[PJRJ]

Hi


Bought the Pannasonic 300 and so far I love it just watching on my mustard painted wall.


I am just about to order a 16:9 100" wide (114" Diagonal) Draper M1300 screen for it but I have some newbie questions about aspect ratios and how they affect screen image size.


The Panny has multiple aspect ratio options which are confusing me. There is very little in the manual to explain what each represents. I did a search on this forum but came up with nothing for aspect ratios and the Panny PJ.


The Aspect Ratio options are:


S 4:3

S 16:9

4:3

16:9

JUST

ZOOM


Now I am well aware of the differences between 4:3 and 16:9 but what does the "S" stand for and in what instances do you use "JUST" and "ZOOM"???


As well, which of these aspect ratios do I use to maximize my image and find the final ceiling mount position for the projector in front of the screen I am ordering??


Thanks for any help.


Bob

 

[DrewB]

I just got my panny last week and I'm also curious about aspect ratios and other settings when mated with an xp-30.

 

[Baronken]

This was an early question of mine too.

As I've had my 300U for almost a month now and am approaching 200 hours use , I'll chime in. I use the 300U for normal satellite (DirecTV) viewing and for DVDs. I haven't moved up to HDTV yet.


The S designation means that the image is not stretched to fill the screen. As an example, if the incoming signal is 480i (from say, a DirecTV), in 4:3 mode the image fills the screen vertically (with side bars) using approximately (if not exactly) 540 lines of resolution; i.e the image is stretched (actually, scaled).

Using the S4:3 aspect with the same signal (480i), the picture is displayed using 480 lines of resolution with 30 lines of black bar above and below the picture to fill the 540 lines; i.e the picture is not stretched (scaled), so it seems smaller in comparison.

The image is scaled or not scaled (S) in the horizontal direction too.


Same thing with S16:9 except it's widescreen, of course.


As for JUST and ZOOM, both scale the image to fill the screen (the entire 16:9 screen). These 2 aspects will affect a 16:9 signal also, but is NOT recommended as they are meant to adjust a 4:3 signal to fill a 16:9 screen.

As you've probably already seen, a 4:3 signal displayed using the 16:9 aspect has a horizontally stretched image (round objects look like ovals). If you use the JUST aspect, the image is stretched horizontally, but not in the same manner. The middle of the picture is stretched less than the edges. This makes a 4:3 signal supposedly easier to watch in widescreen since usually the important part of the image is directed toward the center of the image.

The ZOOM aspect takes the 4:3 signal and stretches it horizontally (like the 16:9 aspect, NOT like JUST), and it also stretches it vertically too. It basically stretches the image to be a 4:3 image as wide as a 16:9 image, however, since the LCD panels are 16:9, the top and bottom of the image are cut off. Note that if you watch a 4:3 signal that is in Letterbox, when you use ZOOM aspect, the parts that are cut off are the black bars of the letterboxing (which makes sense, since a 4:3 letterboxed image is close to an actual 16:9 image). Letterbox ratios vary though (1.78, 1.85, 2.35), so the amount of the black bars that is cut off using ZOOM varies from no black bars showing (1.78) to still quite a bit of black bar showing (2.35).


S1/S2 aspect will adjust the picture to the correct aspect ratio (4:3 or 16:9) automatically when it receives the proper signal from a source that can send an S1/S2 signal. I've never actually seen this work since my DVD player (Panasonic XP30) and DirecTV doesn't do this.


Of note: all aspects except S4:3 and S16:9 will scale the image to fill the LCD panels (960X540).


For my fiance and myself, we watch a lot of 480i (DirecTV). We switch aspect ratios alot as some programs are better in 4:3 mode than in JUST mode (but those are the 2 we use for normal 4:3 images). For programs that are in Letterbox, we always use ZOOM. We don't use the S4:3 mode as the projector does a pretty good job at scaling the image (the image quality of a 480i signal isn't significantly better unscaled vs. scaled, just smaller ). Hence, we never use the S16:9 aspect either.

Note that the DirecTV is connected using S-Video, so I cannot comment on a composite or RF signal.

The progressive DVD player is connected directly to the pj using 30ft component video cables. The pj menu lists the input signal for component as 525p when I play a DVD. Some DVDs require the use of ZOOM aspect to get rid of the letterboxing, and some DVDs are enhanced for widescreen and display beautifully in 16:9 aspect.


I used the 16:9 aspect to determine maximum screen size.


Hope all this is helpful in some way,

Ken

 

[lcouplin]

Help! I got tired of waiting for the Sony HS 10 and I purchased the Panasonic 300.


It is awesome!


I do have some questions I cannot find the answers to, so please be patient and help me if you know or can.



The projector receives its DVD signal from my Denon 1600, which has progressive scan and DCDI de interlacing. The projector is supposed to have an on board deintelacer, but how do I activate it?


If I use the progressive scan from the DVD, and come into the projector under S16:9, the picture menu states that it is receiving a 525P signal. I can turn off the progressive from the DVD. How do I turn on the progressive for the projectors internal?


The whole family is amazed with the quality and detail afforded by this projector. We really like it.


Thank you for your help and input.

 

[Kent_L]

"The projector receives its DVD signal from my Denon 1600, which has progressive scan and DCDI de interlacing. The projector is supposed to have an on board deintelacer, but how do I activate it?"


Hi lcouplin,

You dont have to worry about that, the projecter deintelace the image no matter what you feed it with. You will never see scanlines on an LCD projecter. If you can thou, always use a progressive signal as this will give you a more sharp/focused picture. If the projecter displayes 525P thats progressive and if 525i then interlaced. What you get from a computer would be progressive/deintelace aswell. Basicly everything over 15KHz / 60Hz is progressive "Flicker Free" if you like


My advice, always go for progressive as this will give you the most perfect picture.

 

[PJRJ]

Baronken


You sir are awesome. Thanks for the excellent explanation.


If you don't mind, what screen are you using with your Panny and are you happy with it??


I just cancelled my order for a Draper M1300 114" Diagonal as the picture on my mustard colored drywall is plenty good for me now. I plan on making a DIY screen in the next week or two adn use the money saved to buy a HDTV box and may be even a DVD-RW. It will give me a chance to find the best screen for the Panny. I am especially interested in some of the higher gain screens.


Thanks

Bob

 

[whithama]

lcouplin,


Don't turn off the Progressive Scan of the DVD Player. The Denon will do a much better job than the Panasonic. I have a Panasonic RP56 DVD and it has a much better de-interlacer than the PJ. The Projector doesn't have a "ON" for the deinterlacer. It will always de-interlace every source and project it progressively. If you turn off the progressive scan on the DVD player, you then look at the de-interlacing on the Projector.


If you turn off the de-interlacing at the DVD you should be able to compare the two deinterlacers. You should be able to notice the artifacts if you watch and compare similar passages. Of course, I can't think of one off the top of my head, but any diagonal line that moves across the screen horizontally would show them.

 

[Baronken]

PJRJ (Bob),

When I first received my pj, it was shown on a tan (khaki, cream, whatever) colored wall. Within a couple days I had painted a screen area on the wall using Harmony Extra White Eggshell from Sherman-Williams (had to go with a 0 VOC paint to protect our birds from any fumes). The paint didn't smooth very well, but it suffices for now. I intend on making a Parkland Plastics screen in the very near future.


I'm not too concerned at this point as I have recently gotten an eyeglass prescription that I'm waiting on (too fuzzy to evaluate much right now, heh). They should be done this week and I'll be seeing clearly and will get started on the PP screen. We have used the pj quite a bit in the month we've had it (IMO) and since we upgraded from a 1992 52" RCA RPTV (4:3), I haven't found much to complain about except my poor eyesight


We have it in a very light-UNcontrolled, small living room. During the day with the blinds closed, the picture seems too dim (expected, since I always leave the lamp on low-power mode), but at night, I'm still amazed! Can you imagine how great my delight will be when I get to view the image with my new glasses?


From the current position I have the pj mounted, the MINIMUM size I can make the picture is 96" wide (110" diag), which is almost too large for the wall and viewing distance for that room.


Ken

 

[PJRJ]

Baronken


Thanks for all your info. I'll now look into the PP screens. Hopefully the pricing is still low enough to allow me to get some other toys.


Cheers

Bob