QUOTE(AstInst @ Mar 16 2010, 01:48 PM)
All,
My apologies for absence over the last week or two, I am currently in Japan working on an Ultra HD trial project!
From what I have seen here and on TallJustin blog there seems to be some real confusion here and the problem really seems to be that we have been getting TV 20 years behind the rest of the world (up until now!).
Pillarbox display is the world standard for putting 4:3 aspect ratio programs on a 16:9 TV screen. Every other PayTV broadcaster in the world forces you to watch 4:3 in pillarbox without any option to do anything else, it surprises me that Astro gives us any option at all.
Malaysia is a nation of people whom have watched stretched TV for years, mostly because we have no 16:9 broadcasts (SD or HD).
We also have a problem here in Malaysia, we have not switched to 16:9 SD or to closed caption subtitles, in fact our TV is almost identical to the color TV launched back in 1978 (I remember my father buyng a set for launch), fundamentally it has not changed. This is a real problem for us now we have HD!
As we channel surf on Astro we have a mix of SD/HD, native 4:3/Letter box 16:9, Open Caption/Closed Caption, to be honest its a real mess.
If the B.yond box outputs a stretched TV picture then it is totally out of the HDMI specification, I can't understand why Astro would do stretching or why anyone here would request it, it really is a step backwards.
From the post on TallJustins blog it looks like Astro attempted to implement an aspect ratio mode that removes the letterbox on 4:3 broadcasts. This is fairly standard practice on TVs in countries that introduced 16:9 SD when they had a mix of SD4:3 and SD16:9.
I will need to see it myself when i get back next week, but what they are doing looks correct to my eyes and based on my experience elsewhere. The zoom also looks like it is correct to the HDMI standard as there is no distortion of aspect ratio.
If Astro does bring back stretch then I will be very cross as that would mean there is no way to view 4:3 letterbox without making everyone short and fat, this really strains my "professional eyes".
Before I left to Japan I had my box set to pillar box, this is correct, but the "postage stamp" on the 4:3 letterbox channels really annoyed me as I had to zoom on my Sony TV. The aspect ratio button looks as though this was fixed, are we really all asking Astro to unfix this?
My thoughts, I am sure many will want stretch brought back, personally, stretch is a second rate answer for people who just want the screen filled and do not care about the quality, distortion or aspect ratio.
I was trained in the USA and aspect ratio was the basic rule that must never be broken.
Will attempt to get online more this week, should be easier as the Ultra HD trial is up and running here in Japan I am only needed if it goes wrong!
Thank you for the clarifications, but the issues here are as following and I hope you can enlighten us.
1) If we have to watch SD channels on pillar box 4:3, why do we have to frequently change the settings each time we change channels (its set to zoom for all SD channels and I believe it should be 4:3)? Moreover, I was told to switch the cables each time I wish to watch the normal SD channels and switch it back again if I change to the HD channels or I will not get the full screen HD, isn’t these a nuisance? I think we are not moving forward in technology because technology serves to ease the burden and not to make it harder. I believe the older folks are going crazy with this new system.
2) Why can’t we have the options to watch starched SD channels like before? Would it be a legal issue here in Malaysia or international if we go back to the old ways? Please explain the matters of law regarding this issue, if there in fact any legal issues?
3) Are you aware if we watch on the zoom option, the top and bottom of the full picture are chopped off? Do you consider this as better quality? Do you think we should also chop off our monthly subscription based on our views and the sevice and quality we getting now without notice?
4) When will we have the options to view all the channels under HD because since there is no specific dates given? Do you think that Astro should had transferred all SD channels to HD before taking this steps and making any changes to the viewing pleasure of the public? I believe this is one of the major issue because no prior resonable notice or warning were given when Astro promoted the beyond system. Do you believe the public will now change to beyond since we are facing this issues?
5) Do you think that those people with big LCD TVs are now very frustrated viewing pillar box or zoom after spending thousands to upgrade their system mainly because of the new Astro Beyond? Do you think that with the present changes, LCD TV market will reduce and others will not be happy since their business will be affected?
6) I believe internationally the other countries have better options compared to what we have now? Do you agree? Please explain those options.
As for now, we are not FREE to pick our viewing options accoding to our desire pleasure. I am still paying the same amount to Astro, but truthfully as a customer I feel the quality of the SD channels have reduced. The principle of good services and business as a whole is that at all times you should listen to your customers needs and hopefully you believe in this principle. Do you?
Thank you.
This post has been edited by edbravo: Mar 16 2010, 02:48 PM 
Mar 14 2010, 08:15 PM
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