I discovered that the networks and even some cable stations like HBO send copy protection signal to prevent recording. I got what I call the black box a CopiAll model DPX-7000 that I run the cables through, with I can even copy DVDs. Haveing a physical Disk in your hands means if the net is down you still have it.

opps forgot....A VHS machine will record anything off of TV, what it has problems with are retail VHS tapes with built in Privicay protection. But play a VHS on a HD LED tv look horriable. AS a experiment I recorded a vhs tape to DVD and for some reason the DVD played alot better. Side note: netflix plays voyager in standard defintion but my tv plays it in full screen which makes it look bad. So I hooked up smart dvd player to my tv useing the Composite cable instead of the hdmi and for some reason it automaticaly plays it properly, with the black spaces on the sides.

Enterprise was the only show actually made in widescreen. If you're seeing any of the others like that, they're being distorted in some way. Either by the channel you're watching, or by your TV.

This little thing might be informative/educational:

https://www.adrive.com/public/Rw9tft/TCM%20Widescreen%20Thing.mpg

Note that this thing is also 1.33:1 format. If you stretch it or zoom it or whatever, because you feel the need for everything to fill the screen, you're distorting it too, just like if you zoom or stretch a TV show like TOS that was originally made in 1.33:1 format. Watch it in 1.33:1 or 4:3 or whatever your TV calls it. Ignore any compulsion to make it fill the screen.

In the past when you watched a theatrical movie on a regular TV, it was necessary to watch it in "letterbox" format, with black/blank spaces at the top and bottom, or you were actually missing part of it. It's the same now when you watch an older 1.33:1 TV show - or TV movie - on a widescreen TV. What you're seeing is correct if there are blank/black spaces on the sides. If you zoom or stretch or whatever because of some inexplicable craving to fill the screen no matter what, you're actually seeing LESS, not more.

And, broadcast HD also has a copy-protection signal available, not sure how many channels actually use it. Maybe only things like football etc actually care. For some of those, your DVR might be allowed to record and play them back a certain number of times, or for a certain length of time. Then it stops working.

But that function didn't actually exist at first, it was added later and laws were passed requiring equipment - TV sets, DVRs, etc - to recognize and "obey" that signal. I actually got a couple ATI HD Wonder tuner cards made before that requirement, so my homemade HD DVR was able to watch and record anything even if it was supposed to be "protected."

I understand the screen size ratio difference of older shows. What I find strange on MY tv when I use the HDMI cable the tv will not play lets say TOS ot any older show in the standard 4.3 ratio with netflix but it will play 4.3 from my cable. But when I use componet cables the netflix shows will automatical play the older 4.3 ratio shows.

Both TVs and DVD/Blu-ray players have a variety of settings/options, including defaults for display ratios etc. Sounds like you need to dig into the menus. And if nothing else works, maybe RTFM.

This thread got me curious so I did a little searching in that bay full of pirates dot org and found the complete TNG series in 1080 available (apparently a BD rip - bless those pirates, yahaar). The size is ~86 gigs so it will take a while to get the complete thing, but hey, it's available.

After some research (meaning I'm watching BBC's weekly TOS mini-marathon) I can see that they don't cut TOS at all. I can spot a missing one easily with it. The eps run 1:15 with commercials. However, I agree that the cuts they are making to TNG and Voyager are troubling. They both only run 45 minutes without commercials. Why they can't treat them like they do TOS?

BTW, folks HULU has all Star Trek except TAS.