If I'm not mistaken, the XL2 manual says that I should be able to view a 16:9 letterboxed image on my monitor if I play out via s-video. All that I see is a squeezed image (albeit a beautiful one). Is there some setting I've missed? Maybe my monitor is too old to recognize this format? Did I read the manual incorrectly?

Thanks.

Evan, your monitor needs to havee 16:9 as a switchable option. If it's a broadcast monitor there's a good chance it does. If it's a Sony 8044/8045 for instance it will be an underscan switch on the back. Others like my JVC studio monitor (as I just discovered to my joy) has it as a menu option.

Evan this was recently discussed, I think you may have misread your manual, when played through an s-video it is 16:9 no bars, or a stretched image on a 4:3 monitor.

Upon rereading my manual, it does say what I thought. They just forgot to mention that you need a monitor that is switchable to 16:9 mode or a 16:9 native monitor.

So clear this up for me. The 16:9 footage shot on the XL2 will play back on a 4:3 television set WITHOUT s-video, as..... what? Letterboxed with bars? Squeezed 4:3?

Squeezed 4:3 thru composite input
squeezed 4:3 thru s-video input unless you have a 16:9 native monitor or a studio monitor that can be switched to 16:9.