Newbie's Guide to Selecting the Right TV Viewing Mode

[ChrisW123]

After playing with my new HD TV for a few days (I'm a noob), I have finally figured out the correct viewing modes to use for different types of content. I can't stand looking images that are stretched in any way. So I thought I'd share my findings so that other noobs get up to speed faster. Since my user manual doesn't explain the modes enough (for me) I'm assuming your manual won't be of much help either:

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My HD TV has these Viewing modes as does yours (or something similar):

Normal
Wide
Zoom
Panoramic

When viewing non-HD cable shows or content, the content will be in a 4:3 format so the TV should be set to "Normal" which is also a 4:3 format. This will give you an image that is not distorted. Personally, I will probably leave my TV in this mode as the "default" mode. The bars on either side are not that bad and you get used to them.

Then, when I see an HD broadcast (Comcast coming in a week to hookup HD service), I will look at the mode it's in while in my TV's "Normal" mode. If it is in a "wide" format such as 16:9 or some else that is not 4:3, I will switch the TV to "Zoom" mode. This will fill the screen proportionally, possibly leaving thin bars on the top and bottom, or cutting off a little of the image on the top and bottom, depending on the format of the content. The other modes stretch the content, but "Zoom" (on my TV anyway) does not stitch it, it upsizes it proportionally to fit side-to-side and the cuts off a little on the top and bottom, or leaves small blank bars on the top and bottom.

And then for DVD viewing basically the same thing applies. If the DVD supports a "wide" mode (most do), I will select that option from the DVD view menu and switch my TV view mode to "Zoom", just like I did above for HD cable content that was in "wide" format.

So Zoom mode appears to be the best mode for "wide" formats because it sizes the images proportionally as opposed to stretching the image like "Wide" and "Panoramic" modes do. I can't stand a stitched image because it is distorted.

Hopefully some of you new HD users will find this information useful.

-Chris.

 

[Halon451]

I can't wait for the day they standardize TV programming to 16:9 on all channels... then one doesn't have to worry about all this tomfoolery.

 

[EJ1]

Why would you want to zoom a native 16:9 image? Maybe I missed something.

 

[bandphan]

im all for native, no image processing applied

 

[ChrisW123]

Why would you want to zoom a native 16:9 image? Maybe I missed something.

I've found on my TV (Vizio XVT) that 16:9 content looks best when I'm in "Zoom" mode. Being a noob, I originally thought that my TV would just automagically adjust itself to the incoming content and that 16:9 would magically fit exactly right on the entire screen, 4:3 would have bars on the sides, etc., all automatically, and that I wouldn't have to switch modes.

But that doesn't seem to be the case... It appears that I have to select a mode in order to show the incoming content the best way. So I've found "Zoom" (on my TV) is best for 16:9. Let me know if I'm missing something . I'm learning.

 

[Halon451]

I've found on my TV (Vizio XVT) that 16:9 content looks best when I'm in "Zoom" mode. Being a noob, I originally thought that my TV would just automagically adjust itself to the incoming content and that 16:9 would magically fit exactly right on the entire screen, 4:3 would have bars on the sides, etc., all automatically, and that I wouldn't have to switch modes.

But that doesn't seem to be the case... It appears that I have to select a mode in order to show the incoming content the best way. So I've found "Zoom" (on my TV) is best for 16:9. Let me know if I'm missing something . I'm learning.

I rarely switch modes, as I try to watch whatever HD programming I have available through my (admittedly) crappy cable service (for HD programming). If I'm watching 4:3 content, I don't leave the black bars on, I just switch it to "Just" mode, and it fills the screen horizontally. I don't like the stretched look to be honest, but I prefer it over missing half the content by setting it to zoom. My cable company is getting better, but even many of the major networks are still stuck on 4:3 even for their supposed "HD" broadcasts, and they will insert little "splashes" to fill in the letterbox bars on either side. CNN is an example. I would never zoom a native 16:9 image though, there's just no point in that.

 

[ChrisW123]

....I would never zoom a native 16:9 image though, there's just no point in that.

Hmm, I don't understand why... On my TV I have to select a mode to watch in. So I have these choices:

Normal - Leaves incoming image unchanged, but displays that image in a 4:3 format (with bars on the sides).
Wide - Stretches image horizontally only.
Zoom - Stretches image horizontally and vertically, proportionally. Yes, some content MAY be lost depending on the image's aspect ratio.
Panorama - Seems to be the same as Wide. I can't tell the difference.

Halon, on your TV what does the "Just" mode do to the incoming image? Stretch horizontally? Or stretch both horz and vertically? Do most TVs have the same "modes" as my TV has, or does it vary?

And after using the TV for several days now, I'm learning that the Zoom mode is fine if the aspect ratio of the content closely matches my TV's physical aspect ratio. I've noticed the few DVD's I've watched seem to more closely match my TV so the Zoom is fine. But HD broadcast aspect ratio vary greatly.

Any thoughts on this? I guess I'm trying to figure out if I'm getting this right, or if I'm missing something.

-Chris.

 

[bandphan]

Native w/black bars for 4:3, 235:1, ect is fine anything else is altering the image, and not many displays can do it without sacrifice

 

[zhimbo]

But that doesn't seem to be the case... It appears that I have to select a mode in order to show the incoming content the best way. So I've found "Zoom" (on my TV) is best for 16:9. Let me know if I'm missing something . I'm learning.

I suspect you are missing something. Perhaps it's with your DVD player.

If you are "zooming" widescreen material to properly fill the screen, that must mean you are getting a 4:3 image, with tops and bottoms letterboxed, rather than a true 16:9 stream.

I think your DVD player thinks it's playing ball with a 4:3 instead of a 16:9 TV. I'd check its settings. I know my DVD player has to be told what kind of TV its sending a signal to.

 

[poutanen]

Used "Native" on my projector almost all the time, except when viewing non-anamorphic DVDs, and then I'd use the zoom to make it fill the screen.

The new TV pretty much does it automatically. Sometimes it wants to display a 4:3 show in 16:9 mode, probably an error in the OTA carrier coding and not the TV itself, so then I switch it to 4:3.