legs. Some programmes it will look like character is talking to themselves cos if other person is anywhere near side of shot they are cut out.
Click to expand...

This should not happen as some TV's even back in the 90's had mode switching, which should be able to switch between "letterbox" / "pan and scan" / 14:9 etc. automatically. I advise you look for this setting in the menu.
Of course the Tv could have its screen geometry incorrectly set or even faulty.
 
Just to answer my own question.

My television is 4:3.
Most tv channels broadcast in 16:9 including rte, bbc, itv, sky news

My tele does not use letterbox, instead it uses up the whole screen....which means it loses 1/4 of the picture, 1/8th to the left and 1/8th to the right

For years, I've been watching only 75% of the broadcasted picture, without realising it......
I noticed it this weekend when I borrowed my friends widescreen, and place the 2 televisions next to each other.

There is a setting on the tv to toggle between auto, 16:9 and 4:3, I leave it on auto.

When I go to 16:9, it squashes the image from 4:3 to 16:9, distorting the image, but not showing extra detail to the left and right...

Time for a new television........
 
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