When widescreen was introduced it caused several issues with programmes made in the previous 4:3 format. The biggest of these was “screen burn” on the latest plasma screens. To combat this 4:3 images were “stretched” to fill the 16:9 screen. Widescreen was also an anomaly transmission wise, as standard definition broadcasts are still 4:3 with blank slots transmitted at the top & bottom which the receiver discards when a widescreen trigger signal is sent.
With the advent of HD, the transmission is true 16:9 widescreen, which Gold has now moved too. This means the older 4:3 programmes have generated side panels to fill the 16:9 picture. Hence the SD +1 channel requires reprocessing to convert everything back to 4:3, then add the top & bottom panels & trigger signal. Plasma screens are about as rare as hens teeth now, so the added expense of reprocessing the older programmes is now unnecessary & both the HD & +1 service can be transmitted in the same format.
Expect more & more 4:3 “strechyvision” broadcasts to disappear as broadcasters remove the unnecessary reprocessing & return the programmes to their original format.
Virgin BB TV Landline. Freeview/Freesat HD, Virgin Mobile, Tesco Mobile. Cable customer since 1993
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