811, OTA, GWII & a lot of questions

[Kevin_Texas]

I just installed the 811 receiver. The receiver is attached to a Sony 50”
GWII through a DVI cable. I have also attached an OTA to the receiver.

I have seen some of these questions answered but it’s still not clear to me. The reception on the OTA is stunning as well is the HD content on Dish. The other Dish channels are so so.

Here are my questions:

1: The GWII TV has a feature that would allow me to stretch the screen.
(Wide zoom, full, zoom etc). When I had a 301 these features worked
on my TV. Now they do not. Why? Is it being controlled by the 811?

2: When watching HD on both OTA and Dish during commercials the screen will change to show black bars on left/right and sometimes top/bottom. Is this because the commercial is not in HD. Also sometimes during football replay same thing happens.

3: Why do I have LIL’s (Local’s in Local’s)?

4: Is it because of the LIL I am unable to type the assigned channel number and go straight to the channel. I have to drill down to through the guide to located the channel

Thanks for any input. I new to this HD thing

 

[Sean Mota]

Kevin, I do not own an 811 but,

1 - * key used to change the video mode (strecth, zoom, gray bars, normal). I do not know if the 811 kept the same key. But do not use the TV to do this. Use the dish receiver to do it.

2 - Yes, commercials are 4x3.

 

[Kevin_Texas]

Thanks Mota,

Should I not be able to use those features on my TV?

I do know that on the 811 using the * key will only give you two
options and does not fill the screen. I think there will be
software update to fix this.

 

[markdl]

Kevin, I have a Sony KP51HW40 model HDTV from 2 years ago. I can only use the zoom modes on the television when the television is receiving a 480i or a 480p source. If the television is receiving a 1080i source, the zoom functions are disabled. From your post, I assume that you are connected to your television via component or DVI, in which case your television is receiving a 1080i source. The 811 will at some point soon be able to stretch and zoom the 1080i output, but it can't yet apparently.

If you want to use your television to zoom the picture, until you get the new software download for the 811, you'll need to connect up an svideo or composite video cable from the 6000 to your tv, and then watch the SD programming with that rather than through component or DVI.

I don't understand what you are asking with #3 and #4.

 

[Cyclone]

1: The GWII TV has a feature that would allow me to stretch the screen.
(Wide zoom, full, zoom etc). When I had a 301 these features worked
on my TV. Now they do not. Why? Is it being controlled by the 811?

Answer: This is likely a limitation of your GWII. Most 16x9 TVs will allow you to manipulate the aspect of SD video (RF, Composite, S-Video). The HD video formats (1080i, 720p, Component, DVI-D) the HDTVs just don't adjust, or limit the amount you can adjust.

How did you have your 301 hooked up? If it was S-Video or Composite, try hooking up the 811 the same way, I bet you'll still have those GWII stretch modes on those SD inputs.

2: When watching HD on both OTA and Dish during commercials the screen will change to show black bars on left/right and sometimes top/bottom. Is this because the commercial is not in HD. Also sometimes during football replay same thing happens.

This will depend on your local digital station, but some will broadcast their SD material (or comercials during HD broadcasts) in the HDTV formats of 1080i or 720p. The just fill in the missing space with those Black side bars. In my area some stations even put their logos in there. Your GWIII might see these black bars are part of the regular broadcast and not Zoom or stretch to compenstate for them.

3: Why do I have LIL’s (Local’s in Local’s)?

Cause you're paying for them? Some ppl can't get all of their Locals OTA, so its good to have them LIL. Or in my case, I kept them cause my 510 needs em, and sense the 6000 and the 510 are on the same accnt, my 6000 shows them as well.

4: Is it because of the LIL I am unable to type the assigned channel number and go straight to the channel. I have to drill down to through the guide to located the channel

Its more because the OTA tuner users the single/double digit channel numbers. If the 811 is like the 6000, you should be able to direct input the 5 digit number and jump to a stations. Such as 0-0-5-0-1 for 5.1.

Cyclone

 

[Kevin_Texas]

markdl,

Now I understand thanks a lot. So really it has nothing do with the
receiver but signal being feed. In my case using a DVI cable would
not allow me use the features on the TV since a 1080i signal is
being feed.

The other items have to with locals. I have read some about out
here.

 

[Kevin_Texas]

cyclone,

It's all clear now. Thanks.

I had the 301 through Composite. It makes since they way
you have explained.

I am just worried about burn in.

Does anyone know when they will be pushing the 811 software update?

Congrats on winning last night

 

[WeeJavaDude]

You don't need to worry about burn in with the GWII it is an LCD rear projection and does not suffer the same burn in issues at the CRT based Rear Projection TVs. I have a GWII 60" and never change the aspect ration on my 6000. Watch 4x3 and 16x9. I prefer it that way and that was one of the reason I went with an LCD solution.

 

[WeeJavaDude]

One other thing.. Your SD quality will not look that great on the GWII. It does a great job with HD but not the best with SD. I did improve my PQ by using a Power conditionar. It ran about 300 bucks but was well worth it.

 

[Kevin_Texas]

I too run a power conditionar and it does make a difference.

I have had the TV for about 7 months and your are correct the SD
does look bad.

I did do some UMR Tweaks from avsforum and they help a lot.

Thanks for your input

 

[WeeJavaDude]

I need to revisit the UMR tweaks. Was wanting to wait until my set has some runtime and I was more familar with what I currently have. Did you go for a 6000 component to an 811 DVI? did you see any noticable improvement on the HD side of things?

The PQ comments has me really concerned. Thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[WeeJavaDude]

Well I went and orderd an 811. Did you get a DVI cable? If so what one goes with the 811 and the Sony GWII. I am a bit confused.

 

[rad]

Does anyone know when they will be pushing the 811 software update?

I'm hearing that a fix for the aspect ratio control missing might be coming out by this weekend. So power off those 811's and let's see what we get starting Friday.

 

[WeeJavaDude]

Is the GWII and the 811 both require a Male end? The manual does not say and I dont want to have to pull the TV out. Any suggestions on where to get a DVI-D cable? I looked at the places that was suggest so far and I could not find a DVI-D Single link cable.

 

[Sean Mota]

Is the GWII and the 811 both require a Male end? The manual does not say and I dont want to have to pull the TV out. Any suggestions on where to get a DVI-D cable? I looked at the places that was suggest so far and I could not find a DVI-D Single link cable.

You need this

There are a few places in the internet. I have to look to find the url.

 

[Sean Mota]

Try here for DVI cable...

http://www.pacificcable.com/

 

[WeeJavaDude]

Thanks Sean,

Have you dealt with Pacific Cable and are they a rebuital site? Price looks good

 

[Sean Mota]

No, I have not but I read good reports about them.

 

[Harmon]

Kevin, I have a Sony KP51HW40 model HDTV from 2 years ago. I can only use the zoom modes on the television when the television is receiving a 480i or a 480p source. If the television is receiving a 1080i source, the zoom functions are disabled. From your post, I assume that you are connected to your television via component or DVI, in which case your television is receiving a 1080i source. The 811 will at some point soon be able to stretch and zoom the 1080i output, but it can't yet apparently.

If you want to use your television to zoom the picture, until you get the new software download for the 811, you'll need to connect up an svideo or composite video cable from the 6000 to your tv, and then watch the SD programming with that rather than through component or DVI.

I have the Sony 51HW40 too. What Mark says is all correct, but there is another way to use your TV's zoom functions that I actually prefer. In the HD setup menu of the 811 you can change it to output 480p over the component (and I assume DVI) connections. Then your Sony's zoom functions will work. I think this results in better picture quality than using the 811's S-Video or composite outputs. The only problem is that it is cumbersome to change the menu settings back and forth for SD and HD. I suppose if you have a universal remote you can program it to preform a macro for this.

Interesting thing is that when I switch to 480p output on the 811 my Sony switches over to the "Full" zoom mode rather than "Widezoom" as it would normally do for 4x3 material. I can switch to "Widezoom", "Zoom", or "Normal" if I wish, but "Full" fills the entire screen and it appears to be the correct aspect ratio setting as it is on an anamorphic widescreen DVD. Not sure why that is.

BTW, this may not work on all HDTV's because some lock you out of the zoom modes with a 480p signal like the Sony does with 720p and 1080i.

Harmon