aspect ratio problem

[smack]

I have a Loewe 32” Mimo Television connected to a Telewest cable box by scart cable, the cable box is set to broadcast in a widescreen format.
Now normally most programs on BBC1 through to Channel 5 are in the 16:9 ratio and other channels like UK Gold for example are in the 4:3 ratio.
My Television automatically switches between the formats, however I have noticed that on certain occasions, the auto format seems to stick for example last night I was watching Channel 5 my TV was in 16:9 ratio mode, however there was a Five news update which gets broadcast in a 4:3 ratio, my television did not switch to the 4:3 ratio, and the picture was squashed and this remained the same for the film afterwards, manual adjustment of the aspect ratio did not help, the only way to sort the problem was to go into the cable box display settings change the output to 4:3 ratio go back in and then change it back to widescreen. After that my TV started switching automatically again. The problem is more common the other way round , normally I am watching a channel that is outputting a 4:3 ratio, then when I change to channels that are out putting a 16:9 ratio the picture for that channel gets shown in a 4:3 ratio, the picture is not distorted but I do have black bars down the left and right sides, if I then manually change to 16:9 ratio the picture becomes squashed, I must then go into the cable box settings again and do as above. What is the problem here? Is it my TV or the cable box? And how can I fix it?

 

[kentlad]

I too have similar issues.

New Loewe Mimo 32" bought brand new this Friday (6th Feb). Connected to Sky+, Sky picture settings set to 16 x 9.

When viewing channels the set will automatically switch to 16x9 or 4:3, however it will on occasion get stuck on 4:3 and looks zoomed. I have to use the TV remote to set back to 16x9, all is fine for a while, again channels change and aspect changes with it. But it does still on occasion get stuck

Switch of the AMD (automatic movie detection) had no effect, still shows the same problems.

Will call Loewe and see what they have to say.

Kentlad

 

[smack]

Yes i noticed also that AMD had no effect, i also posted this thread on the SKY+,FREEVIEW AND OTHER SATELLITE AND CABLE BOXES forum, here is what dave-b9000 had to say about it "i have the same problem with my philips tv. i think the problem lies with telewest. It used to aslo have the problem that everytime telewest did an update the box would reset to 4:3 output even though it still showed 16:9 in the set up menu, if switched to 4:3 then back again that would fix it."

I phoned Telewest last night about the problem but the guy on the other end of the phone seemed at a loss on how to answer the problem said who would submit the problem to their digital department, have not yet got back to me.

 

[kentlad]

I have just talked to an "engineer" at Loewe, he seems to think switching AMD off is what is required. Told him that had no effect and was at a loss what to try, suggested I get hold of my retailer.

Fat lot of good he was.

 

[smack]

I phoned the retailer who sold me my Television and questioned them about this problem, they seemed confused as to what was causing it, I also don’t think they could really get their head round what I was trying to tell them, anyway the only thing they could come up with was turning the AMD off, even though I told them that doesn’t work..

Received call from Telewest, they said the problem is down to the TV and that I have to change it manually, I explained that I did do this but it makes no difference, I told them if the aspect ratio is stuck on 4:3 and I manually change to 16:9 for all channels that should be outputting 16:9 ratio the picture becomes squashed which suggests that the signal being output is a 4:3 ratio output . I did explain to them that the only way to correct the aspect ratio was to go into the display setting of the cable box , they claim that once the setting on the box has been set for widescreen it shouldn’t revert to a 4:3 ratio signal, so not a problem with the box.

I however am not convinced.

 

[tichtich]