Black end "stripes" on non-HD images on LN-2341W

If you cannot adjust this in your video menu then you will need to get what is called a scan converter. Your tv is most likely unable to process HD signal properly. A scan converter will take the HD signal and convert it to what you tv can display.

I found the user manual online, and the pictures in it are really helpful and make this make a lot more sense, but:
1. Press [SCREEN MODE], to switch the TV aspect ratio.
2. Press [SCREEN MODE] repeatedly until the normal screen displays.
NOTE: • Some programs may not offer all display mode options.
4:3 Programming
[Sidebar] Sidebar displays a 4:3 picture at its standard 4:3 size. Sidebars will be displayed on the right and left edges of the screen.
[Full] Full displays a 4:3 picture at a 16:9 size, with horizontal elongation necessary to fill the screen.
[Cinema] Cinema displays a 4:3 picture at a 16:9 size, with less horizontal elongation necessary to fill the screen because a little bit of the top and bottom edge of the screen will be cut off.
[Wide] Wide displays the center of the picture as original size and the outer sides of the picture will be elongated. The size of the picture will depend on the original signal.
16:9 Programming
[Full] A picture is displayed at 16:9 size as it is.
[Zoom] Zoom displays a 16:9 picture without changing its horizontal and vertical ratio, at its maximum size.
[Cinema] Cinema displays a 16:9 picture with vertical elongation.
[Expand] Expand displays a 16:9 picture with horizontal elongation

Source: LC320EM8 User Manual
http://www.manualslib.com/manual/47021/Emerson-Lc320em8.html?page=21#manual

Hi Anthony,

You're describing what is called letterbox and pillerbox. Letterboxing is when there are two horizontal bars - one at the top and one at the bottom of the screen with a wide picture between. Pillerbox is when there are two vertical bars - one on the left edge and one on the right edge of the screen with a tall picture between.

The settings on your TV (and on your cable box, satellite box, DVD player, etc.) tell the TV how to display a picture that will not fill the screen completely. If the program source (an older video-taped TV show, non-widescreen version DVD, etc) was not originally "shot" or saved in widescreen format, the TV offers you a choice on how to display the image. They ask if they should stretch or zoom to fill the screen (and you have to deal with the skinny / tall images or lost portions of the picture); or maintain the aspect ratio (not stretching or zooming) by leaving a part of the screen blank (grey or black) by inserting bars left and right or top and bottom of the screen.

Start out by telling the devices that send pictures in a format that matches you TV's screen ratio. I am assuming you've got a wide screen HDTV which would mean it should be set to "16 x 9" (a.k.a. 16:9) ratio display. If you have it set for 4 x 3 (a.k.a. 4:3) you should change it. Look for a setting on your TV that asks about stretching, zooming, etc. as this will be an issue when receiving picture from an off air antenna on your house when a TV station is airing an older, non-wide screen format TV show or movie.

TV signals provided by Cable TV or Satellite provider must be HDTV type signals. If you have the standard TV service (non-HD) no picture sent by them will ever fill the screen. This is because Standard Definition TV (SDTV) is not capable of those types of signals. You will have to bump up your subscription to HDTV service to get full screen pictures.

I hope this helps!

The Sony Bravia KDL-32BX320 generally gets excellent reviews (4.5 stars out of 5) from owners, so I have to wonder what you're watching.

This is an HDTV and should excel when provided an HD signal to display. SD (standard definition) signals often look worse on an HD display than on an SD display. An HD signal is only available via the following ways (reference the image below):
1) An "over the air" (UHF / VHF) antenna is connected to the cable / antenna input and there is a broadcaster of HD content nearby (only an over the air antenna can input HD signals to this jack - no cable boxes, etc.).

2) An HD Cable TV, DirecTV or Dish Satellite set top converter, Blu Ray Disk Player (or other HD source is connected via HDMI or Component RGB jacks.

3) An HD video played back from a computer hard drive connected to the VGA jack (when the computer is equipped with a modern processor and video card).


You will NOT be able to view HD video if:

1) The source material is a SD (non-HD) source. An over the air antenna will not provide HD signals if the broadcaster does not have HD content to show or is not capable of broadcasting in HD. Digital is not necessarily HD.

2) The source material (other than over the air antenna) is connected via Antenna / Cable jack.

3) The source material is connected via Composite jacks.

The USB jack is generally not an input for motion pictures, but may display stills - depending on the TV's ability to play the format they are stored in (jpeg, gif, bmp etc.).

Hopefully, this will help you solve the problem you're having with the picture. Good luck!

Hello

Watching standard cable on an HDTV can be quite a shock; the images are likely to be in a smaller aspect ratio, and have grainy or pixelated distortions. Additionally, the use of non-HD compatible devices, such as a DVD player, VCR, or older gaming system, will produce a less than stellar picture.

If you've changed the aspect ratio or your television, or have changed the zoom in or out, you may be encountering distortion that would otherwise not be noticeable. Setting the picture to a 1:1 ratio and turning off any overscan can help ensure a better quality image.

If you're using a system that supports HD, such as a Blu-ray player or an HD-compliant gaming system without the use of an HDMI cable, the image may be distorted. HDMI cables transmit both HD quality digital images and sound over one cable, and provide the best possible picture A/V signals.

The "picture size" on the TV needs to be set correctly. You should have a "ZOOM" button on your remote. Press it a few times, cycling through the options... see if this fixes the problem.

Be advised, many (most) HD channels do not show HD content all the time. At the broadcasters discretion, they may choose to ADD the black bars to either side (and/or top an bottom) of the image. This is what the "ZOOM" button is actually for... to allow you to correct this, filling the screen with the image.

*Note: many cable box have a "FORMAT" or "HD ZOOM" button. When used in conjunction with the TVs zoom feature, you can end up having one device set correctly, while the other is not. The result is often a picture that is expanded far beyond the bounds of the displayable area of the screen. If you can not find a solution using the "ZOOM" button, pick the setting which shows the most image. Now adjust the cable box setting (FORMAT / HD ZOOM).

if you have a cable box then it is probably the resolution settings in the cable box, what type of cable box do you have

There could be a problem, but verify the settings as listed in the owner's manual as follows:

1 Press the MENU button to display the menu.
Press the ▲ or ▼ button to select Picture, then press the ENTER button.
2 Press the ▲ or ▼ button to select Size, then press the ENTER button.
3 Press the ▲ or ▼ button to select the screen format you want.
Press the ENTER button.
Press the EXIT button to exit.
• 16:9 : Sets the picture to 16:9 wide mode.
• Zoom1 : Magnifies the size of the picture on the screen.
• Zoom2 : Expands the Zoom1 format picture.
• Wide Fit : Enlarges the aspect ratio of the picture to fit the entire screen.
• 4:3 : Sets the picture to 4:3 normal mode.
• Just Scan : Use this function to see the full image without any cutoff when DTV
or HDMI 720p/1080i signals are input.
Press the P.SIZE button on the remote control to change the picture size.


And realize the restrictions as listed:

• In TV, VIDEO, S-VIDEO, and COMPONENT(480i, 480p) modes, all screen
modes can be selected. (16:9 ➞ Zoom1 ➞ Zoom2 ➞ 4:3)
• In COMPONENT(720p, 1080i) or HDMI(720p, 1080i) mode, 16:9, 4:3 and
Wide Fit can be selected.
• In Zoom1, Zoom2 and Wide Fit modes, you can move the picture on the
screen by pressing the ▲ or ▼ button.
•You can not change the picture size when PIP is set to Double.
•When Double ( , ) mode has been set in PIP, the Picture Size cannot
be set.
•Wide Fit can be used when watching a Digital HD (High Definition) signal.
Wide Fit sets the optimum picture format by expanding it both horizontally and
vertically. For example, you can reset the picture in 4:3 format to 16:9. Wide Fit
does not support all external devices (DVD, VCR etc.).


Keep us posted.
Dan

The aspect ratio (zoom) button on the cable remote had been changed. On Brighthouse the # button toggles through the zoom settings. It's not a tv issue, it's a cable fix.

I had the same problem. My cable company told me to press the # button on my remote to change it from "zoom" to "normal" and it solved the problem.