Please help: VOOM SD display on 4:3 TV

[JianDan]

VOOM was installed yesterday. Great HD picture, and better sounds. Just switched from DirecTV.
But am experiencing a problem, couldn't get proper help from the VOOM customer service dept as they claim it is normal.
The problem is improper display of SD picture on my 4:3 TV: either it is stretched in a 16:9 format, or it is a 4:3 box much smaller than the full screen.

My TV set is: Sony 40XBR800, 40" CRT HDTV.
Sat Box connection to TV uses both component and composite cables.

From the remote,I select VOOM --> green button --> system setting-->picture format. There are two settings to be set: 1st is "narrow to wide": if I select "stretch", then the SD picture is stretched into a 16:9 letter box format; if I select "pillar box", the the SD picture is displayed in the 4:3 format, but in a much smaller screen in the center of my TV screen. 2nd is "wide to narrow": it has "letter box", "squeeze", "crop" 3 options which is not really related here. But any way, I tried all 6 combinations, I just cannot get a full screen view of the SD content.

There is one way that I can get the full screen view of the SD content, that is to select "VHS" as video input instead of the "DTV". "VHS" goes thru composite/S-video route which gives a rather poor picture quality and is not exactly what I want to see.

I don't think I am the only one who uses 4:3 format HDTV, but I don't see anyone else complaints about this issue.

VOOM customer service basically has no clue, and it later claimed it is normal for a 4:3 TV to behave this way.

Any help is appreciated. I basically love everything else about this VOOM.
If you are not able to post, please send me a email to "ht_zhu@hotmail.com".

Thanks again.

 

[iceshark]

I have made many posts about the same thing. I have the same set but 36inch.
What you found is the only way to get full screen non-circus mirror effect picture. You must use a rca jack input on your tv to watch sd programming to get normal full screen. I have my Wega with three inputs active. One is for DVI cable, One for Component cables, ANd one for rca standard cable.
When watching HD channels I use DVI or Component. When watching SD channels I switch to RCA jack input for full picture. Or I have it set for a box but standard for viewing SD on DVI or component. I find it even though it is a box to be better then strethch viewing.

unfortunatly until you and I get a 16.9 Tv it is what you live with.
I dont mind!

 

[JianDan]

Thanks for the bad news. I guess that's the life, never perfect.

I wonder what the cause is. Component DTV (SD) was working fine with DirecTV. I never tried Directv HDTV programs, will it have the same problem? I can hardly imagine.

I would still consider this as a software or firmware bug of the receiver. Don't you think so?

I haven't tried S-video yet, will it bring in a slightly better picture?

Thanks again.

 

[Tvlman]

4:3 HD users. Do you have the aspect set to #5?That set has a habit of putting it to #2 on power on. Not sure how to fix it except you have to set it to aspect 5 to get a good picture in HD. (Applies to Hitachis for sure)

 

[JianDan]

Where are these "#5" and "#2" settings?

 

[mkatts]

I answered this question in the below post.

Any questions? let me know...

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=21063

 

[JianDan]

Problem resolved. Thanks.

Thanks to all. Problem got resolved. "Native state" did help.
Flip open a door at the bottom right corner of the receiver, there is a red button. Push the red button and pay attention to the 4 horizontal bars at the front of the receiver. Keep pushing the button until you see all 4 bars light up, the receiver is now in its "native state". SD content is now filling in the whole screen.

Again, special thanks to Mkatts for the help.

 

[iceshark]

Thanks to all. Problem got resolved. "Native state" did help.
Flip open a door at the bottom right corner of the receiver, there is a red button. Push the red button and pay attention to the 4 horizontal bars at the front of the receiver. Keep pushing the button until you see all 4 bars light up, the receiver is now in its "native state". SD content is now filling in the whole screen.

Again, special thanks to Mkatts for the help.

I dont like the Native setting. I use top light 1080I setting with my Sony.
That way I can always see whole menu and dont have to go nuts each time I change a channel wathing it sync to TV. I much prefer switching between rca jacks and DVI on remote if I am bothered by Box and want full SD screen.
I believe 1080I setting looks better on some HD channels like the cinimas.

By the way I dont know what aspect ratio the other poster was talking about.
It must be for Projection SOnys. Not our Tube Wegas.
My HD looks SWEET! out of the box on my Wega!

 

[TechCop]

Not anymore...

I believe 1080I setting looks better on some HD channels like the cinimas.

For a while the Cinema10 channels were using 720p. Now they are 1080i. So native or 1080i, your Cinema10 channels are coming out of the VOOM box 1080i.

The sync issue is a little annoying, I agree. I prefer the menu in HD, so I find myself going to an HD source prior to bringing up the menu, so it will be in HD.

 

[iceshark]

For a while the Cinema10 channels were using 720p. Now they are 1080i. So native or 1080i, your Cinema10 channels are coming out of the VOOM box 1080i.

The sync issue is a little annoying, I agree. I prefer the menu in HD, so I find myself going to an HD source prior to bringing up the menu, so it will be in HD.

I knew the Voom exclusives looked way better lately on my set!
that answers why.
Thanks