[Dave Cottee]

We bought a Tau 34wx50 early this year and we like it. We haven't really tested its full capabilities yet, although we hope to soon. It's a nice size for us and has a very good picture on our cable digital movie channels and on most other channels, depending on the quality and the source. It's fun to zoom the occasional letterboxed cable movie to full width, without much loss in quality.


My question isn't one of any great importance, just about something that has nagged at me a bit, and I wondered if anyone else had encountered it.


Our cable digital box (Motorola DCT 2000) has both composite and S-video outputs. Initially, we tried the S-video, but switched to the composite output because of the following problem using the S-video output.


The display, with the aspect ratio set to NORMAL (or anything else), would jump to WIDE and back to NORMAL with varying frequency. On some channels, it would be rare; on most, it would be occasional, on others, it would be every few seconds. I recognize that WIDE isn't one of the aspect ratio choices, but that's what the Tau reported. That is, if one has recently changed the aspect ratio, there is a small time lag where the display of the aspect ratio setting is still on screen. On some occasions, the display would jump so soon after such a change that we could see what aspect ratio we had unwillingly jumped to.


I "spoke" to Panasonic customer assistance by email and they suggested that we should get the set serviced. That might well be good advice, but it seemed like such a headache for something we could work-around and my fear was that the cure might be worse than ...


As well, this had the feel of some good programming intention gone somewhat awry, in combination with a signal that the Tau may never have been fully tested with. That is, I thought this problem might not just be a peculiarity of our set.


I did a search of this list and didn't find anything on this problem. My apologies if I missed something and this has already been dealt with.


I would be grateful for any advice or suggestions. Thanks.

 

[jps2417]

The panny tau detects a widescreen signal and many commercials are not presented in that format. That signal is passed along from the cable provider and causes the aspect ratio to change. The instruction manual will tell you how to turn off this function - it's in the video setup menus. I can't remember the specifics.

 

[c.k]

I'm at work, so I don't have my manual handy.

You may want to disable the (I think it's called) "S-1" detection in the video menu. I disabled it because I didn't like the way our Tau was adjusting the screen for DVD's. This will limit the amount of adjusting the AUTO mode does.


Hope this helps.

BTW- I agree, it's an awesome TV.

 

[Dave Cottee]

Quote:

Originally posted by jps2417: The panny tau detects a widescreen signal and many commercials are not presented in that format. That signal is passed along from the cable provider and causes the aspect ratio to change. The instruction manual will tell you how to turn off this function - it's in the video setup menus. I can't remember the specifics.

I haven't looked at the manual for a couple of months, but my recollection is that the Tau should only change when in Auto not in Normal, but I may not be recalling correctly, and, yes, I did try to turn off the widescreen recognition (I no longer remember the specifics, either, but I will look it up tonight at home), but without apparent success.


The back and forth jumping would be quite funny at times, if it didn't drive you insane. It seemed to vary greatly with channels, but be fairly consistent for a given channel. It also seemed to depend on what was being displayed. A static screen (i.e. a slide) was pretty much a guarantee of a jump to Wide.


Thanks, I will double check my manual.

 

[Dave Cottee]

Quote:

Originally posted by c.k: I'm at work, so I don't have my manual handy. You may want to disable the (I think it's called) "S-1" detection in the video menu. I disabled it because I didn't like the way our Tau was adjusting the screen for DVD's. This will limit the amount of adjusting the AUTO mode does. Hope this helps. BTW- I agree, it's an awesome TV.

Thanks. I am at work as well, so don't have my manual either; also, I haven't looked at the manual, with any serious intent, for a couple of months, so I am a bit hazy on details at the moment. Yes, my recollection was that the recognition of a widescreen signal should only happen in Auto mode. I even tried Zoom but all that accomplished was a more subtle, but equally annoying jumping, since Zoom wasn't quite the same as Wide.


Yes, I tried to disable the widescreen recognition (I no longer recall the actual setting, but, hopefully, it was the one you mention -- I will check this evening) but no effect. I was just being hopeful, of course, since by my understanding I wasn't in Auto mode anyhow (unless, I have a fundamental misunderstanding about what is Auto mode! Anything is always possible).


Thanks for the information. I will take a look at the manual again this evening, and see if I missed something.

 

[chi_guy_44]

That "Wide" mode setting seems to happen just with S Video connections. I reported it to Panasonic Tech Support as well and they never got back to me as to what it is. You cannot diable it though. It is "S-1" detection. All you can disable is the "1-D" detection which is for Anamorphic DVDs. You can run your RcvR through a S-Video VCR and that disables it. I know that with my Directv with TIVO rcvr it does not happen and that is run directly into the TV thru the S Video connection. So it only seems to happen with certain DirecTV rcvrs.

 

[Ken Ross]

Dave,

I've got the set too, and I may be wrong, but I thought that the "auto" aspect ratio setting was the only setting that would cause that switching routine. I know on our set, it's the only setting that causes this occasional problem. For widescreen I tend to use the "just" mode since it limits distortion to the outer edges of the screen and does away with those annoying, unasked for aspect ratio changes.

 

[Dave Cottee]

Quote:

Originally posted by chi_guy_44: That "Wide" mode setting seems to happen just with S Video connections. I reported it to Panasonic Tech Support as well and they never got back to me as to what it is. You cannot diable it though. It is "S-1" detection. All you can disable is the "1-D" detection which is for Anamorphic DVDs. You can run your RcvR through a S-Video VCR and that disables it. I know that with my Directv with TIVO rcvr it does not happen and that is run directly into the TV thru the S Video connection. So it only seems to happen with certain DirecTV rcvrs.

Thanks for the comment. Yes, only with the S-video input, and appears to be quite dependent on the particular source. The composite video never jumps. Your observation strengthens my belief that in my situation there was little I could do other than accept defeat on the S-video connection.


I hope to acquire a progressive scan DVD player soon to try out the component video input.

 

[Dave Cottee]

Quote:

Originally posted by Ken Ross: Dave, I've got the set too, and I may be wrong, but I thought that the "auto" aspect ratio setting was the only setting that would cause that switching routine. I know on our set, it's the only setting that causes this occasional problem. For widescreen I tend to use the "just" mode since it limits distortion to the outer edges of the screen and does away with those annoying, unasked for aspect ratio changes.

Thanks. That was my understanding as well. Possibly, this effect is "something else" Panasonic had in mind, but, perhaps, didn't execute properly in all situations.

 

[chi_guy_44]

Dave,


I thought it would just do that with the "Auto" setting as well, but it did it when it was set to "Just" mode too. It is dependant on the source signal for sure. Take Care--


Enjoy that TV, it is a good one!!!!


[This message has been edited by chi_guy_44 (edited 06-04-2001).]

 

[markrubin]

I am considering the purchase of the Tau CT34WX50 for use with Sony HD-100 via component inputs for DSS and cable (no OTA) but now I read where Sony is coming out with new 34 inch widescreen tube HDTV with firewire input for $4000.00-should I wait for the Sony? I have seen Tau for about 3000.

 

[Tony Chick]

Mark,

Despite it's remaining horrendous bugs, the Sony HD-100 is a particularly good match with the CT34WX50. Thats because the Tau changes it's settings profiles based on input format rather than what video-in you have selected. So, using the Sony's variable mode you have completely different video settings for 480i material .vs. 1080i on the same component input. This is the one and only reason I stick with the HD-100.


Tony

 

[Vlubbers]

Tau CT34WX50


Does anyone have any firsthand insights on how well this set reformats a 4x3 image for the 16x9 screen face? TIA


Vince