Picture Mode on Toshiba 34HDX82

[choids]

Hi All,

Recently I purchased 34HDX82 with Toshiba SD-V390 DVD/VCR(progressive scan) combo. So far, I am happy with the TV except this one issue with picture mode. According to the manual, if I set the picture mode to natural and play widescreen DVD, it should fill the screen horizontally. Yet in my unit, it displays it in 4*3 format. I've also changed DVD's setup to display in 16*9 format and selected component output mode. Is this the flaw with TV or DVD or am I doing something wrong? Thanks...

from LA.

[57]

Welcome to the forum. The Toshiba manual is incorrect in this regard. This has been discussed many times before on this forum - I only mention this to give "validity" to my statement.

Go to the HT FAQ section, link below and read the posts on "Black Bars" and "widescreen stretch modes".

http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/for...forum.php?f=57

[choids]

Thanks 57 for your info, however, my problem/concern seems to be little different than what you described in your article. If I set my HDTV to natural mode and play widescreen DVD in 16*9 mode, I would expect to have the picture to fill up the screen horizontally. In my TV, there is vertical black bars in left and right edge of the screen, displaying in 4*3 mode. I manually have to switch to full picture mode on my TV to see the screen filled up. Why didn't my TV adjust the size automatically in natual mode? If I use full mode, am I not losing some parts of the screen? I was going to buy another DVD player and see if it makes any differnt but will wait to see if anybody can help me on this matter first.

I am also curious about the burn in period. As you have mention in your article, 57, even widescreen HDTV will have black bars on top and bottom of the screen while playing anamorphic DVD such as Star Wars(I know cause I played it last night). Is it then OK to have black bars for the whole duration of the movie without worring about having the burn in problem?

I know I asked too much here but I am new in this subject and is becoming a fast hobby of mine...

Thanks.
for LA.

[57]

Originally Posted by choids

1. Why didn't my TV adjust the size automatically in natual mode?

2. If I use full mode, am I not losing some parts of the screen?

3. Is it then OK to have black bars for the whole duration of the movie without worring about having the burn in problem?

1. There are no TVs that automatically give you the "correct" aspect mode for DVDs. You have to do it manually and your use of "full" on anamorphic DVDs is the correct one. There is currently no way for your TV to "know" which aspect mode to use, so you have to tell it. Perhaps eventually, DVDs will be encoded with this information and TVs will be equipped to receive it, but as of now, they are not. (remember that the operating manual is incorrect) You do not need a different DVD player - the player should be set to 16:9.

2. No. This is the correct mode for anamorphic (enhanced for widescreen) DVDs. Due to overscan, you will "lose" a very small percentage of the picture on the sides, but this is "normal" for all TVs.

For non-enhanced widescreen DVDs you should use TW2 stretch mode. TW1 should probably be used for 4:3 material to eliminate the burn lines you mention. There is a lot of 4:3 material out there and you should not watch much of it in 4:3 mode, otherwise you could end up with burn lines.

3. Yes. 2.35:1 aspect ratio movies will likely represent a small percentage of your overall viewing and will therefore not cause burn lines. Static images need to be on your screen for 15-20% of your total viewing time, or more to cause this problem. It is something to be aware of, but not paranoid about. 1.85:1 movies should perfectly fill your screen and you should see no bars.

[choids]

Hey 57, Thanks a bunch for your timely, yet thoughtful answers. It helped me a lot. These are the answers I couldn't get from anywhere else. Specially your answer on No. 1 hit bullseye to my question. I now understand.

DC from LA.

[Robwest3]

I've been perplexed about the same thing and am willing to believe the manual is wrong...But, I have an exception that I'd like to hear your thoughts on:

I have an HDTV Cable box...usually I watch TV in TW-1 mode...but when I flip to a channel that is broadcast in HDTV, my Toshiba 57HDX82 automatically goes into Natural mode and everything is stretched out to the sides where is should be!

When I leave the channel, the TV goes back into TW-1...

Now if it can do that with the Cable box...why not the DVD player?

[57]

Because:

A) the DVD player doesn't send a signal to the TV indicating that it's "HD" (since it's not) "forcing" a certain mode.

&.

B) There are several different aspect modes you would want to invoke for DVDs, depending on whether its 4:3, 16:9 anamorphic or 16:9 non-anamorphic.

It would be theoritically possible to provide a signal from the DVD player to the TV to "force" the correct stretch mode, unfortunately such a collaboration has not taken place between the TV manufacturers, the DVD manufacturers and the DVD player manufacturers. (an override should be allowed if you want).

There are some TVs that are "even worse" they don't allow any alternate stretching of 480P and you have to change to 480i to accommodate different DVDs, sigh.

I guess I just repeated most of what I said in my previous post (April 10)..

[johnnic]

Along the same lines I had a question about the 4:3 or 16:9 setting on BEV receivers. Which setting should I have for watching TV on my 50XHD82 (on the receiver)?

[57]

Since your TV is 16:9, I would think you'd set it to 16:9, although I think I recall an earlier thread where people mentioned that they saw no difference between the settings...