Reply #14: Your new TV might be able to convert the image....... [View All]

[Purrfessor]

Check to see if your new TV has an aspect button on the remote. We bought a 50" Panasonic Plasma HDTV 2 years ago, and it has the ability to reconfigure the image. For instance, we can "zoom" the image to fill the screen (this eliminates the black bars that appear across the top of the widescreen format), or stretch the image to either "full" or "just" versions. Full stretches from the middle of the screen outward, while Just stretches the outer edges of the image to fill the screen.

Of course it also has a "normal" version where the image doesn't fill the screen and is bordered by black bars on the sides.

The aspect feature works with all DVDs that we have used so far, but for some reason it won't work with shows broadcast in high definition, where I might want to eliminate the letterbox bars across the top.

Aspect is, I believe, designed to help eliminate the problem of burn-in that sometimes occurs with Plasma TVs.

Anyway, check your TV instruction manual.