Missing Video Settings

Doublexx1

Hello -

I am new to Spectrum and formally with U-verse for the last 17-years. While my resolution is set to 1080p, I cannot find the settings to address the two bullet points under #4 below regarding Aspect Ratio.

With U-verse, we were accustomed to easily zooming in/out or stretching the screen on non-HD programs like the STARZ Encore channels. For example, on STARZ Westerns many of the movies are in a letterbox format with big annoying black borders on all sides.

NOTE: Not sure if it makes a difference, but I have the Spectrum 210 DVR box.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can provide guidance.

To access Video Settings:

1. Press the Menu key on your remote.
2. Select Settings & Support.
3. Choose Preferences.
4. Select Audio & Video.
   • Go to Video and press OK/Select on your remote. From here, you can access:Video Format: Select the screen resolution that’s best for your TV.
   • HD box on SDTV Aspect Ratio: Choose from Letterbox or Zoom.
   • SD box on HD Aspect Ratio: Choose from Pillar Bars or Stretch.
5. Highlight Save and press OK/Select on your remote.

Satch

Hi,

If you have the new Spectrum World Box and/or the new Spectrum Guide on your box in both cases, Native Resolution is preset by the box and HDMI connection based on the channel output. In all cases, regardless of box, the stretch and zoom options only work if the following are true:

1.) The box guide has the guise software to support changing SD channel outputs. )World boxes and Spectrum Guide do not.)

2.) The channel is an SD channel.

3.) The channel's SD output is not "fixed" by the broadcaster and can be changed by box settings.

Stretch and Zoom will not work on HD channels, regardless of box.

Satch

Doublexx1

Hello Satch -

Thanks for responding and I appreciate the info you provided. And I understand that HD channels don't have zoom or stretch capabilities. The same was true with U-verse.

I did the following test...

Starz Encore Westerns Channel 607

The channel displays in HD on the Spectrum app (no 10-12 inch black letterbox borders). But on the Spectrum 210 DVR it displays in SD with huge letterbox borders! So it's not my Samsung Smart TV.

NOTE: I have the same letterbox issue with the 210 DVR connected to my Hisense. Unfortunately, I can't run the same test because you cannot access the Spectrum app on an Android TV.

Based on your comments, I'm guessing the 210 DVR is the World Box you refer to and yes I have the Spectrum guide.

So what is the solution? Is there another DVR box with a 1TB hard drive? I have a contact in Spectrum's Office of the President that I'm working with and he has reached out to his tech team. In-fact, the same gentleman was the one who convinced me to switch from U-verse.

THANKS AGAIN!

Doublexx1

Hello Again Satch -

Do you still have the Cisco 9865 with the ODN Guide? I noticed a lot of your comments reference that box.

THANKS AGAIN!

Satch

Hi @Doublexx11

Yes, I still have the Cisco 9865 box with six tuners. They are hard to find. If you live in the Florida market, they might have some. Most still run ODN.

Unfortunately, if you get an ODN box now, it will most likley have only two tuners, If you get a World Box (no clock) you have four tuners.

If a six tuner box, like the Cisco 9865 or the Arris 3600 comes with Spectrum Guide on, it becomes a 4 tuner box.

You got this escalated, so all you can do now is wait. Give them a good month to figure this out and get those channels in proper HD format on your box. Than, I would say, contact your "contact" again. This shows Spectrum is working on this.

Satch

Doublexx1

Hi Satch -

Thanks for the follow-up. Hopefully they can locate the Cisco box and if not I am going to ask that they load the ODN Navigator to both my World boxes. By the way, I couldn't locate the Arris 3600 box on the Spectrum site?

My wife is kicking my tail for switching from U-verse! :) But, our internet has been at 50mbps forever and there is no plan to pull fiber in my neighborhood. With Spectrum I'm clocking over 530mbps. Unfortunately the Spectrum app has too many steps to navigate and is slow to load. And, the Cloud DVR is limited to 50 programs that automatically delete at the end of 90 days. My wife had some old Food channels saved from 3-4 years ago. LOL!

Keeping my fingers crossed that the Cisco box with ODN becomes a reality.

THANKS AGAIN!

HT_Greenfield

Right. The Spectrum 110 and 210 receivers don’t have the aspect control function like at least some older receivers have but maybe your TV does and hopefully via direct random-access TV OEM remote control.

Doublexx1

Hello Again Satch -

I called STARZ Customer Service and a Tier 2 tech confirmed all 8 STARZEncore channels are being broadcast in HD. He said the letterbox issue I'm experiencing on the Receiver/DVR is a broadcast issue with Spectrum. The photo below clearly shows the problem with the Worldbox210 and this is true for all 8 STARZEncore channels. The 2nd photo shows the same program using the Spectrum App or STARZEncore OnDemand. While I can access the Spectrum app on my Samsung smartTV, I can't do the same on my Hisense Android TV. And if I want to record a program while using the app, then I would have to ante up more money for the cloud DVR. And while some boxes allow you to stretch or zoom to fill the screen, the quality of the picture deteriorates dramatically. Bottom-line... Spectrum needs to create a fix to address this issue regardless of what receiver/box you may have. In the meantime, I am going to ask Spectrum to cut my STARZ premium in half until a fix is pushed out.

TAKE CARE!

HT_Greenfield

My compliments to you for raising the flag. I can confirm that you are right on: Spectrum cable TV is carrying the SD simulcast of Starz Encore Westerns instead of the HD-origination feed. Starz Encore’s SD-simulcast feeds use letterboxing across the board programming-wise, the results of which are not even as good as what literal SD-only-origination channels do (e.g. fetv, Military History, MTV Classics et c.) 

You might consider posting a request under Suggestions and Feedback for Spectrum to include the HD-origination feed of Starz Encore Westerns in the Starz Encore subscription package.

Doublexx1

Hello HT -

Thanks for your feedback. As an FYI, all 8 STARZEncore channels are in the letterbox format on the Worldbox (210). And with the exception of the Westerns channel, the other 7 channels are in full screen HD on the Spectrum App and STARZEncore OnDemand. It doesn't make sense that Spectrum would be broadcasting in HD on their App and OnDemand, and pushing out an SD broadcast in full-letterbox to the tens of thousands of receivers/DVRs. This was never an issue with U-verse. Since I am new to this forum, rather than sending a request as you suggested, I am going to reach out directly to the Office of the President. THANKS AGAIN and STAY TUNED...

HT_Greenfield

Can you double-check and make sure that Auto Tune HD is enabled in the Guide Settings on the box? Or, if it's disabled and you want to keep it that way, then could you peruse the entirety of the Starz Encore channel line-up via Spectrum Guide on the box? Because at least some of those channels should definitely have a de facto HD channel number and at least some of those that do, will also have a de facto SD-simulcast channel number. Long story but if you want the same overall channelization experience via the box as you get via the app and web portal, you need to have Auto Tune HD enabled on the box.

Doublexx1

Hello Again HT -

Unfortunately I don't have HD Auto Tune HD in the Spectrum Guide under Settings & Support/Preferences/Guide Settings.

My video resolution is set to 1080p.

On another note, how do I determine if my Spectrum210 DVR has a 1TB hard drive? I don't think so... 3 hours of HD recordings and I am at 4%. The label on the bottom reads Arris 210-A. And please correct me if I'm wrong, but it's my understanding the Arris 210-H is the box with the 1TB drive.

Also, does Spectrum cable support 4K? The image on the Spectrum App appears to be sharper than the cable box.

THANKS AGAIN!

Satch

All World Boxes have 1 TB of storage.

Satch

Doublexx1

Hello Satch -

Thanks for responding. Sorry, but I'm not sure about "World Boxes"? But the standard issue Receiver/DVR in Southern California is the Spectrum 210-A (Arris) and it only has an 80gb hard drive. It also can only record 2 programs simultaneously. The Spectrum 210-H has the 1TB hard drive and can record 6 programs at once. I did my due diligence before deciding to move to Spectrum and I worked with a Customer Service Manager in South Carolina who added notes to my order specifically instructing the tech to install the 1TB model. Yet another surprise from Spectrum and it's been less than a week! I have already sent an email to my contact in the OOP for assistance. Since I am in a "Legacy" market, if the Arris 210-H DVR is not available, then again as you suggested earlier, I am going to request the Cisco 9865 box with six tuners, 1TB hard drive and the ODN Navigator Guide.

I'm not a happy camper! I don't like surprises nor do I like paying for something I didn't receive. Hopefully they can get this sorted out within the next 18-hours. I told them I would drive to any store within 20-miles to do the exchange and I would also handle the install of the new boxes.

THANKS AGAIN!

HT_Greenfield

Hey Double, I have 2 rows of options in Guide Settings. Six in the top row and two in the bottom. Auto-Tune to HD is the third one in the top row. The name doesn't imply the state. I have to nav over to it and hit OK on it to see and/or change the on/off state. If it's not there on your box, give the box a reboot via the 🔄 button on the front panel of the box.

Otherwise forget about it and just peruse the entirety of the Starz Encore channel line-up. Just go to Starz Encore Westerns channel 607 and then surf up one channel at a time until you run out of Starz Encore channels and then go back to 607 and surf down one channel at a time until you run out of Starz Encore channels in order to figure out which channel numbers the unequivocal HD feeds are on.

Edit: Another thing you could try is Settings & Support > Support > Refresh Spectrum Receiver. Otherwise you might as well try to get a different box, especially if this one is the one you picked up in North Carolina. 

Satch

https://community.spectrum.net/discussion/comment/183001#Comment_183001

Someone is giving you wring information,

All World Boxes without a clock are 1TB. Whether they are the H (Humux) A (Arris) or T (Tichnocolor) They are 4 tuner devices.

They can't have an 80GB hard drive! My SA Scientific Atlanta boxes from 15 years ago had a 160GB hard drive!

Satch

Doublexx1

Hello Again Satch -

I called STARZ Customer Service and a Tier 2 tech confirmed all 8 STARZEncore channels are being broadcast in HD. He said the letterbox issue I'm experiencing on the Receiver/DVR is a broadcast issue with Spectrum. The photo below clearly shows the problem with the Worldbox210 and this is true for all 8 STARZEncore channels. The 2nd photo shows the same program using the Spectrum App or STARZEncore OnDemand. While I can access the Spectrum app on my Samsung smartTV, I can't do the same on my Hisense Android TV. And if I want to record a program while using the app, then I would have to ante up more money for the cloud DVR. And while some boxes allow you to stretch or zoom to fill the screen, the quality of the picture deteriorates dramatically. Bottom-line... Spectrum needs to create a fix to address this issue regardless of what receiver/box you may have. In the meantime, I am going to ask Spectrum to cut my STARZ premium in half until a fix is pushed out.

TAKE CARE!

Doublexx1

Hello HT -

I appreciate your suggestions! As the pics below depict, I too have 2 rows of options in the Guide Settings. Six in the top row but only one in the bottom. But again, no Auto-Tune to HD. And as I noted before, I have my Aspect Ratio set to HD and both my TVs are set to 1080p.

I have also included a pic of My Equipment and while the Display Mode is set to HD on my Arris 210 (World Box), the highlighted Display Size is set to 1280x720. Does that mean I'm not viewing in 1080p or 4K? Again, I noticed the display on the Spectrum App appears to be much sharper.

THANKS AGAIN!

Doublexx1

Hello Satch -

Thank you for responding and I appreciate your guidance. And I have to apologize to you and the Service Manager who took my original order.

You are correct, I was given the wrong information by the tech I spoke with regarding the Spectrum 210-A (Arris). I called again this morning and held for a supervisor. Using the serial numbers he was able to confirm that both boxes have a 1TB SATA hard drive! And by the way, he too referred to the DVR as a 'World Box'. 🙂 Bottom-line, that puts that concern to bed!

But I'm still trying to find a fix for the display issue on the 8 STARZEncore channels. I reset both boxes as HT_Greenfield suggested, but to no avail. I then decided to look at My Equipment Info. And as highlighted below while the Display Mode is set to HD, the Display Size is set to 1280x720. Does that mean that while my SmartTVs are set to 1080p, I'm not actually viewing in 1080p? I know 720p can be viewed in HD. Could that possibly be the issue with STARZEncore channels and also why the display isn't as sharp as the Spectrum App.

Is there a way to change the Display Size on the box?

THANK YOU AGAIN!

HT_Greenfield

Thanks for the heads up, Double. “Display Size 1280x720” is nothing but the default rez the box uses unless and until it detects either 1080i or 1080p whether that be during bootup or fault condition/troubleshooting. You can see it happening in real time during bootup if you keep on eye on the TV’s HDMI input info. It starts off at 720p and then, by and by, you’ll see it switch over to either 1080i or 1080p as applicable. Note that you should always be able to see the box’s output rez, any time, on the fly, by looking at the TV’s HDMI input info. 

Absence of Auto-Tune to HD would seem to imply that it’s irrevocably enabled which is far from a bad thing considering how it would typically be enabled by default anyway but you could nevertheless peruse the entirety of the Starz Encore stable of channels as described above to make sure you are absolutely unable to get any of them in HD just for kicks. I would.

Satch

Yes,

The incorrect resolution for STARZ, is Spectrum incorrevtly outputting the signal on the box, but correctly on the app. You can't do anything but wait for a fix from them.

Satch

Doublexx1

Hello HT -

Thanks for explaining the Display Size 1280x720 is the default resolution of my Arris World Box. That's something that not one IT professional could explain. I must have had both of my boxes reset more than 20 times today by several different techs and their supervisors.

Pardon my ignorance, but my TV's HDMI input info is the same on all channels...1920x1080/60p HD. Or is that the output resolution? And maybe my eyes are starting to fail me in my old age, but I can't see it start off at 720p and then switch over to either 1080i or 1080p as applicable.

Can you please point me in the right direction.

THANKS AGAIN!

Doublexx1

Hello Satch and HT -

Attached are screenshots of all 8 STARZEncore channels on both the Spectrum App and the 'World Box'. And as I pointed out earlier to our friends in the Spectrum home office, all 8 channels are broadcast in HD in the Spectrum App while only 1 of the channels is broadcast in HD by the World Box. In my case, I requested a discount of the monthly STARZ premium until the Spectrum IT Pros come up with a fix. And thanks HT for suggesting that I take a closer look at each. Also, I spoke to a rep at CommScope (the parent of Arris) and he told me the Spectrum 210-A box does have a default setting of 1280x720. But the good news is the box will decode and display 1080p/60 which is the setting on both of my TVs. I just don't understand why Spectrum's IT professionals could not provide the same answer.

THANKS AGAIN and ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!

HT_Greenfield

You're welcome and thanks for the heads up, Double. My compliments to both you and Satch for confirming the problem with the Starz Encore stable of channels. 

Also, yes, “Display Size 1280x720” is a static informational disclosure that doesn’t reflect on the ultimate HDMI detect-and-select dynamics. To expound on how i can see it happen in real time: with the box and TV both on and kicking, i hit the 🔄 button on the box and then hit OK on Reboot and pretty soon the box is displaying the de facto Spectrum splash imagery while the TV contemporaneously detects and momentarily displays the 720p HDMI input info and then after a few or several moments, the display momentarily blacks out before the splash image comes back with the TV contemporaneously detecting and momentarily showing that the HDMI input has changed to 1080p and the bootup routine continues and finishes with "Press any key to continue." All rather trivial, though, if your TV is showing that the HDMI from the box is 1080p whenever it's up and running.

The box is ultimately detecting the 1080p compatibility of the TV via HDMI and upconverting/upscaling each channel, whether it be 480i or 720p or 1080i, to 1080p and if the TV’s native rez is e.g. 4K/UHD, the TV will be upconverting and upscaling the 1080p input to display in its native 4K.