We've received several e-mails and phone calls lately regarding screen formatting on 4x3 analog TVs. KCTS 9 broadcasts HD 16x9 on channel 9.1.
With the exception of Comcast, most cable systems receive our HD signal and convert it to an analog channel for their channel 9 or equivalent. They use the HD signal because it is a cleaner signal than analog and the analog was scheduled to be shut off Feb. 17, and now June 12. The HD signal is formatted for a 16x9 (widescreen) TV. In order to format it for a 4x3 TV, the cable company can either center-cut crop it or letterbox the display.
Not all the programs that broadcast on KCTS 9 HD are original 16x9, some are 4x3 that we convert to 16x9 by adding black bars on the sides (pillar box). If the cable companies letterboxed KCTS 9 HD for their analog channels then you would see black bars on all sides of your display with a small picture in the middle during original 4x3 programs. This is commonly referred to as postage stamp and it is not a very good viewer experience.
Example of "postage stamp" display
The alternative to letterbox is to center-cut the display so that the sides of the picture are cropped off. This maintains the proper aspect ratio during both 4x3 and 16x9 programs and avoids the postage stamp display. The unfortunate part of doing this is that a portion of the picture is cropped which may contain information the viewer would like to see.
If you have a Digital Televsion, HD or not, most cable systems have KCTS HD on another channel that you can view even without a cable HD set top box. Your television will allow you to switch between center-cut crop (zoom) and letterbox (normal) depending on the program that is on.
Check out our Channel Locator to see if your cable system carries KCTS 9 HD. You have the same options if you are using the over the air signal with a Digital TV or DTV converter box.
I've also uploaded a pdf with diagrams showing the different presentation on different types of displays.
Jabran Soubeih is the Executive Director of Engineering and Technical Planning at KCTS 9. Jabran's weekly blog covers all things digital TV. Post a comment or concern about your TV signal or the digital transition and Jabran will answer it in this space.
Comments
Posted by In Bellingham (not verified) on Tue, 06/23/2009 - 8:30pm
Our 36" flat-screen digital tv let's us choose from several different formats and aspect ratios. Switching between them does not appear to resolve the issue of the center-cut display. We still lose about 10% of the picture on both sides. And finding the HD signal isn't an option up here in Bellingham, as our local cable company (Broadstripe) doesn't offer KCTS-HD. I guess we're lucky that we still get the channel... well, at least everything but the 10% on either side of the screen.
Posted by Christopher Gibbs (not verified) on Wed, 07/01/2009 - 1:34pm
I have been having the same problem for months. Words are cut off on either side which is especially maddening during The News Hour. For a brief time a few months ago, KCTS' picture came through beautifully, filling the whole 16:9 format on my screen without distortion or loss of image on the edges. What the heck happened after that?
Posted by Guest (not verified) on Tue, 04/14/2009 - 2:28pm
What is the newest informattion for those of us on the Olympic Peninsula who have only Satellite (DirectV, in this case)and who have no access to HD signals from KCTS?
Posted by tschall on Wed, 04/22/2009 - 11:04am
Guest,
The latest information I have indicates that KCTS-HD should be available on both Satellite services by the end of the second quarter of 2009.
Tim Schall
Communications Technician
KCTS 9
Posted by Summer (not verified) on Thu, 10/08/2009 - 8:22pm
Yes, KCTS-HD is available on satellite services but at an extra charge. I used to enjoy your documentaries, POV in particular. My inability to watch any show with subtitles is maddening! This is the case with both analog and HD tvs.
Posted by Guest (not verified) on Fri, 05/29/2009 - 2:30pm
Hi Tim - A month has now passed. Do you still expect the HD signal to be available on DirecTV by the end of June? Thanks.
Posted by Eleanor Guderian (not verified) on Sat, 04/11/2009 - 8:33am
Do you have a map of signals? In STanwood we are unable to receive KCTS digital signal, though analog is great. Will anything be done to strengthen your digital signal to N. Snohomish county? WE receive some digital stations, but not others.
Posted by tschall on Wed, 04/22/2009 - 11:02am
Eleanor:
The map question is simple. Predicted and modeled coverage maps of both pre and post transition coverage for all stations in all markets is available at www.fcc.gov/dtv/markets/
The documents are quite large and load slowly so be patient but they are all there.
As far as Stanwood goes, it is kind of difficult to predict what will happen there. On June 12th (Sometime between midnight and 6AM) KCTS will shutdown both our analog and existing digital transmitters. Our existing digital transmitter operates on physical UHF channel 41 which I am not surprised you have trouble with in Stanwood.Our post transition digital transmiter will operae on physical channel 9 with power and coverage modeled to replicate our existing analog signal.
Great Tim, so what does all this mean? It means that after June 12th when we return to physical channel 9 for digital operations it will be a whole new ball game in some of these outlying areas. Personally, I believe that you will have an easier time and things should improve for you.
Tim Schall
Communications Technician
KCTS 9
Posted by charles price (not verified) on Mon, 03/30/2009 - 8:05pm
I'm sure you were aware of it, but the audio tonight was horrible. I saw the screen go blank about three times, but through the hour and a half, both road shows, the audio was bad and there was no word of audio difficulty which would have been adviseable.
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