hope so

I love TVB!!

but i dislike the fact that tvb classic and xinghe now has so many shows broadcast in letterbox. irritating.

It's astro fault for not switching it to proper 16:9, like some channels in (SD) 16:9.

in the past it is used to be ok one. the same drama broadcasted few years in full screen, while now broadcasted in letterbox.

i could only explain this that they do it for those 4k tv? because if show on full screen will be stretched so there will be too much distortion?

maybe warner tv since the background used Arrow picture if I'm not mistaken.

No... Nothing gonna do with 4K TV. No need to think until that far.
It's all about aspect ratio and video quality. Initially the channel is in SD 4:3 but now the channel provider provides the channel in HD 16:9. But Astro still offer the same channels in 4:3 without stretching/remove letterbox, so letterbox will appear at all times in order for 16:9 content to display correctly on 4:3 TV. But it won't look good for 16:9 TVs as viewers will see stretched image+letterbox.

Things become worse when the channel is airing a 4:3 programme in 16:9 HD channel. Pillarbox will be added from channel provider + unnecessary letterbox added from Astro = windowboxed (black bars on top, bottom, left and right sides).

Astro has this hidden agenda to display letterbox for 16:9 content on 4:3 channel is for the sake of marketing of HD service. If Astro transmit the channel in native 16:9 aspect ratio, majority of the customers won't be able to see the difference between SD and HD, making HD service (RM26.50/month) no longer a good selling point, and no longer something that is easier to persuade customers to subscribe to.

You can try compare it yourself with Astro Arena channel. Astro Arena is one of the native 16:9 SD channels on Astro. Make sure you're watching from HDMI. Ask yourself, how BIG is the difference you see between CH802 (SD) and ch802 (HD)? Now you know why Astro is reluctant to display all of its SD channels in natove 16:9? Astro only handpicked several SD channels to be in native 16:9 (NHK World, Bloomberg, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Astro Arena, Eurosport, FYI) and nobody knows what's the reason behind it.

When it shows letterbox, you will see the difference and having the tendency to subscribe to HD service because of its pictures quality differences. And eventually, Astro earn money.

Desperate much till want to cover whole global customer by using Tribe...

This post has been edited by Anime in HD: Apr 26 2017, 01:20 AM

But for those channels like xinghe and tvb classic there is no HD version. So it does not help rite?.

Actually my main interest is to watch these two channels as they always broadcast those old tvb drama that are of my favorites.

This post has been edited by westlife: Apr 26 2017, 01:24 AM

On Astro, only in SD. But God knows why they still insist to transmit the channels in 4:3.

I was told by Astro via email that the reason why not all SD channels being transmitted in 16:9 is due to customers who still using a selected models of legacy Astro STB will not be able to watch the channel if it is in 16:9 where only the audio will be played but with black screen. However I'm not convinced by this, as they can still choose to transmit the channels in 4:3 but without any letterboxes that is currently added by them.

Surely there's a hidden reason for Astro to do this deliberately, and for sure they do not want the public to know.

You are smart thinking.

Both is same because 802 Arena will be in MPEG4 anyway. Because its original feed is HD. And astro transmit the HD channel by using MPEG4 codec. To know this, you need both HDMI & 3 old cable connect to your HDTV & watch the channel. Arena 802 looks like real 480p in Youtube. I try to display some TV channel ads download from Youtube. And the result is same because my eyes cannot see any difference between both 480p vs 720p. Because it almost same for my eyes. You can try to download some Astro ads on Youtube in 480p & 720p and put the files in USB. Both are same anyway

Also you can try to download some Disney Asia ads in 480p & its look good on my HDTV. Almost in 720p HD quality. But i realise that we still don't have Disney Channel HD in astro... Oh wait. We have the channel in 16:9 MPEG2 on astro. Wow looks like stunning HD in 16:9 feed rather than 16:9 but has black bars up & down.

All astro Supersports SD 16:9(black bars) can be viewed in HD 16:9 by LB Expand the channel ratio to be zoom. Now CH810 can be view almost in HD by LB Expand it to 16:9 zoom. No black bars. Watch the channel in ratio 16:9 SD MPEG2 blur...

This post has been edited by Anime in HD: Apr 26 2017, 01:56 AM

Yes you're right.
Not to say no difference between 801 and 802. It's just that the difference is not very obvious for every viewers to notice. Did you know that there are people that cannot differentiate between SD and HD, and they think that both SD and HD are the same thing? Astro aware of this, and that's why they're deliberately find ways to make us customer to be able to see the obvious difference compared over SD and HD. Then only Astro can earn more money mah... This is called, marketing.

Haven't slam astro for its super blurry filter usage and low bitrate video........

Method of reducing bitrate = apply blurring filter = easier for encoder to compress = lower file size due to more reference frame usage.

Astro thinking:

SD> 4:3
HD>16:9

No wonder astro upgrade Lifetime to HD only channel because to earn more profits. For kids. Astro already upgrade Disney to 16:9. Now you have Disney HD...
Again, dirty business tactic used by astro. Argh.. strugling to watch the real kids channel in HD. Not so like kids channel. But there is some my faveroute cartoon! And i want to watch in HD! Not 16:9 ratio blur!

Atleast we have Disney Channel HD(CH615). Maybe not real HD but the 16:9 ratio make it look like HD. You watch far from your tv. And yes we have Disney Channel HD(CH615) in 16:9 full! But if you look closer. You will see petak blur...

Oh wait. Astro already launch Disney Channel HD here..
Now waiting Cartoon Network to be upgrade to 16:9 ratio. And walla Cartoon Network HD now available...

Maybe can be solve petak blur if astro using MPEG4 codec for all SD channel...

This post has been edited by Anime in HD: Apr 26 2017, 02:27 AM

Exactly, all the while it is ok one. Only recently it turns into letterbox. And it is not all drama will be like that. But instead only those older years drama that are on SD and not yet HD one will have letterbox. This is the reason why I suspect it could be due to the new 4k tvs that ppl may use nowadays so they did the change like this.

Haha and yet i still using HD tv No chance 2 jump 4k unless TV smokes now dang yo

If just use to watch astro, FHD TV is just enough..
But if u download & have 4k content.. Then buy 4k TV

You mean pillarbox (black bars at left and right sides)?
If you encounter this, you got to manually change viewing mode by pressing the change aspect ratio button on your remote control, choose LB Expand. The pillarbox added by channel provider (TVB) is meant for 4:3 SD programme to display in proper shape on 16:9 TV instead of stretching it to full screen.
This is all about aspect ratio, nothing gonna do with 4K TV.

But then, 4K TV is worth considering to buy if it's within your budget because 4K TV is the future of TV standards. You should take TV is a long term investment cuz unlike smartphone, we tend to change to new phone after around 2 years of using it, unless it still works fine. You're not gonna change a new TV every few years, isn't?

The 4K UHD content and even HDR 10 bit era is already starting now, sooner or later those will become mainstream. Technology changes very fast...

This post has been edited by joshhd: Apr 26 2017, 08:50 AM

Not at the left or right. The Programmes are broadcasted in a letterbox in the exact center of the screen while the surrounding are all black. All the while it is not like this. In the past only Asian channels do this not xinghe or tvb classic now all same.

And it is only for older tvb drama.

Nothing to do with my settings at all. Different dramas under the same channels just simply appear differently.

This post has been edited by westlife: Apr 26 2017, 09:03 AM