[onzey]

Had a play with a TX28PS1 in a store today and while looking over to a Sony KV28LS60 closeby noticed there was more to see on the Sony. By this I mean if the picture on both was of a BBC newsreader, on the PS1 the top of his head would just be disappearing off the top of the picture, while the LS60 easily showed the top of his head and some of the backdrop above and behind him. Similarly at the bottom of the picture you could see more of his suit on the Sony than the Panny. It's as though the PS1 image has been "cropped" and stretched to fill the screen. Both TV's were receiving normal aerial signal I believe. I only had a remote to alter the PS1 so tried switching through the different aspect ratios trying to match the Sony screen (which did not appear stretched or squashed particularly, and filled the whole screen with no black at sides or top or bottom). It was impossible to get the same whole screen image as the Sony. I think (but could be wrong because it's so brief) it may be the same for a split second when you cycle through to "Panasonic Auto" mode but then the picture gives a "jump" and you end up with the cropped image. If there was any text low down on the screen of the PS1 it would disappear off the bottom of the screen. Do you have to switch to the 4:3 mode (and live with loads of black either side) to view normal TV with the PS1 if you want the whole picture? Do such problems disappear if viewing via Sky satellite?

Thanks for any advice on this. It might help me make up my mind on which TV to buy!

onzey

[onzey]

This is starting to drive me nuts!
In another store today compared a Panasonic PS1 with a Philips model very close by (can't remember exact model). An old film (Fall of the Roman Empire perhaps? Ustinov playing instrument as Rome burned) was on both TV's on BBC 2 I think, using full screen. Top and bottom on both TV's seemed to be about the same but this time the Panasonic was displaying more at each side than the Philips i.e. someones elbow would disappear at the edge of the Philips but could see a complete elbow on the Panasonic. Managed to get an assistant to find a remote for the Philips and played with aspect options. Found no way to get the same amount of picture visible on the Philips to that on the Panasonic.
Seems if I buy a Panasonic I could lose some of the picture top and bottom sometimes (see first post) and if I buy a Philips I may lose out at the sides. Can't TV's provide some mode which at least will show everything possible so that when you only have one TV (like in your lounge rather than a department store) you know what you are missing in the various screen modes? If I buy any particular model and discover it is losing areas of picture can this be corrected or is it something you are stuck with?

onzey

Sounds like the either- you've got the two in slightly different modes or overscan is different on the models.

Basically overscan is "squashing" either horzintol/vertical size. You use Avia to set the correct overscan. This throws out geometry, which then needs to be corrected.

[onzey]

Thanks for reply Nathan.

I guess it's something I'll have to accept with whatever TV eventually arrives at my door. I assume this overscan could be different from TV to TV even if the same make and model so a decision based on the picture seen on a set in the store could mean getting a different result if I purchased that model but get one sent from the warehouse.
Deciding on a TV to buy has already taken up too much time and I really just want to make a purchase now and start watching rather than messing with it. I'm down to either a Panasonic TX28PS1 or a Philips 28PW6517.

onzey