[SFoden]

I have recently purchased the Samsung LE40A457. The picture size is set to 16:9 and I have set my Virgin box to ‘Widescreen’. My concern is that the screen appears to be losing a little bit of the image around the edge. When I go into the Virgin menu the preview screen displays the full image.
Is this just something I have to live with or do I need to revise my settings?

[Ian Dudley]

Originally Posted by SFoden

I have recently purchased the Samsung LE40A457. The picture size is set to 16:9 and I have set my Virgin box to ‘Widescreen’. My concern is that the screen appears to be losing a little bit of the image around the edge. When I go into the Virgin menu the preview screen displays the full image.
Is this just something I have to live with or do I need to revise my settings?

This is most likely the overscan area. All TVs crop around 3% around the edge of the screen, to hide the artefacts that are sent along with broadcast trasmission (e.g. teletext, etc). If you have a full definition HD TV, you might have the option to switch off overscan, as when you put a resolution matched signal into the TV (e.g. you put a 1080 image into a true 1080 screen), you don't want to overscan as that will reduce the picture quality.

However, this function, if you have it, is only really meant for HD sources like Blu Ray. If you use it with a broadcast transmission, while you will see a little bit more around the edge, you will also see coloured lines and dots appearing at the edge of the screen.

It's your call as to which is the more annoying

[SFoden]

It does not look as though I have the option to switch off overscan. I have a ‘Just Scan’ option but this is greyed out, probably because I do not have any HD functionality yet. Comparing my TV with other TVs I have noticed that the image displayed tends to vary. Does overscan differ depending on the TV or other factors? Given that I have set the TV picture size to 16:9 and Virgin box to ‘Widescreen’ am I correct in thinking that there is nothing else that I can do? My picture is perfectly acceptable I just want to make sure that I have done all I can to get it just right!

[Ashman UK]

Just a quick note presuming you mean you have the V+ box.

Have you got it set to 720p or 1080i?(the V+ box) cause i find on my lcd i can only change the full pixel option..(your just scan option) at 1080i only and not at 720p.

I find that @1080i when i set it to full pixel on some SD channels i lose abit of the edges of the screen so i settle with not using full pixel..(in other words not using just scan in your case..) so i dont get slight bits missing of the edge of my picture.

At 720p i cannot select the full pixel option which is greyed out..(just scan)..on my sony.

Hope that made sense.