Harry Krause wrote:

Tv is beautiful on those and a bit less so on the remaining channels.
One tricky thing is choosing the correct 'screen mode'.
I set it up so the HDTV fills the screen, but the normal channels
have the black bars on each side. They just don't look right if I go
to full screen or zoom or wide zoom.
I have to get the Sony salesman out to the house to make sure I have
the set programmed for maxium clarity.

My SONY HDTV has the same sized screen display on regular or HDTV
cablecasts, so I am guessing you have a setting set wrong.

Nope, as usual, YOU are wrong.

HD broadcasts have an aspect ratio of 16:9. Regular broadcasts are in 4:3
AR. If your regular programming fills the screen of an HD display, either
everyone looks fat or you're cutting off significant parts of the top and
bottom of the picture.

Fred:

There's nothing, I repeat, nothing you post here that I believe or care
about.

And you're wrong. But I'm not going to expend any effort to "prove" it.

Fred was correct but failed to mention the solution you have on your
TV...and know nothing about. If you want the most normal looking picture
for the 4:3 without sidebars, the best setting option is to stretch
*only* the ends of the picture and leave the center normal. So, as Fred
stated, your options for 4:3 are stretch mode, regular mode, or
*modified stretch*.

As always, it's a pleasure correcting your poor advice, Krause.

--
Skipper