We've got a Toshiba widescreen rear-projection TV, and an 'el cheapo'
DVD player. The problem is that when playing DVD's which are in the
4:3 format, the TV keeps switching between 4:3 and widescreen, after
the DVD has been playing for a few minutes. It seems to work OK with
widescreen discs.

So, what do people think, is there a fault with the TV, or the DVD
player?

The TV switches OK with our el cheapo Freeview decoder, putting in
grey 'curtains' when showing 4:3.

wrote in message
...
We've got a Toshiba widescreen rear-projection TV, and an 'el cheapo'
DVD player. The problem is that when playing DVD's which are in the
4:3 format, the TV keeps switching between 4:3 and widescreen, after
the DVD has been playing for a few minutes. It seems to work OK with
widescreen discs.

So, what do people think, is there a fault with the TV, or the DVD
player?

The TV switches OK with our el cheapo Freeview decoder, putting in
grey 'curtains' when showing 4:3.




i had that problem with a sony dvd player a good few years back - it only
happened when the player was used with certain televisions - in my case
ironically a sony one.
sony didnt know how to fix it, had to get a refund.



--
Gareth.

that fly...... is your magic wand....

wrote:

We've got a Toshiba widescreen rear-projection TV, and an 'el cheapo'
DVD player. The problem is that when playing DVD's which are in the
4:3 format, the TV keeps switching between 4:3 and widescreen, after
the DVD has been playing for a few minutes. It seems to work OK with
widescreen discs.

So, what do people think, is there a fault with the TV, or the DVD
player?

The TV switches OK with our el cheapo Freeview decoder, putting in
grey 'curtains' when showing 4:3.

Can you turn off the auto format selection on the TV in these
situations? i.e. manually set it to 4:3 rather than let it auto select.



--
Cheers,

John.

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In article ,
Paul Martin wrote:
Check the SCART plugs are securely in at both the TV end and the DVD
end. Wiggle them a bit, then push them in securely.

I'd give them a clean too. Pin 8 carries the switching to widescreen using
approx 4-7v for 16:9 and 9-12v for 4:3. So if the volts were low due to a
high resistance connection it could drop back to 16:9.

--
*One of us is thinking about sex... OK, it's me.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

John Rumm wrote:
wrote:

We've got a Toshiba widescreen rear-projection TV, and an 'el cheapo'
DVD player. The problem is that when playing DVD's which are in the
4:3 format, the TV keeps switching between 4:3 and widescreen, after
the DVD has been playing for a few minutes. It seems to work OK with
widescreen discs.

So, what do people think, is there a fault with the TV, or the DVD
player?

The TV switches OK with our el cheapo Freeview decoder, putting in
grey 'curtains' when showing 4:3.

Can you turn off the auto format selection on the TV in these
situations? i.e. manually set it to 4:3 rather than let it auto select.


That's what I have to do - for some reason something in the signal
causes the auto-format to kick in.

Rob

On 14 July, 00:18, "Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:
In article ,
* *Paul Martin wrote:

Check the SCART plugs are securely in at both the TV end and the DVD
end. Wiggle them a bit, then push them in securely.

I'd give them a clean too. Pin 8 carries the switching to widescreen using
approx 4-7v for 16:9 and 9-12v for 4:3. So if the volts were low due to a
high resistance connection it could drop back to 16:9.

--

I thought it might be something like that, I did in fact get a new
Scart lead with a round cable, as the one I had was a flat ribbon
cable, which might not have all the necessary signals. It does tend to
come out of the sockets with it being a bit heavier. How much current
does the switching input need to operate?

I can't get into the menu on the TV, as the remote doesn't work, we've
been told the sensor on the TV is faulty and the (independent repair)
shop can't get a replacement. i assume these remote sensors use a
photodiode, so I might take it apart to have a look, and get one from
Maplin or some other component supplier. Anybody got any advice on
this?

Thankyou for your help.

alexander.keys1 wrote:
I can't get into the menu on the TV, as the remote doesn't work, we've
been told the sensor on the TV is faulty and the (independent repair)
shop can't get a replacement.

How confident are you of the repair shop's diagnosis and attempt to find
the sensor part (if it is indeed that which is faulty)?

i assume these remote sensors use a
photodiode, so I might take it apart to have a look, and get one from
Maplin or some other component supplier. Anybody got any advice on
this?

Often it's a small module, comprising the photodiode and amplifier /
signal conditioning circuitry.

What's the model number of the TV?

--
Adrian C

In article
,
alexander.keys1 wrote:
I'd give them a clean too. Pin 8 carries the switching to widescreen
using approx 4-7v for 16:9 and 9-12v for 4:3. So if the volts were low
due to a high resistance connection it could drop back to 16:9.

--

I thought it might be something like that, I did in fact get a new Scart
lead with a round cable, as the one I had was a flat ribbon cable, which
might not have all the necessary signals. It does tend to come out of
the sockets with it being a bit heavier. How much current does the
switching input need to operate?

All the ribbon ones I've seen are fully populated. The switching current
would be tiny. Of course it may not switch via the SCART but by data on
line whatever in the picture.

--
*Elephants are the only mammals that can't jump *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

All the ribbon ones I've seen are fully populated. The switching current
would be tiny. Of course it may not switch via the SCART but by data on
line whatever in the picture.

Line 23. I've not encountered a DVD player that doesn't produce a Line
23 WSS, though I'm sure some exist.

It's possible that the TV set is fighting against/confused by WSS on
Scart Pin 8, and Line 23 in the VBI, though if it's been designed
properly it certainly shouldn't do !



--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

http://www.paras.org.uk/

Rob wrote:
John Rumm wrote:
wrote:

We've got a Toshiba widescreen rear-projection TV, and an 'el cheapo'
DVD player. The problem is that when playing DVD's which are in the
4:3 format, the TV keeps switching between 4:3 and widescreen, after
the DVD has been playing for a few minutes. It seems to work OK with
widescreen discs.

So, what do people think, is there a fault with the TV, or the DVD
player?

The TV switches OK with our el cheapo Freeview decoder, putting in
grey 'curtains' when showing 4:3.

Can you turn off the auto format selection on the TV in these
situations? i.e. manually set it to 4:3 rather than let it auto select.


That's what I have to do - for some reason something in the signal
causes the auto-format to kick in.

Auto switching is achieved by three mechanisms. One is via the SCART
lead - there is a wire (pin 8) dedicated to the format - the voltage on
it will dictate the format. In addition, many TVs recognise a signal
inserted onto one of the video lines. Finally, some TVs will attempt to
analyse the picture content and "zoom" as appropriate. Alas many make a
bit of a pigs breakfast of this, and you can get format hopping as you
describe. With broadcasts you sometimes get confused signalling being
sent out which can also make matters worse.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/