Can't get rid of black bars when using copy facility on Sky Plus

[Longshanks]

Hi

Do a lot of batch copying from Sky Planner to Hard Drive on DVD recorder. (Mainly Dr Who for 6 year old son!) I then edit on HD before burning to DVD.

Noticed that progs copied to DVD HD always have the black bars above and below the screen even tho we have widescreen TV and everything is set to 16.9 aspect ratio. Originally thought it was DVD related but have established that it's a Sky Plus issue:

If you just select and play the programme manually and then record onto HD it's fine but if you use the copy facility it lists the progs as required but starts to play with the black bars appearing above and below. This explains why they appear on the DVD HD!!

Asked my brother to try this and he insists that the black line are not there when he uses the red copy button.

Am I going mad?

Many thanks for your time.

Longshanks

[Kenedin]

Make sure your scart connection is digibox 'TV Out' to DVD recorder, not VCR Out. Double check this with your brother.

[Longshanks]

Many thanks

Had a feeling it might be to do with scart configuration. I currently have:

• Digibox VCR scart to VCR
• Digibox TV scart to AV2 on DVD R
• AV1 scart on DVD R to TV

This was the set up we used when we only had TV with 1 scart. We now have TV with 2 scarts/DVDR/VCR. What configuration would you recommend in these circumstances including coxial cables?

Many thanks for your time again.

L

[Kenedin]

Don't know what precise equipment you have, but the norm is as you have it above, but not the Digibox VCR scart to VCR .

[Longshanks]

Have Digibox, DVD R and VCR. The current configuration allows me watch DVDs/DVD HD/VHS without turning Sky off.

[Kenedin]

Have Digibox, DVD R and VCR. The current configuration allows me watch DVDs/DVD HD/VHS without turning Sky off.

The setup looks OK to me. Sky released a firmware update for Sky+ boxes ( Thomsons? ) a couple of weeks ago and this has caused a lot of grief. Everything is being output in 4:3 , regardless of your digibox Picture Settings, and there's not much to be done about it, save phoning Sky Technical to log a complaint. Apparently they're "working on it" . Is the black bar issue longstanding, or only recent? The update may have something to do with it.

Have a look at this thread on AVF.

Sorry I can't help further. Anyone else?

[Longshanks]

Many thanks

Only noticed it recently when we bought our new Panasonic 32 LCD however I think it been there for a while.

[Kenedin]

Been doing a bit more research on this, and I discovered that Sky Anytime had/has (?) a bug which affects 16:9 transfer to the DVDR. On this post at Digital Spy the matter is discussed. Sorry, it dates from last September, but it's all I can find. Someone suggests a sort of workaround, try it and see. Otherwise phone Sky Technical and see what they have to offer.

[Longshanks]

Many thanks for your help.