To SET 1080i in NATIVE RESOLUTION WITHOUT the SD Stretch...

[DarrellP]

Here is where I disagree. I do not have stretched SD channels if I select 1080i. This is because I have set an option in the voom setup that makes the 4:3 content "pillarboxed" instead of "stretched". Am I missing something?

I was not aware that when watching "native" mode that I would not get 1080i. It is hard for me to tell as my tv upscales 720p content to 1080i anyway.


THANKS!
--Dan

My SD channels stretch if I lock to 1080i or 720p, and I have my 4:3 setup for pillarbox since I watch the SD on a small 13" TV.

 

[Jahbig]

Here is where I disagree. I do not have stretched SD channels if I select 1080i. This is because I have set an option in the voom setup that makes the 4:3 content "pillarboxed" instead of "stretched". Am I missing something?

I was not aware that when watching "native" mode that I would not get 1080i. It is hard for me to tell as my tv upscales 720p content to 1080i anyway.


THANKS!
--Dan

This is all about picture quality........and getting the most out of your
display and the Voom STB......I own a 4:3 set....if I set 1080i with the remote control my SD will be stretched even in pillar box format because
the STB thinks all channels are HD. All channels have top and bottom bars
and the images are distorted. Native seems best for 16:9 and 4:3 displays.

Take the DCW 1080i Test:

Test: Manually set STB Native resolution...Set 1080i using red colored button with the remote control....press OK..... press OK again....IF the bottom left corner says "Press OK to set resolution at 720p"....then follow the steps...your STB converts to 720p when changing channels in Native mode. If not, you've pass with flying colors!

 

[rollerfink]

Is there any way to do this without getting a crappy PQ on the surf bar. I find that really annoying so I just leave it in 1080i rather than native.

 

[dankgus]

Is there any way to do this without getting a crappy PQ on the surf bar. I find that really annoying so I just leave it in 1080i rather than native.

It would seem that by doing the 1080i native lock trick, you would get a good surf bar and program guide. I usually use native mode without doing the 1080i trick and I agree, I cannot stand to look at the program guide in 480 mode-its horrible. I always switch to a HD channel and then look at the guide.

WHen I comment on the 480 program guide being crappy, my SD watching friends think I am crazy. I can't believe they think it looks good, but they do.

--Dan

 

[Tvlman]

Fortunately I have a Hitachi and can select smooth wide for SD channels and it looks wide screen but not stretched. Remember that black bars can cause permanent burn-in on your CRT screens as will stock markets & music channel logos. When you have music channels on I suggest you turn the screen off and channel the music through the stereo. One of the main advantages of NATIVE RESOLUTION is that it allows you to watch letter box in full screen without the "stretch look". Many films on IFC & TCM are in letter box.

 

[rollerfink]

It would seem that by doing the 1080i native lock trick, you would get a good surf bar and program guide. I usually use native mode without doing the 1080i trick and I agree, I cannot stand to look at the program guide in 480 mode-its horrible. I always switch to a HD channel and then look at the guide.

WHen I comment on the 480 program guide being crappy, my SD watching friends think I am crazy. I can't believe they think it looks good, but they do.

--Dan

Oh good, I'll have to give this trick a try and see how it looks.

 

[Tvlman]

Went back in to make sure it was at1080i and it is. This is great. Allows me to watch letter box movies on IFC and TCM in full mode with no distortion. Now if those channels would only go HD it would be great! I watch all the news channels in smooth-wide so that the people are normal size but 16X9 frame is filled out. Also I can read the crawl at the bottom of the screen. With D* you have to go back to Main Menu to switch from letter box to wide to normal. You don't with VOOM set in Native Res.

 

[shelly]

After 2 days with the Installation Wizzard set to 1080i and Native with the stb, I turned on my rptv and it could not get out of 480i to view hd.

And my program guide was totally screwed up, and most stations just showed the same hd channel movie (can't remember which one right now). Even the 100 News channel was showing the movie.

I did soft reset and have locked in 1080i with Wizzard, and no Native from stb for now.

Don't know if the problem was the Native + 1080i, or just a regular Voom program guide/channel screwup, which has happened before.

Shelly

 

[tallguy]

I cant seem to make it work. My output is native all right, but that is 720p for some HD channels which my tv cannot handle?

I can have 480p for all SD channels and 1080i for all HD channels? That will be great!

Thanks

 

[shelly]

I am convinced that my program guide problem from a week or two ago had nothing to do with resetting resolution as per this thread, since Wilt responded that it was a problem on their end.

This is a reminder that everyone doing this needs to do it again once the new software download is complete.

I received the new software last night and just finished resetting my box to 1080i + native.

Shelly

 

[DarrellP]

This is interesting, I tried the 1080i setting about 2 weeks ago and my guide has been screwed up as well only on the stb that I changed.

 

[bratboy]

Okay, I thought I'd give this a try but ran into a snag or two. What is the easyiest way to reset the box to what it was before messing with the red button? I did the sets as outlined but then SD channels were being stretched even tho I had the pillar setting enabled. Now tho, when I try to enter the output menu it says native and if I hit okay to try and go in and manually select 1080i I just get dumped to channel I was on. I can cycle thru all 4 settings and native by doing the red button but cant via remote. Did I do something wrong or miss something. I thought Native be a good idea to try but if its gonna stretch my SD P&S channels I dont want it hehe
Thx in advance

EDIT: This is really fustraiting now hehe. After going thru all the steps I had the issue mentioned of all P&S are getting stretched, whether I select Pillar or stretch. But now, no matter what I cant get to the diffrent sub steps on the installer menu. I can get to it and, depending on how many times I push the red button on front of STB, from Native-480p but if I select the output item on the menu and hit okay I just go to the TV channel not into the menu that says hit red for 1080 green for 720 etc. I also cant enter any of the other installation menu's past the main one. I tried to do scan for locals and poof no next menu. Again just goes to fullscreen of whatever channel I was on. I tried to do a basic hold the button for 10 seconds to reboot but doesnt seem to solve my problem. Please any advice on how to get things back to where I can actually get into the sub menus again or some way to make the unit reset to factory default?

 

[kjaslow]

My one-year-old has managed to put the box in a mode that even the service technician could not undo any other way EXCEPT...Hard reset.

Just unplug your box...wait 10-15 seconds...plug it back in. Should go back to normal...

 

[bratboy]

Tried that just now, unplugged the unit for approx 5 min then plugged it back in and still cant get to any sub menu's of the install wizard. Was concidering doing the factory reset as outlined in the FAQ as last resort. Will be calling Voom anyway as this particular box has been a tad flaky compared to my other units since day one.

 

[bratboy]

Well it took going thru Factory Reset to get it back to funtioning normal for me....at least the Voom CSR person was helpfull, told him was planning to do FR but wanted to make sure had the right number to call for reactivating. He said "let me stay on phone while you start and hit my box to reactivate it quickly and with no problems.