[PeterL]

I have a Philips 28PW9308 and saw elsewhere a method using the remote (numbers followed by the i button) whereby you can get in to the service menu.

My interest in doing this was to see if hidden away in this menu there was an option to disable the auto-format picture mode as discussed elsewhere, but alas no. Although, seemingly older or lesser models than the PW9308 publish the option to disable auto format in their user menu, on this model it has been omitted completely, leaving you with the only auto-switching option being auto-format. All this seems to do is switch between side-stretched 4:3 or widescreen. But what if you want 4:3 to be shown in 4:3 - Philips obviously think people always want to fill the screen no matter what! I think I'm beaten on that one.

On another matter, when browsing through the extensive hidden service menu (in which I carefully didn't change a thing), I noticed that in the "Service->Dual Screen" menu there is an option called "PIP/Dual Screen" (or something like that not having written it down). This is a Yes/No item with it being set to No.

The PW9308 is not advertised as having PIP although I think more expensive models do have it. Does this mean that this model though does have it but it is just disabled by the service menu software and it can be enabled by switching the setting to "Yes"? If so, how do you save the service menu options back (or cancel them for that matter) and what remote control key would be used to access this when it's enabled?

I'm seriously not wanting to mess anything up, but if it was possible to have this extra without affecting anything else, it would be good to know.

I dont undersand the pb with the 4:3 format. On mine 32PW9308, 4:3 can be displayed on 4:3 with black bars each side of the screen. Dont your model ?

EDIT : ok, your'e talking about auto format witch put 4:3 on "super 4/3". ok !

[PeterL]

Originally posted by steefler
I dont undersand the pb with the 4:3 format. On mine 32PW9308, 4:3 can be displayed on 4:3 with black bars each side of the screen. Dont your model ?

EDIT : ok, your'e talking about auto format witch put 4:3 on "super 4/3". ok !

Yes, you're right. Of course I can manually switch the mode to 4:3, but the auto-format option super zoom's all 4:3.

I think auto-format is a bad name for the option as to me it implies that it automatically formats the incoming picture to the correct ratio. However, the manual says, "Auto format makes the picture fill the screen as much as possible." Perhaps "Auto fill" would have been a better name.

But then I'm only a dumb user!

For me it's not a "default" since you can manually switch to true 4/3... but taht true that they sould name it "auto fit".

[scooby do]

I think you can purchase the PiP board as a separate on this model if you could find somebody in Philips who actually give a toss about what the customer wants ( this is the dificult part )

[PeterL]

Originally posted by scooby do
I think you can purchase the PiP board as a separate on this model if you could find somebody in Philips who actually give a toss about what the customer wants ( this is the dificult part )

That's a shame. I didn't realise this was a separate board. I imagined the main board was like a lot of kit and the PIP option had just been disabled by the software setup on the PW9308.

My Sony camcorder has a host of extra features enabled on it now after I found out what to do. All of them were included in the higher end models, but just disabled in my model. I suppose from a manufacturing point of view it makes sense as they don't have to have lots of separate components, but just enable/disable them as needed - but not with Philips seemingly!

I won't try switching the option on then if there is nothing on the board to "switch on". Could cause havoc!

[scooby do]

My comments were in respect to an older Philips model than yours so you may still be ok. I am sure someone else will come up with the defintive answer soon