BFBS TV Widescreen

BFBS TV will switch to widescreen 16:9 transmission on Monday 18th September.

All large screen TVs sold nowadays are widescreen, and the great majority of programmes are made in this format. By making the switch, BFBS TV is delivering pictures that make the most of the viewers' investment in equipment, and allow programmes to be displayed as their producers intended.

Whether you watch on a widescreen TV or on an old standard size box, receive our service via a satellite box or through your local transmitter, here are all the details you need to set up your TV correctly.

Widescreen Televisions

If you have a widescreen TV and use either a BFBS Satellite box, a Humax cable box or a DTT Freeview box, you need, first of all, to make sure your box is set up correctly as follows;

• Connect it to your TV via a scart lead.

For those with a BFBS satellite box:

Using your remote control;

• Press 'Menu'.
• Select 'TV Settings'.
• Press 'OK'.
• Select 'TV screen format'.
• Select '16:9'.
• Press 'OK'.
• Press 'Exit'.

For those with a Humax cable box:

Using your remote control;

• Press 'Menu'.
• Select 'Preferences'.
• Press 'OK'.
• Select 'AV Control'.
• Press 'OK'.
• Select 'Screen Ratio'.
• Press 'OK' to select '16:9'.
• Select 'Display Format'.
• Press 'OK'.
• Select 'Auto'.
• Press'OK'.
• Press 'Exit'.

If you watch via a DTT box:

• Refer to you manual and make sure your TV output is set to 16:9.

Finally, now that your box is set up, you need to make sure your widescreen TV is as well.

This time using your TV remote control, your selection button offers you various picture sizes such as 4:3, 16:9, Panorama, Smart and  Refer to your manual to obtain advise on how to make your TV automatically switch between 16:9 and 4:3Z Occasionally, BFBS might broadcast a programme that wasn't made in Widescreen like an old episode of Fawlty Towers. But that's not often so don't change anything on your TV.

Standard (i.e. non widescreen) Televisions

If you have a standard size TV and use either a BFBS Satellite box, a Humax cable box or a DTT Freeview box, you need, first of all, to make sure your box is set up correctly as follows;

For those with a BFBS satellite box:

Using your remote control;

• Press 'Menu'.
• Select 'TV Settings'.
• Press 'OK'.
• Select 'TV screen format'.
• Select '4:3'.
• Press 'OK'.
• Press 'Exit'.

This will now automatically set to a letter box format which means you will see the whole picture on your screen but with black bars top and bottom.

For those with a Humax cable box:

Using your remote control;

• Press 'Menu'.
• Select 'Preferences'..
• Press 'OK'.
• Select 'AV Control'.
• Press 'OK'.
• Select 'Screen Ratio'.
• Press 'OK' to select '4:3'.
• Select 'Display Format'.
• Press 'OK'.
• Select 'Auto'.
• Press'OK'.
• Press 'Exit'.

You will now see the full picture, again in the letterbox format.

If you use a DTT box:

• Refer to your manual and select the 4:3 mode and the letter box display format.

How does this change affect you if you don't have a satellite, cable or DTT box but receive BFBS via your local transmitter?

If you are watching on standard size TV you will see our programmes in a letterbox format, with black bars top and bottom. If you have a Widescreen TV, you will also have black bars, but you can use your TV remote and select 'Zoom' on your picture format button and the picture will then fill the whole screen.