When I want to watch a tennis or football match I often switch to the BBC, because I like their commentary better than the Dutch channels'. But lately I've noticed an annoying phenomenon. The BBC adds a black bar around the screen, a bit like the black bars at the top and bottom of old movies. The bars are at the left and right as well however, cutting off about an inch from all sides of my screen. Since my TV isn't exactly cinema size, it almost makes the ball invisible when I'm watching tennis. I was wondering if it happens to BBC viewers in the UK as well, or just to continental Europeans maybe? And does anyone have any idea why it happens? It's only with sports matches, not with regular programs...

Hmph, trust me not to read this thread until just after the football had finished. Hopefully someone else will know the answer without having to peer at the screen.

Football has just started on ITV and that has the black border all the way around, so nothing to do with BBC, more a question of sport.

Thanks Sue! Since the BBC is the only English channel we get I couldn't compare it to other English channels. I'm still wondering what the use of this black border is...

I'm almost certain that I don't get a black border around the screen during the football or tennis. I'll have a look when it's next on and find out for you.

There is probably a difference in screen size if viewed through terrestrial or sattelite channels.

That's what I thought initially, but the black border doesn't change the proportions of the visible screen. It reduces the size equally from all sides...

I viewed it on terrestial.