How to remove top/bottom gray bars in 16:9 mode with 4:3 TV

[PeterD]

I have a 2000 Hitachi 60SDX88B which is a 4:3 tv however it does support 1080I over component cables. I am using this with my PS3 as my primary mdeia device. When I switch my tv from 4:3 mode to 16:9 mode I get grey bars at the top/bottom of the screen. They remain there even after setting the PS3 for either 720P/1080I mode(16:9). I have not used 1080I yet since when I run the 1080I test on the PS3 my screen gets jittery(not sure how else to describe it). Is there any way to change these bars from grey to black so it's not a huge distraction when doing anything in 16:9 mode? I didn't see anything in the manual when I went through it the other day so I was hoping someone had seen this before and could point me in the right direction.

Thanks in advance!

Peter

[Richard]

You are stuck. This display does not provide a true HD 16:9 response due to those gray bars. The gray bars occupy part of the full 1080 vertical response reducing the actual vertical response for any 16:9 content to about 700. This was allowed by the CES definitions that tell a manufacturer when they can or cannot put HD on their TV. Later 4:3 models did end up supporting a true HD 16:9 response by reducing vertical size creating black bars instead - there is no picture in those bars.

The jitter you are seeing with 1080i is a function of interlaced video CRT displays and is made even worse by the loss of vertical resolution caused by your design.

[PeterD]

Well thats not the answer I was hoping for but I appreciate finding out.

Thanks!

[ozzyfl]

so is there ANY way of making those gray lines go away, even without going "true" HD?

[akirby]

Sure! Go buy a 16:9 TV.

[Richard]

so is there ANY way of making those gray lines go away, even without going "true" HD?

I should have mentioned it then but sure... you use the zoom mode of your source or TV to clip the sides of the 16:9 off so it's full screen. Choose your poison or as akirby said, buy a new TV (which only come in 16:9 now).