From wiring your system to advanced tips and tricks to make you a Shaw Direct system expert.

Problem

The picture on your screen does not appear to fit properly or appears distorted.

Possible Causes and Solutions

• If you have an HD receiver, such as the HDDSR 505 or HDPVR 530, you can tweak your settings to find the best viewing scenario to fit your needs. To find the best settings for your television and viewing preferences we recommend you visit the video settings menu on your HDDSR 505 or HDPVR 530 receiver.
1. First push the OPTIONS button on your remote, then select 6 - System Setup, 4 - System Settings, and finally 5 - Video Settings (Options 6 - 4 - 5). By changing the settings in this menu you can change the way video is displayed on your High Definition receiver (even if you have a Standard Definition TV).
   
   Refer to the chart below to find the settings that are right for you:
   
   

   Settings for the HDDSR 505 or HDPVR 530 on a High Definition TV (16x9)

   Video Settings
   
   
   
   
   TV Type: 16x9
   4x3 Override: 480I

   What you'll see on High Definition Channels
   
   
   
   Preserved full wide-screen HD picture

   What you'll see on Standard Definition Channels
   
   
   Full screen Stretched SD picture

   
   

   
   TV Type: 16x9
   4x3 Override: Off

   
   Preserved full wide-screen HD picture

   
   Preserved SD picture (with vertical bars)

   
   
   

   Settings for the HDDSR 505 or HDPVR 530 on a Standard Definition TV (4x3)

   Video Settings
   
   
   
   
   TV Type: 4x3 Letterbox
   4x3 Override: Off

   What you'll see on High Definition Channels
   
   
   
   Preserved wide-screen picture (with horizontal bars)

   What you'll see on Standard Definition Channels
   
   
   Preserved full-screen picture

   We recommend that you find the settings you like best and then tune to your favourite program and enjoy the show. Frequently changing these settings could cause undesired results.
   
   When viewing some programs, you may still find cases where "black bars" will appear on the top and bottom or sides of your screen. Many broadcasters will inserts these bars in a program themselves to preserve the original aspect ratio of the program. There is no need to adjust your settings.
2. If you own a URC551 or URC550 remote, you'll notice an aspect button in the upper left hand corner. You can use this button to stretch or zoom the video to fit the screen, even if a program is being broadcast with "black bars."
3. If you are using the HDDSR 505 or HDPVR 530 with a standard definition TV, you can manually change the aspect settings using the red button hidden in the panel on the front right of the receiver. Press this red button until the front panel readout displays 480i or 480p. This will force the picture to fit the screen.
4. Many HDTV's include a remote and settings that allow for different aspect ratios based on the current Standard Definition or High Definition feeds being aired. Often the best results to resolve "black bars" will only be achieved using the remote control that came with your HDTV. Try pressing the Video Setup (or similar button) on your TV remote.
• On some older TV's the on-screen guide may appear cut off due to the physical border of your television. In order to see the on-screen guide fully on your screen, please check your television settings to see if you can decrease the viewable area to allow the guide to appear entirely on your TV.

More help

Still having trouble with video fitting on your screen? Please give us a call at 1.888.554.7827 and one of our skilled Technical Service Representatives will be happy to assist you in doing additional troubleshooting.