NTL Digital - Widescreen Zooming

willpak

I got hooked up with NTL Digital last week, and it seems to be affecting my Philips Widescreen TV. Every now and again the image will zoom in, beyond any setting on the TV, throwing all the ratios out of whack, and bending the geometry of the screen at the edges. It also happens when I'm watching DVDs, but a lot less. Most time if I turn the TV off it resets and that sorts it out, but not always. I think (hope) it may be a problem with the SCART connections, but I'm not sure. This never happened pre-digital, so I'm assuming that it's not coincidental.

Anyone experience similar problems?

Thanks

patrickmooney

Yes, same with my Philips Widescreen. Usually happens when flicking up via channels like hallmark etc. Really annoying.

JDxtra

My small Pace NTL box keeps setting my TV to 16:9 Zoom when watching 4:3 channels no matter what I do to the Philips TV.

Also, some Widescreen channels revert back to 4:3. A quick solution to this problem is to flick over to Sky News and then flick back... and it's in widescreen again, weird!

patrickmooney

Yes, thats exactly what I do. Switch over to any widescreen channel and "yellow" button it to go back works fine.

dublinhead

I have the same problem with ntl digital with a 32ich Philips widescreen TV. The image zooms in and also stetches at the edge of screen while flicking through the certain channels on digital remote.
Have to use the Philips Tv remote to get back to correct view. Its really annoying

willpak

Cheers for the replys, but my problem isn't digital changing ratios, that's standard on a widescreen TV, it's zooming in on the image (way beyond even 16:9) on all stations, bending the screen geometry at the edge of the picture, cutting off a good 2-3 inches on either side of the image. I best give NTL a ring and see if they know what the story is.

JDxtra

willpak wrote:

my problem isn't digital changing ratios, that's standard on a widescreen TV

But NTL switches it to the wrong aspect ratio (no matter what you set your TV to)- which isn't standard!

willpak wrote:

it's zooming in on the image (way beyond even 16:9) on all stations, bending the screen geometry at the edge of the picture, cutting off a good 2-3 inches on either side of the image. I best give NTL a ring and see if they know what the story is.

Sounds like a problem with your TV more than NTL to be honset. Customer care won't have a clue what you are talking about by the way...

On my Philips 28" TV I had to dig out the enginering codes on the net to prevent over zomming and warping at the edges (on all sources - DVD, NTL etc). Do they have anybody testing these TVs in their factories at all?

Mountjoy Mugger

One thing in common with all these posts is that all the TVs are Phillips models. I agree that it looks like a TV issue. I've had no difficulties with my seven year old Sony.

Alun

I've got a Philips sidescreen TV with the older model silver ntl: digital box, not the skinny little thing they have now, and it works perfectly every time, switching between widescreen and whatever default setting I have configured for non-widescreen material, which in my case is their so-called "Super Zoom" mode.

Some Philips TV's, including mine, have an AUTO mode (set by default) that sometimes gets fooled by material with excessive dark areas, or 'fake' letterboxing or other framing causing it to switch wildly during some programmes. Get into the settings menu, and switch it to Super Zoom rather than Auto and you may find the problem is solved.

JDxtra

My older Pace box (larger silver kind) was perfect. It's just the combo of Phillips TVs and these miniboxes.

I won't be buying a Phillips TV again, this time I'll pay the extra few quid for a Sony!

willpak

I sorted out the zooming, both SCART leads were causing the problem. The DVD SCART is quite large and heavy, it was hanging unsupported from the TV, this seems to have effected the signal. When I repositioned it, it worked fine.

I had the Digital Box too far from the TV, stretching the lead, imparing the signal. Moved it closer to the TV, and again, Bingo! Works fine

IT Loser

you go down to the "MENU" button and hit it, there is a small menu at the bottom of the pop up screen for changing aspect ratios, Pan-Scan, Widescreeen, etc.