Can a Pioneer DVR-520H be hacked to record 16:9?

[cocopugg]

I know the Pioneer DVR-520H doesn't have any component inputs, but is there any way for the unit to record a 16:9 signal as 16:9 (without the black bars on top and bottom)?

[FulciLives]

Just about all cable TV and satellite TV converter boxes will convert HDTV 16x9 to 4:3 Letterboxed 480i when you use the composite or S-Video output(s).

So problem number one is getting 16x9 WS to the DVD recorder.

If you can get 16x9 WS to the DVD recorder then the recording will be flagged as 4:3 instead of 16:9 which means it will not play back properly on a 4:3 TV but should (knock on wood) play back properly on a 16x9 WS TV (although I think that some 16x9 TV's will not do this proper).

The only true fix is to RIP the DVD to your computer and re-flagg it as 16:9 and this can be done fairly easily with a variety of different software programs.

Of course this takes extra time and requires you have a computer with a DVD burner.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Frobozz]

Your Pioneer recorder will recognize 16x9 video from a DV camcorder that is set to widescreen mode and from any other source that can send a 16x9 480i signal via the DV link or S-video input. If a widescreen flag is present (such as from the camcorder) it will be properly recognized. If the flag isn't present then you'd get the squeezed (or vertically stretched) picture that the TV would need to correct. I think I even tested my Pioneer 510 with recording via S-video from a 16x9 video DVD (not copy-protected, of course) and the aspect ratio was properly retained.

However, as FulciLives noted, TV receiver boxes letterbox the 16x9 video when they output it via 480i via S-video or composite video. The same is sometimes true for component output as well. For example, the Motorola DVR's letterbox even when using component outputs if they are set to 480i (which is needed if you were to connect them to a DVD recorder equipped with component inputs).

I think I read recently of a $500 device that converts component to S-video without letterboxing. Some people use a JVC D-VHS recorder for this purpose. They record to D-VHS tape and then can play it without letterboxing via S-video to their DVD recorder. I don't know if the commonplace 5c copy protection keeps the Pioneer from recording those without some kind of filter ahead of the DVD recorder.

When I want to keep the 16x9 video from some HD channels I capture the HD video via Firewire to my computer and then use software to downrez it to standard definition. This process also keeps the 5.1 audio. However, it only works with a few network channels because the 5c protection blocks nearly everything else from being transferred. Also, it takes a lot of time.

I briefly had an Over-the-air HDTV receiver that could output non-letterboxed video via its S-video output. I thought my problems were solved until I realized the terrain around my house would require my installing a 30' antenna to get a decent signal.

[LCSHG]

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