OT: TV cuts off 1/5 pic on each side

[Higgs Boson]

Friends don't let friends sign up for Verizon FIOS! They advertise out the *** their $99 package for TV, Internet, and Phone, but don't know what they're doing. After trying customer service umpty times, I faxed to the CEO's office; some flunky made concerned noises, but nothing got done.

Question: Anybody have a clue WHY my TV pic is cut off on each side? It must have something to do with the wrong box being installed * or? (Note: that was NOT the case with Time-Warner, who are no angels either, but at least I got a full screen.)

Just trawling for any experience y'all might have had. I'd love to sue the bastards ( my lawyer laughed hysterically at the very thought), or drop the service, since they broke their contract on many grounds beyond what I mentioned here.

his has been doing on for months. I want to solve the problem as easily as possible (dreamer!)

• Speaking of "installed": I got such awful hissing on my TV speakers, I was about to buy new ones and bypass the TV speakers, when my neighbor took one look behind and said the installer put an audio plug into the wrong hole!!! Un****ing believable!

TIA for any advice.

Hypatia

[BobR]

You do not mention rather you have a HD TV or not but if you do and you are losing 1/5 of the picture on both sides the answer is rather simple, you are watching the standard non-HD version of the telecast. If I tune in to the standard channels on my ATT-Uverse system, I see the same thing. This is done because the telecast is intended for standard TV reception which had a much narrower screen. If you think that you are going to get HD reception using the standard channel set instead of the HD channels, you are going to be very disappointed. That will not work, you must subscribe to the HD channels.

If you are not using an HD-TV and the picture is cutoff on your standard set, you do have a complaint and something is very wrong.

[BQ340]

You don't give any info as to what equipment you have, but can whatever box you have be set to a different aspect ratio output, or can you change the aspect ratio on the TV?

[Jim Elbrecht]

-snip-

The last DVR box I got from TW was an HD box. It was a couple years ago so I don't remember the numbers- but I asked for it on purpose even though my TV is not HD. I gained a boatload of reliability,

10x the storage space, and lost a 1/2inch down both sides of my picture. It cuts off stock tickers, time/temp icons, and one arrow when I FF. It is worth it to me.

It's funny that "the cable company" and "the phone company" - with probably the 2 worst reputations for customer relations in the country are fighting for our dollars. TW's DVR service is horrid. They are miles behind Tivo with their software. . . . . but it is handy, cheaper than Tivo--- and oh, what a bunch of good stuff it already does. And my hope springs eternal that someday they will get their crap together and I'll be able to make a manual recording stick. . . or search my menu by 2 leading characters. . . or search for a subject, actor, or director. . . or- even use my computer to navigate their menus. Jim

[SteveB]

RTFM and adjust the picure. Start in MENU. There is nothing wrong with anything, except for your brain. Set your tv to the right settings.

Steve

[The Daring Dufas]

It has something to do with String Theory.

TDD