Picture Aspect Ratio - automatic switching problem (solved)

[Ian Jackson]

Last week, I treated myself to a small flat-screen TV set - a 16" Linsar
16LVD4 from John Lewis. I had fancied one for some time, and spotted one
among the customer returns, £30 off, marked "Returned as "Unsuitable".
[Normal 5-year guarantee.]

Despite being a bottom-of-the-range model, the picture quality is, in my
opinion, among the best for this type of set (after doing all the usual
tweaks of the factory settings, of course).

However, I found that I had a problem. I simply could not get the
picture aspect ratio to switch automatically between 16:9 and 4:3, even
though, in the picture menu, the 'Picture Zoom' was set to 'Auto'. Doing
the change manually it is quite a long-winded process (although it would
probably be something I could live with).

However, last night, I was playing in the menus, and in 'Feature', I
came across an option in the to change the 'Default Zoom' setting. It
was set to 16:9, so I tried 4:3. To my delight, I found that the
automatic aspect ratio now changed as it should.

When I think of it, I realise that this behaviour is understandable if
the Widescreen Signalling signal is not present on 4:3 pictures.
Presumably, it works by being absent or present, rather than actually
telling the TV whether select 4:3 or 16:9. However, I can see no obvious
reference in the instruction manual warning the user to ensure that the
default zoom should normally be set to 4:3, as I have described.

Is this a quirk peculiar to this particular TV set?

[Mark Carver]

Post by Ian Jackson
When I think of it, I realise that this behaviour is understandable if
the Widescreen Signalling signal is not present on 4:3 pictures.
Presumably, it works by being absent or present, rather than actually
telling the TV whether select 4:3 or 16:9. However, I can see no obvious
reference in the instruction manual warning the user to ensure that the
default zoom should normally be set to 4:3, as I have described.
Is this a quirk peculiar to this particular TV set?

No, my Sony Bravia is the same, I need to set the default AR to 4:3 for
the autoswitching to work correctly in all instances, same for a cheapo
Beko model I've got too, I seem to recall.

[Ian Jackson]

Post by Mark Carver

Post by Ian Jackson
When I think of it, I realise that this behaviour is understandable if
the Widescreen Signalling signal is not present on 4:3 pictures.
Presumably, it works by being absent or present, rather than actually
telling the TV whether select 4:3 or 16:9. However, I can see no obvious
reference in the instruction manual warning the user to ensure that the
default zoom should normally be set to 4:3, as I have described.
Is this a quirk peculiar to this particular TV set?

No, my Sony Bravia is the same, I need to set the default AR to 4:3 for
the autoswitching to work correctly in all instances, same for a cheapo
Beko model I've got too, I seem to recall.

Noted. Thanks.

I now recall that, when we got the 'family' Sony 23", I couldn't seem to
get the AR to auto-switch. It does now (at least on the internal DTV
source), so I must have hit on the winning combination in the menu
setting.

However, I don't think it works with external inputs, and certainly not
with a feed from a DTT set-top > scart RGB > hard disc recorder >
component output > TV set. But, as the set has separate menus for each
input, I'll check to see if I've missed some option. Is it likely that
you are able to set the AR to auto-switch?

[Graham.]

Last week, I treated myself to a small flat-screen TV set - a 16" Linsar 16LVD4 from John Lewis. I had fancied one for some time,
and spotted one among the customer returns, £30 off, marked "Returned as "Unsuitable". [Normal 5-year guarantee.]
Despite being a bottom-of-the-range model, the picture quality is, in my opinion, among the best for this type of set (after doing
all the usual tweaks of the factory settings, of course).
However, I found that I had a problem. I simply could not get the picture aspect ratio to switch automatically between 16:9 and
4:3, even though, in the picture menu, the 'Picture Zoom' was set to 'Auto'. Doing the change manually it is quite a long-winded
process (although it would probably be something I could live with).
However, last night, I was playing in the menus, and in 'Feature', I came across an option in the to change the 'Default Zoom'
setting. It was set to 16:9, so I tried 4:3. To my delight, I found that the automatic aspect ratio now changed as it should.
When I think of it, I realise that this behaviour is understandable if the Widescreen Signalling signal is not present on 4:3
pictures. Presumably, it works by being absent or present, rather than actually telling the TV whether select 4:3 or 16:9.
However, I can see no obvious reference in the instruction manual warning the user to ensure that the default zoom should normally
be set to 4:3, as I have described.
Is this a quirk peculiar to this particular TV set?

No, my Samsung switches correctly when the "screen mode" is set to 4:3
and the "autowide" parameter is enabled"

Seems slightly contra-intuitive, but there again most of the great unwashed out
there do not want the AR switching to work correctly, at any rate they want the
screen to be filled with picture regardless.

[Ian Jackson]

Post by Graham.

Post by Ian Jackson
Last week, I treated myself to a small flat-screen TV set - a 16"
Linsar 16LVD4 from John Lewis. I had fancied one for some time,
and spotted one among the customer returns, £30 off, marked "Returned
as "Unsuitable". [Normal 5-year guarantee.]
Despite being a bottom-of-the-range model, the picture quality is, in
my opinion, among the best for this type of set (after doing
all the usual tweaks of the factory settings, of course).
However, I found that I had a problem. I simply could not get the
picture aspect ratio to switch automatically between 16:9 and
4:3, even though, in the picture menu, the 'Picture Zoom' was set to
'Auto'. Doing the change manually it is quite a long-winded
process (although it would probably be something I could live with).
However, last night, I was playing in the menus, and in 'Feature', I
came across an option in the to change the 'Default Zoom'
setting. It was set to 16:9, so I tried 4:3. To my delight, I found
that the automatic aspect ratio now changed as it should.
When I think of it, I realise that this behaviour is understandable
if the Widescreen Signalling signal is not present on 4:3
pictures. Presumably, it works by being absent or present, rather
than actually telling the TV whether select 4:3 or 16:9.
However, I can see no obvious reference in the instruction manual
warning the user to ensure that the default zoom should normally
be set to 4:3, as I have described.
Is this a quirk peculiar to this particular TV set?

No, my Samsung switches correctly when the "screen mode" is set to 4:3
and the "autowide" parameter is enabled"

Noted. In principle, does (should) AR auto-switching work with external
inputs, or does it only work with the internal tuner?

Post by Graham.
Seems slightly contra-intuitive, but there again most of the great unwashed out
there do not want the AR switching to work correctly, at any rate they want the
screen to be filled with picture regardless.

At the weekend, my son commented that he had noticed that, in the pubs
showing the world cup football on TV, invariably the players were short
and fat - not the lithe, fit sort of chaps that you expect professional
footballers to be!

[Mark Carver]

Post by Ian Jackson
Noted. In principle, does (should) AR auto-switching work with external
inputs, or does it only work with the internal tuner?

Yes, it should, by one of two methods for external (SD) inputs.

1: Control voltage on Scart Pin 8.

5 to 8V 16:9 mode
9.5 to 12V 4:3 mode

http://www.idiots.org.uk/vga_rgb_scart/

2: VBI Line 23 signalling:-

http://www.pembers.freeserve.co.uk/Test-Cards/Test-Card-Technical.html#WSS

[Ian Jackson]

Post by Mark Carver

Post by Ian Jackson
Noted. In principle, does (should) AR auto-switching work with
external inputs, or does it only work with the internal tuner?

Yes, it should, by one of two methods for external (SD) inputs.
1: Control voltage on Scart Pin 8.
5 to 8V 16:9 mode
9.5 to 12V 4:3 mode
http://www.idiots.org.uk/vga_rgb_scart/
2: VBI Line 23 signalling:-
http://www.pembers.freeserve.co.uk/Test-Cards/Test-Card-Technical.html#WSS

Noted. Thanks.
There's some really good stuff on Alan Pemberton's site - TV and
otherwise.

[Chris Hogg]

On Fri, 2 Jul 2010 08:53:11 +0100, Ian Jackson

Post by Ian Jackson
Noted. In principle, does (should) AR auto-switching work with external
inputs, or does it only work with the internal tuner?

I have a Humax 9200 acting as a STB for and scart-connected to a
Panasonic Quintrix CRT TV that has no digital tuner, and with the TV
AR set to 4:3 it auto-switches perfectly.

Post by Ian Jackson

Post by Graham.
Seems slightly contra-intuitive, but there again most of the great unwashed out
there do not want the AR switching to work correctly, at any rate they want the
screen to be filled with picture regardless.

At the weekend, my son commented that he had noticed that, in the pubs
showing the world cup football on TV, invariably the players were short
and fat - not the lithe, fit sort of chaps that you expect professional
footballers to be!

Must have been watching England.