Ok. I have an HD Player, and I have a 50 inch widescreen plasma. When I watch HD cable, movies, sports programs, news etc, there are no bars across the top and bottom of the screen taking up some of the display, however I do get this on every HD DVD that I own. Its been annoying me for a while. The zoom feature does not help as it just takes away from the full shot.

My question is: How come when I watch HBO HD, the movies are broadcasted without any top and bottom bars and can I do this with my HD Player/TV?

Most HDTV's are 16x9 (some 4:3 exists). The HD cable broadcasts are 16:9 WS enhanced (with zoom), they are designed to fill the screen or on some HDTV's can you select HD Zoom or HD WS enhanced. HD-DVD movies are displayed in the aspect ratio of the original film. Aspect ratios vary from film to film. Some of them are 16:9 and others are 2.35:1, etc. Therefore the black bars are present because the signal is not stretched (or enhanced) to fit the TV as the cable and satellite do, it is displayed as it was originally intended in the theatre. You have no problem.. Do not worry..

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Thanks for answering this, I have always wondered this as well.