number2
join:2009-01-22
Ogden, UT
 ·T-Mobile US
 ·Comcast
| Side Banners
On our local Fox HD channel they started putting Comcast banners on both sides of the picture when broadcasting a show that plays back at the 4:3 like The Simpsons. Not sure why but its really annoying me. Is this going to be a standard eventually on all the channels? |
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koshoka
join:2006-12-01
Pottsville, PA
1 edit | Is it an HD channel that isn't broadcasting HD programming? |
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rendrenner
join:2005-09-03
Grandville, MI | reply to number2
Tell your tv to stretch the picture and the banners will go away. |
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number2
join:2009-01-22
Ogden, UT | Stretching the picture has always looked weird to me. I would rather see just the plain black sides if its going to things look screwy. |
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ak3883
join:2005-08-20
Bensalem, PA | reply to number2
Here is a SCARY thought, stations selling advertising space in the pillar bar areas of their HD station, so whenever 4x3 programming is on, you see ads in the pillar bars. |
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koshoka
join:2006-12-01
Pottsville, PA | Shhhhh! Don't give them ideas! |
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Greg_Z
Premium
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL
·Comcast
| reply to ak3883
When CNN & Fox where running the election results, they used the side bars for stat's & results. Was even better during the bickering between Obama & McCain.
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I threw out the map a long time ago. Now I follow my own direction! |
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SpHeRe31459
join:2002-10-09
Sacramento, CA
| reply to number2
Yeah apparently some media management companies have just recently made their stations do this. It's a terrible idea. I noticed this in my town's OTA thread at AVSForum.
quote:
The new side panels on news shows were at the behest of the Gannett manger in charge of all of the TV stations.
Gannett is owner of a station in my area doing it, sounds like whomever owns your local station has decided it's a good idea too. |
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heat84
join:2004-03-11
Fort Lauderdale, FL
4 edits | reply to number2
Do they do this because they think it would look better than the black bars? They're completely wrong! I've never seen Comcast there though, only the network's logo. |
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Joe12345678
join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL | reply to number2
I don't think that the cable co are aloud to mess with the OTA channels in any way. |
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koshoka
join:2006-12-01
Pottsville, PA | reply to number2
FWIW, I have a Sony that does an amazing job at filling the screen w/o grossly distorting the picture. |
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darcilicious
Cyber Librarian
Premium
join:2001-01-02
Forest Grove, OR
 ·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast
| If something is in 4:3 format and you're displaying it on a 16:9 screen and filling the screen then either a) the picture is made squatter/wider ("stretch") or b) you're losing some part of the picture on the top and bottom ("zoom"). Either way, I would call that "distorted". |
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The Q
join:2008-06-26
Collegeville, PA
| reply to Joe12345678
I think the Fox station "sold" the advertising to Comcast just like they would to any other advertiser. The banner is originating from the local station.
The issue is with the local station, not with Comcast. Comcast did not "add" their logo to the sides of the station's HD signal HD |
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The Q
join:2008-06-26
Collegeville, PA | reply to number2
"They" meaning The local Fox HD channel did this (not Comcast) |
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number2
join:2009-01-22
Ogden, UT
·T-Mobile US
·Comcast
| reply to heat84
I usually don't mind seeing the network logo on the side like how TBS does it because they usually take the little logo off of the 4:3 part of the screen. But for Comcast to advertise there is completely pointless and stupid. It's not like I'm ever going to forget the name of the company of the cable network I subscribe to. |
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The Q
join:2008-06-26
Collegeville, PA
| .....But the same Fox TV station is also available "over the air" to customers who don't have cable TV. Comcast customers are not the only ones seeing the side banners.
I would bet that even if you subscribed to Dish Network or DirecTV and tuned in the Fox station in your area you would see the Comcast logo on the side banners... |
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