Circles as Ovals on wide screen.

I have a Samsung LN S3241D LCD TV connected to Cox Cable through a Samsung
DVD VR330 DVD/VCR Combo Recorder and have two issues I need help with.

The first is minor abd if I don't get a solution I can live with it. I
don't seem to be able to make the TV's remote control the DVD/VCR. If I
read the TV's manual correctly, I should be able to do this. Has anyone
succesfully accomplished this?

And

The second is much more important. I have no HD channels here so I am
running on standard definition channels. If I have the TV's Picture Size
set to 16:9, I get a nice picture except that it is stretched horizontally -
circles are horizontal ovals. If I change the aspect ratio to 4:3, the
circles become slightly vertical ovals. Someone suggested I might need a
4:3 overide from Cox. I called them and the lady I talked to knew nothing
about such a thing. I know even less.

Is there anyway I can get rid of this distortion in the 4:3 mode. Zoom will
set circles correctly but then I loose a portion of the picture

Can someone help me out here?

Thank you.

Jack Gillis

"Jack Gillis" <> wrote in message
news:...
>I have a Samsung LN S3241D LCD TV connected to Cox Cable through a Samsung
>DVD VR330 DVD/VCR Combo Recorder and have two issues I need help with.
>
> The first is minor abd if I don't get a solution I can live with it. I
> don't seem to be able to make the TV's remote control the DVD/VCR. If I
> read the TV's manual correctly, I should be able to do this. Has anyone
> succesfully accomplished this?
>
> And
>
> The second is much more important. I have no HD channels here so I am
> running on standard definition channels. If I have the TV's Picture Size
> set to 16:9, I get a nice picture except that it is stretched
> horizontally - circles are horizontal ovals. If I change the aspect ratio
> to 4:3, the circles become slightly vertical ovals. Someone suggested I
> might need a 4:3 overide from Cox. I called them and the lady I talked to
> knew nothing about such a thing. I know even less.
>
> Is there anyway I can get rid of this distortion in the 4:3 mode. Zoom
> will set circles correctly but then I loose a portion of the picture
>
> Can someone help me out here?
>
> Thank you.

What's you cable box's video output settings? Go into the settings menu and
look around for the picture controls or the output formats. It sounds like
the cable box is set to a 16:9 output when your TV is 4:3. Or it may be
your DVD is set to 16:9 output. Try tinkering with the settings and switch
between them. I know I had a problem with my Cox box the first time because
it was set to 4:3 and I had a 16:9 TV so everything was "squished." I
believe on the Cox remote its "Settings> More Settings> Output Formats>
Format." Hope this helped.

Morgan

Morgan

"Morgan" <> wrote in message
newsFHhh.26494$...
>
> "Jack Gillis" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>>I have a Samsung LN S3241D LCD TV connected to Cox Cable through a Samsung
>>DVD VR330 DVD/VCR Combo Recorder and have two issues I need help with.
>>
>> The first is minor abd if I don't get a solution I can live with it. I
>> don't seem to be able to make the TV's remote control the DVD/VCR. If I
>> read the TV's manual correctly, I should be able to do this. Has anyone
>> succesfully accomplished this?
>>
>> And
>>
>> The second is much more important. I have no HD channels here so I am
>> running on standard definition channels. If I have the TV's Picture Size
>> set to 16:9, I get a nice picture except that it is stretched
>> horizontally - circles are horizontal ovals. If I change the aspect
>> ratio to 4:3, the circles become slightly vertical ovals. Someone
>> suggested I might need a 4:3 overide from Cox. I called them and the
>> lady I talked to knew nothing about such a thing. I know even less.
>>
>> Is there anyway I can get rid of this distortion in the 4:3 mode. Zoom
>> will set circles correctly but then I loose a portion of the picture
>>
>> Can someone help me out here?
>>
>> Thank you.
>
> What's you cable box's video output settings? Go into the settings menu
> and look around for the picture controls or the output formats. It sounds
> like the cable box is set to a 16:9 output when your TV is 4:3. Or it may
> be your DVD is set to 16:9 output. Try tinkering with the settings and
> switch between them. I know I had a problem with my Cox box the first
> time because it was set to 4:3 and I had a 16:9 TV so everything was
> "squished." I believe on the Cox remote its "Settings> More Settings>
> Output Formats> Format." Hope this helped.
>
> Morgan
>

Thank you, Morgan. I don't have a cable box. The TV connects to the
DVD/VCR and from there directly to the wall outlet. I have tinkered with
the settings on the DVD/VCR but still get the distortion. It is almost like
the old 'horizontal width' thingy on 1960 Tv's needs some tweaking. Not
much, just a little.

Have you any idea what the 4:3 overide thing is?

Thanks again.

Jack Gillis

On Mon, 18 Dec 2006 18:31:22 -0500, "Jack Gillis"
<> wrote:

>I have a Samsung LN S3241D LCD TV connected to Cox Cable through a Samsung
>DVD VR330 DVD/VCR Combo Recorder and have two issues I need help with.
>
>The first is minor abd if I don't get a solution I can live with it. I
>don't seem to be able to make the TV's remote control the DVD/VCR. If I
>read the TV's manual correctly, I should be able to do this. Has anyone
>succesfully accomplished this?

The TV codes are very limited. Get a decent remote, the 8910:

http://www.ofausa.com/remote.php?type=URC%208910
http://www.remotecentral.com/cgi-bin...e4all/list.cgi

Only $20 at amazon.com

Then if you really want to have some fun, get into JP1 technology. You
will be able to build your own custom code sets.

http://controlremote.sourceforge.net/rmhelp/rmhelp.html
http://www.remotecentral.com/cgi-bin...e4all/list.cgi

>The second is much more important. I have no HD channels here so I am
>running on standard definition channels. If I have the TV's Picture Size
>set to 16:9, I get a nice picture except that it is stretched horizontally -
>circles are horizontal ovals. If I change the aspect ratio to 4:3, the
>circles become slightly vertical ovals. Someone suggested I might need a
>4:3 overide from Cox. I called them and the lady I talked to knew nothing
>about such a thing. I know even less.

>Is there anyway I can get rid of this distortion in the 4:3 mode. Zoom will
>set circles correctly but then I loose a portion of the picture

>Can someone help me out here?

Get the classic Indian Test Pattern and burn the JPG on a DVD. Find
the "format" that makes the pattern circular. My son found one that
fills the entire screen.

You should be consulting Samsung customer support.

--

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a
few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving,
regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
--Ronald Reagan

Citizen Bob

"Citizen Bob" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Mon, 18 Dec 2006 18:31:22 -0500, "Jack Gillis"
> <> wrote:
>
>>I have a Samsung LN S3241D LCD TV connected to Cox Cable through a Samsung
>>DVD VR330 DVD/VCR Combo Recorder and have two issues I need help with.
>>
>>The first is minor abd if I don't get a solution I can live with it. I
>>don't seem to be able to make the TV's remote control the DVD/VCR. If I
>>read the TV's manual correctly, I should be able to do this. Has anyone
>>succesfully accomplished this?
>
> The TV codes are very limited. Get a decent remote, the 8910:
>
> http://www.ofausa.com/remote.php?type=URC%208910
> http://www.remotecentral.com/cgi-bin...e4all/list.cgi
>
> Only $20 at amazon.com
>
> Then if you really want to have some fun, get into JP1 technology. You
> will be able to build your own custom code sets.
>
> http://controlremote.sourceforge.net/rmhelp/rmhelp.html
> http://www.remotecentral.com/cgi-bin...e4all/list.cgi
>
>>The second is much more important. I have no HD channels here so I am
>>running on standard definition channels. If I have the TV's Picture Size
>>set to 16:9, I get a nice picture except that it is stretched
>>horizontally -
>>circles are horizontal ovals. If I change the aspect ratio to 4:3, the
>>circles become slightly vertical ovals. Someone suggested I might need a
>>4:3 overide from Cox. I called them and the lady I talked to knew nothing
>>about such a thing. I know even less.
>
>>Is there anyway I can get rid of this distortion in the 4:3 mode. Zoom
>>will
>>set circles correctly but then I loose a portion of the picture
>
>>Can someone help me out here?
>
> Get the classic Indian Test Pattern and burn the JPG on a DVD. Find
> the "format" that makes the pattern circular. My son found one that
> fills the entire screen.
>
> You should be consulting Samsung customer support.
>

I did and they suggested the 4:3 Override thing. I don't know what that is
nor does my cable company. Do you know?

I just got the test patter, burned and displayed it. No format
(4:3,16:9,Zoom 1 or Zoom 2) displays the circle. The 4:3 is elongated
vertically and the 16:9 elongated horizontally as is to be expected.

Thank you for your response.
> --
>
> Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a
> few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving,
> regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
> --Ronald Reagan

Jack Gillis

On Tue, 19 Dec 2006 11:43:00 -0500, "Jack Gillis"
<> wrote:

>> You should be consulting Samsung customer support.

>I did and they suggested the 4:3 Override thing. I don't know what that is
>nor does my cable company. Do you know?

I do not have a Samsung. But they should be able to expain to you.

I am beginning to suspect that you are not using what my son's TV has
called "Format". It is a kind of aspect adjustment but not the same as
in the Setup. It is available on the remote control. We put the Indian
Test Pattern up and found two Formats out of about 6 that worked, one
which was full screen. I think it was called "Expanded" but I can't be
sure. In any event it worked fine for TV and for DVD.

>I just got the test patter, burned and displayed it. No format
>(4:3,16:9,Zoom 1 or Zoom 2) displays the circle. The 4:3 is elongated
>vertically and the 16:9 elongated horizontally as is to be expected.

You may be using the wrong adjustments. I know my son has to set the
aspect separately, so it is not the same as the Format we used to get
the circular test pattern.

You might want to consult the manual for something that adjusts both
the aspect and the picture size at the same time. It may even be
called "Format". Otherwise consult Samsung again. Let me know what you
find out.

--

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a
few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving,
regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
--Ronald Reagan

Citizen Bob

"Citizen Bob" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Tue, 19 Dec 2006 11:43:00 -0500, "Jack Gillis"
> <> wrote:
>
>>> You should be consulting Samsung customer support.
>
>>I did and they suggested the 4:3 Override thing. I don't know what that
>>is
>>nor does my cable company. Do you know?
>
> I do not have a Samsung. But they should be able to expain to you.
>
> I am beginning to suspect that you are not using what my son's TV has
> called "Format". It is a kind of aspect adjustment but not the same as
> in the Setup. It is available on the remote control. We put the Indian
> Test Pattern up and found two Formats out of about 6 that worked, one
> which was full screen. I think it was called "Expanded" but I can't be
> sure. In any event it worked fine for TV and for DVD.
>
>>I just got the test patter, burned and displayed it. No format
>>(4:3,16:9,Zoom 1 or Zoom 2) displays the circle. The 4:3 is elongated
>>vertically and the 16:9 elongated horizontally as is to be expected.
>
> You may be using the wrong adjustments. I know my son has to set the
> aspect separately, so it is not the same as the Format we used to get
> the circular test pattern.
>
> You might want to consult the manual for something that adjusts both
> the aspect and the picture size at the same time. It may even be
> called "Format". Otherwise consult Samsung again. Let me know what you
> find out.
>
> --

I downloaded a pdf of the manual and did a search of it for 'format'.
Nothing other than what appears in the 'picture size' section. The manual
appears to use the terms synonomously. I can make the picture appear in 4:3
format with the black bars on each side of it with no problem. Next time I
have the set on I will measure the picture and see if it is indeed 4x3. My
guess the 4 is a bit smaller than 4 -- just smaller enough to produce the
distortion.
>
> Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a
> few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving,
> regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
> --Ronald Reagan

Jack Gillis

Citizen Bob wrote:
> On Mon, 18 Dec 2006 18:31:22 -0500, "Jack Gillis"
> <> wrote:
>
>> I have a Samsung LN S3241D LCD TV connected to Cox Cable
>> through a
>> Samsung DVD VR330 DVD/VCR Combo Recorder and have two issues
>> I need
>> help with.
>>
>> The first is minor abd if I don't get a solution I can live
>> with it.
>> I don't seem to be able to make the TV's remote control the
>> DVD/VCR.
>> If I read the TV's manual correctly, I should be able to do
>> this.
>> Has anyone succesfully accomplished this?
>
> The TV codes are very limited. Get a decent remote, the 8910:
>
> http://www.ofausa.com/remote.php?type=URC%208910
> http://www.remotecentral.com/cgi-bin...e4all/list.cgi
>
> Only $20 at amazon.com
>
> Then if you really want to have some fun, get into JP1
> technology. You
> will be able to build your own custom code sets.
>
> http://controlremote.sourceforge.net/rmhelp/rmhelp.html
> http://www.remotecentral.com/cgi-bin...e4all/list.cgi
>
>> The second is much more important. I have no HD channels
>> here so I
>> am running on standard definition channels. If I have the
>> TV's
>> Picture Size set to 16:9, I get a nice picture except that it
>> is
>> stretched horizontally - circles are horizontal ovals. If I
>> change
>> the aspect ratio to 4:3, the circles become slightly vertical
>> ovals.
>> Someone suggested I might need a 4:3 overide from Cox. I
>> called
>> them and the lady I talked to knew nothing about such a
>> thing. I
>> know even less.
>
>> Is there anyway I can get rid of this distortion in the 4:3
>> mode.
>> Zoom will set circles correctly but then I loose a portion of
>> the
>> picture
>
>> Can someone help me out here?
>
> Get the classic Indian Test Pattern and burn the JPG on a DVD.
> Find
> the "format" that makes the pattern circular. My son found one
> that
> fills the entire screen.
>
> You should be consulting Samsung customer support.

Bob, you do manage to find some things of interest!! JP1,
hmmmmm!

On another hand, this aspect ratio thing is like plumbing
fixtures. So many "standards" as to be individually unique.
Not all things are the same to all viewers.

Some examples from my own equipment pile:

1) My Westinghouse 42" 1080p monitor has no TV receiver nor any
special "up-convert"-ing capabilities. It relies mostly on its
input devices to present a properly formatted picture. I say
"mostly" because it does have horizontal "stretch" mode (12:9 to
something like 16:9) - this must be an MPAA mandate, as all sets
I've encountered so far seem to support this seemingly useless
non-feature. Beside which, my blue-haired, fellow retirement
community residents just love to employ it, almost universally -
so much for the Gray Panthers being a force to cope with;-0)

2) My two Motorola HDVRs (cable company supplied) each allows me
to designate which vertical line counts the monitor will
display - 1080i, 720p, 480p, and/or 480i. I can specify all or
any, as the monitor supports all.

3) My OPPO DVD player has FOUR "modes" to handle wide-screen
presentation (why? I've NFI) The majority of DVDs which I own
play best in Wide/Sqz mode (we can all recognize that industry
standard nomenclature, eh? - which BTW is not the OPPO's
default). I wouldn't yet have found it, were it not for asking
among these NGs, for my capacity to comprehend English is a tad
challenged when deciphering electronics manuals, or NG
postings;-0)

4) My PC has almost infinite variety in presenting video
material to my monitor and it does so at 1080p. Between VLC
Media Player - the best of the 4:3 or 16:9 aspect pre-sets, and
Media Player Classic - the best of the independent axes
adjustments - I can see any video exactly as I choose: squeezed,
squooshed, elongated, chubby, magnified, minified, or as the
director and cinematographer intended . . . god forbid;-0)

So, when the cable is supplying a 4:3 image which I choose to
"zoom," NOT "stretch," I can tell the HDVR that my monitor only
understands 1080i and then use the idiotic stretch mode of the
monitor as a middling zoom, because the logic sees the 720
frame, rather than the 640 image within, as the bounds for
stretching (surprisingly there is some vertical adjustment in
this idiotic mode, and the result then remains in scale). Now
I'm not the brightest candle in the menorah, but how is
trailer-trash-Jane supposed to figure this out? After all, she
and her sisters are the market at which commercial TV seems to
be aiming, no?

When it comes to HDTV, the 1080i or 720p image transmitted on
the cable is clearly the best of their offering, all around.
But when the HDTV image is 480i (I've yet to notice any pee on
my cable) it's best to "fake out" the STB/HDVR so that the image
can be "zoomed," albeit a restrained zoom somewhere between 12:9
and 16:12.

When it comes to DVD, the PC, and any of its player programs,
out-performs the OPPO - and with my recently upgraded PC/GPU
(tho only to an ATI x1300) the 1080p picture quality is as good
as, or better than, the OPPO - which itself was superior to the
older PC/GPU combo.

There are many non-16:9 broadcasts which are better presented
here after capture by the PC than are presented from the cable
equipment to my specific display. These are primarily letterbox
films for which the DVDR does nothing, and the monitor does
little, to "enhance." The OPPO and the PC each handles this
aspect subset desirably and effortlessly.

In fairness to Motorola and Time Warner, my cable carrier of the
month, the HDVR does a better job today than it did several
years ago when I first rented it from that month's supplier, tho
it still does not handle this specific situation.

My Aesopian moral? One can not, in a chaotic collection of
manufacturer cosmetics, suggest that A=B or that they are even
similar to each other.

The OPs problem is twofold and quite clear: he has a 16:9
monitor and a 4:3 source - he wants to zoom but can only find
stretch. Also, revealed later, his monitor MAY not display 4:3
images properly in 4:3 mode, as his circles aren't.

"Indian test pattern?" No comment.

Were I a Cox-man, I'd ask for a service call so that the tech
can see what I mean and suggest or make the fix - since the
tele-tech can't visualize it.

Bill's News

"Bill's News" <> wrote in message
news:4589aa1a$...
>

............... A whole bunch snipped..........................


> Were I a Cox-man, I'd ask for a service call so that the tech can see what
> I mean and suggest or make the fix - since the tele-tech can't visualize
> it.
>
>

Thank you.

I think I will do just that. But, I'm not sure the problem can be fixed
other that going into the TV and making some adjustment. For that I guess I
need to get waranty service but calling Cox probably is the best place to
start.

Jack Gillis

On Wed, 20 Dec 2006 16:59:11 -0800, "Bill's News"
<> wrote:

>Bob, you do manage to find some things of interest!! JP1,
>hmmmmm!

It comes with having too much time on my hands. I am retired which is
an unnatural condition for me. I have always been very active and now
I have to create my own active world.

JP1 appears a bit daunting at first glance but if you get Remote
Master instead of Key Master, it becomes straightforward and can be
fun making your own code sets. An 8910 costs only $20 at amazon and
the JP1 parallel cable costs only $14. You can easily consume whole
days with for only $34 and end up with something you will use
everyday.

I am not the person to be commenting on the more arcane issues of
media center equipment. There are others who are qualified. Maybe they
can advise you. I am learning from them.

>"Indian test pattern?" No comment.

I grew up in the era when we did not have TV. When we did get it, it
was B&W. The stations would run the Indian Test Pattern when they were
not running programs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Head_test_card

"The Indian Head Test Card was a black and white television test
pattern that was introduced in 1939 by RCA of Harrison, New Jersey as
a part of the RCA TK-1 Monoscope. Twentieth century television became
so important socially that this mere technical image, covertly
identified as a branded industrial product, has become a historic
cultural icon."

The reason I use it is to guage circularity across the screen.

>Were I a Cox-man, I'd ask for a service call so that the tech
>can see what I mean and suggest or make the fix - since the
>tele-tech can't visualize it.

You will have to figure it out for yourself by experimenting.


--

"All men seek to be enlightened. Religion is but the most ancient
and honorable way in which men have striven to make sense out of
God's universe. Scientists seek the lawfulness of events. It is
the task of religion to fit man into this lawfulness. Religion
must remain an outlet for people who say to themsleves, 'I am
not the kind of person I want to be'."
--Frank Herbert, "Dune"

Citizen Bob