two questions about my bravia tv

[jp_2031]

I have a sony bravia tv which i bought a few years ago. I just have two questions about the picture -
The first i should explain a little:- I have my pc connected to my tv via HDMI cable(using a DVI to HDMI converter), and I use this to play my dvds. However, the majority of dvds i put on are not full screen - sides are cut off at the left and right. The tv isnt a widescreen tv. Is there a way i can fix this?
My second question is reguarding the picture of my xbox. It again is connected via HDMI cable, but i have noticed during the opening video of Modern Warfare 2, it seams quite blocky. Ever since i have noticed that, i am suddenly aware of a lot of blocky pictures when playing my xbox, but not my pc. Thanks in advance, and merry christmas :)

[ChuckFickens]

for the DVD issue you have 3 choices

as it is
black bars top and bottom (i.e. showing widescreen on a normal TV)
everything looking like it's been squashed and looking thin (forcing a widescreen film into a normal aspect ratio)

if you use a player like VLC player to play your DVDs you can right click on video when it's playing and there is a setting to force aspect ratio so you can see which of the above 3 you prefer.

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

For the Xbox I can't really say because you've not mentioned if it's a old style CRT TV or a new flat screen TV (model number would help)

[jp_2031]

that VLC programe is brilliant, thanks - it lets me make my dvds the full size of my tv.
Sorry, i dont know the model number of my tv, but someone i know has suggested it could be my HDMI cable that is messing the picture up. Ill try the original xbox cables see if that helps
Thanks :)

[ChuckFickens]

The blocky look is always caused by the video size being fed into the TV not matching the optimal video size the TV is expecting, the TV has to then resize it.

before trying another cable, goto my xbox on the dashboard, then across to system settings, then console settings, then display, then HDTV options and try some of the other output settings and see if any look better.

[jp_2031]

Ive changed it to a lower HD setting, (720p i think) but it still looks blocky. Ill try change the cables. Could it possibly be my tv?

[ChuckFickens]

I'm assuming it's not a HD TV?

if so 480p is the best setting for it.

But it may still look a little blocky just because it is a lower resolution.

when you say "try the other lead" I assume you mean the one with the multiple phono type connectors on the end, if so that lead can be used in two ways.

Component (also known as YCbCr) this way uses the red green and blue connectors on the lead. This way of connecting will give you much the same results as HDMI

Composite. this way uses just the single yellow cable for the video. using composite will get rid of the bloky look to the picture, but not necessarily in a good way. it will basically make everything so blury you can see the blockiness any more.

(there is a little switch on the big block that plugs into the Xbox on that lead that switches between the two)

but really, you need to get a full HD TV! Xbox games look awesome in full HD :)

[jp_2031]

I thought it was a HD TV... Ill try find the model number and search for it on google - but its all in the loft. Ill get it next time im up
Thanks very much for your help :D

[ChuckFickens]

the model number will be on the back of the TV if that's an easier place to get to than the loft :)