Panny 42PX50U - Can't change aspect?  

It sounds like you have your source input set to use only 720p or 1080i. The aspect control feature of the PX50Us is only available when watching SD 4:3 programs using 480i or 480p. There is no zoom/stretch adjust option active for HD 16:9 content when the signal input is 720p or 1080i.

What is your source (cable converter or DVR or DirecTV Tivo etc)?

Does this only happen on SD channels? Or does it happen with non-HD programming on the HD channels?

ZOOM is disabled on 720p and 1080i signals so i'd say Optivity is correct - you need to set up your source correctly.

I've heard of people wanting to zoom or stretch their 16:9 content. Why would you want to do that? To get rid of the bars on 2.35:1 aspect?

I'm going to second this question.

Everything will be up/down scaled by the TV. The only time you'd want to zoom is when 1080i is in 4:3 mode. I don't know why else you would?

Unless, you have an upscaling DVD player that outputs at 2.35:1? But, what does the TV recognize when you upscale? I'm guessing 720p or 1080i and not 480p?

THanks,
Chicagoster

I for one hate any 4:3 content stretched to 16:9. I don't even like to use zoom on a 4:3 picture with bars on the top and bottom. In my experience, the Zoom function adds a lot of digital artifacts and pixelization. I would rather watch with grey bars on the side. I guess I could use the stretch(full) mode and watch from a wide angle to fool my eyes into thinking that the picture is not stretched.

As far as 2.35:1, I don't think there is any DVD player that outputs at this ratio. It is the DVD content itself that letterboxes the picture but the output from the DVD player is 16:9.

I would be interested in seeing what it would look like to zoom a DVD that is 2.35:1 so it fills the 16:9 screen completely. No stretching so you would lose a little of the left and right of the picture. Even though, I'm sure this would still introduce digital artifacts and pixelization.

If you have a plasma I believe it is unwise to watch 4:3 that is unstretched....at least not for any significant portion of time. Panny's white paper discusses this. While burn-in susceptibility has been reduced the possibility still exists. I have no problems stretching 4:3.....it's a crappy SD signal anyway.

What about if you watch 4:3 material with grey bars instead of black? Won't that combined with wobbling of the picture reduce the burn-in susceptibility?

Anyway, grey bars are just for me. My wife and kid can watch stretched shows all day long.

Do you get any pixelization using zoom? I get a lot of pixelization when I use zoom on my 16:9 LCD. Also, don't you lose a lot of the picture when you zoom 4:3. I'd imagine that it would cut off a lot of heads, with the exception of letterboxed material.

I am having the EXACT same problem with my new Panny TH-42PX50U :-(

The aspect button does NOTHING for either my digital cable (Insight cable, Motorola DCT6208 box - HDTV tuner and DVR, also handles my SD content) or my DVD player (OPPO OPDV971H).

Stretched screens just drive me NUTS! Watching the Chappelle show on DVD, it was definately stretched and nothing I could do about it. Also irritating for SD cable programming.

I could not find any tweaks for my DVD player.

Both devices connect via component cables.

Please Help!

Thanks!

The TH-42px50u will not stretch or modify any 1080i or 720p signal. It will allow you to stretch 480i/480p signals. Don't blame the stretch on the Panny. What you see is what is being provided by the source. Use the recall button to tell you what the source formatting is.

azarby

Panasonic advises owners to stretch the screen completely during the first 100 hours. From 100 to 900 hours they advise that 4:3 be viewed no more than 15% of the time.

My guess is that burn in isn't gonna be a problem since you rarely see Panny burn in complaints. But since 4:3 stretched is fine by me, I'm following their advise.

In a sick way, I'm glad others are having the same problem as me. Just bought the 37PX50U this weekend. As with others, the "Aspect" button does absolutely nothing. I'm hooked up to the DirecTV HDTivo. Because I understood that one cannot use the "Just" or other aspect modes when outputting 1080i/720p, I have tried the following set-ups -- all without success:

1) Output from Tivo in 420p at 16:9 aspect ratio (tried in both the Tivo's "Full" and "Panel" modes) (HDMI connection).
2) Output from Tivo in 420p at 4:3 aspect ratio (tried in both the Tivo's "Full" and "Panel" modes) (HDMI connection).
3) Hooked up OTA antenna to antenna input on tv (was able to receive OTA stations).

In all cases, the "Aspect" button did nothing. I hope I'm just missing something obvious and that there's an explanation for this.

Any ideas?

Pressing "recall" the source is 480i

Aspect button still does nothing.

I smell something foul with this TV and not being able to change the aspect ratio. I think there might be a design flaw.

How are you certain? Have you tried it yourself, or just making a guess based on how you expect it to work?

Try hooking up and testing aspect ratio change with a component and composite or s-video connection. Maybe its an issue with HDMI?

I am using component for both DVD and cable.

Once I get an HDMI to DVI adapter, I'll try that too.

Wouldn't S-video or composite stink for quality? (sounds like a troubleshooting idea more than a solution)

ahh, cool. So just bypass the cable box?

well, I'll lose DVR but will give it a shot!

I am planning on getting either a Panny 50PX50U or 50PHD7UY. The setup will be a SA-8000HD cable box/DVR into my prepro along with all the other sources, then feeding the monitor with only one set of component cables. I'm a little confused here but am I correct that all of my programming content from the cable box will be stretched to full, even the 4:3 programming because I'm feeding the Panny with component?

I set my HDMI DVD player (Panasonic S77) to output at 480p via HDMI. All of the Aspect modes (Just, Full, Zoom, 4:3) work on my 50PX50U.

Are you guys sure that your cablebox isn't upconverting everything to 720p or 1080i?

I just tried the trick of plugging cable straight into the TV.

It helped!

I was able to adjust the aspect, and after switching back to cable box, I was STILL able to adjust aspect, cool!

Must be a bug of some sorts. Just glad I was able to do something with it. THanks for the tips!

The TV is doing exactly what it's supposed to do - nothing :D As far as i know virtually all consumer plasmas and widescreen tube TVs will lock the aspect ratio to 16:9 on the digital inputs (Component, DVI, HDMI) when getting a 720p or 1080i signal. I have played with dozens and dozens of Plasmas and widescreen tube TVs in the past few years at showrooms and have never been able to change the aspect on an HD feed. I've always heard that this is the way it's supposed to be which would explain why aspect control is always disabled on the displays i've tried.

Hi,
I'm very high on this Panny, as reviews all over this forum have been pretty positive. I have a Samsung DirecTV DVR/Tivo and a basic Sony Prog. Scan DVD player(Hopefully upgrading to the Pioneer 520 DVD Recorder soon) connected through an Onkyo 6.1 Reciever output to my current CRT. The Onkyo has the ability for component switching and I will be upgrading both inputs and the output connection to component. Will I have an issue with this aspect ratio problem?

I'm also excited about these new Pannys, i'm thinking it's time to finally join the First Plasma club. I'm having a hard time deciding between the PX and PD.

I'd be a little suspect that inserting the HT Receiver might degrade the SD signal from your DirecTV Tivo, both by adding another "splitter" if you will, plus the Reciever's conversion of the signal and sending it out through Component. I'm fairly sure in order to use the TV's Just or Zoom modes to fill the screen when watching 4:3 SD via your DirecTV Tivo you'll have to connect it to the TV via Composite or S-Video. The user manual eludes to this as well.

I like to connect all the video sources directly to the TV and leave my HT receiver out of the video end, using the TV do all the input switching instead but i know this is not for everybody.

I think the PHD7UY has the ability to Zoom content that comes over the Component input where the PX50 does not. You should check into the commercial unit's capabilities here. I also think it's possible on the commercial version to adjust the overscan in a user menu to reduce or eliminate the black bars when watching DVDs.

I have an SA8000HD (with Pioneer Passport software). The SA8000HD only outputs via Component when the DVR is in HD mode. All the other outputs are disabled completely so the only way you can connect this DVR to any TV is via Component only. The problem with this is that the TV will most likely think it's getting an HD signal and not allow you to stretch or zoom the image. The SA8000HD also has a Zoom button that zooms the image of SD on the HD channels. I think there's a linear stretch mode as well but i can't remember for sure.

If your DVR has the SARA software then it may have a 480i passthrough setting that might trick the TV into enabling the stretch/zoom modes. Passport however does not have this capability. Knowing which software it's running will help you find more info on this.

The SA8000HD is the previous generation; you should see if your cable company has the newer and better SA8300HD. On this box all the rear outputs are simultaneously enabled so you can use the TV's Component input when watching actual HD, and send SD programming to the TV via Composite or S-Video which will allow you to use the Panny's Just and Zoom modes. This way, you should be able to watch SD shows on the network HD channels via Composite and stretch or zoom them to get rid of the black bars.

The SA8300HD also has much improved HD and SD picture quality, changes channels faster, has a faster CPU, and is much more stable. I'm trying to watch all the recordings i have trapped on my SA8000HD so i can trade it in for an 8300HD :D

Randy, I think you are missing the point.

What you say, about being unable to change the aspect on 720p or 1080i is probably very true, and I would expect this behavior.

What you have not comprehended from this thread, is that myself, and the OP have had problems with 480i signals that are unresponsive to pressing the aspect button:

What is strange, is that after connecting the COAX to the back of the TV (rather than to the cable box), I was THEN able to change aspect, and after switching back to through the cable box, I can NOW change the aspect ratio of those 480i signals.

Believe it, or not. I am only relaying my experience, and I do believe there is something buggy with it out of the box.