question about watching old 4.3 TV programs on HDTVs

[Mace Dolex]

So I have a Bluray player and an HDTV flat screen which are hooked with an HDMI cable so whenever I'm watching a normal movie whether its aspect ratio is 1.85 or 2.35 the image fills the screen nicely but whenever I watch an old TV show on DVD which were filmed in 4.3 the image gets stretched out making everybody look squat and short.

I already switched the settings on my Bluray back and forth between ratios and it still doesn't work, I know this many not be an issue but I don't like seeing old 4.3 shows stretched out.

The only idea I've considered is instead of using an HDMI cable just use ordinary red/yellow audio/video cables.

Anybody know what I'm talking about?

 

[Dave McFly]

weird, when I watch 4x3 based dvd or blu rays they get the standard vertical bars down the sides (ditto when watching old shows on Netflix). I am not sure why you get the stretchy images, I too use HDMI and it was the same on PS3 and PS4 and both have been hooked up to the same 9 month old Samsung 39" LED set.

 

[the dmg]

It could mean that your actual TV is set to stretch. Try going through your TV setting rather than the BD player.

 

[Mace Dolex]

So I finally figured it out, it seems my Bluray player has two settings for widescreen (16.9 and 16.9 FULL), as to why the two options I have no idea but by selecting just 16.9 I can now watch any old TV show in their proper 4.3 and the player automatically switches the ratio for whenever I watch a widescreen movie.