Panasonic TX-55FZ802B Overscan Problem - Or is it?

[Pharisee]

Pics attached. We have updated the software and done a hard reset. The problem seems to persist.

Some bits I found on the internet:
===========
Re: Overscan: Some TVs will label this as "Full," "Fit" or "Dot by Dot."

Other TVs, like Panasonic ... have an additional setting you must enable to get 1x1 pixel mapping. On many Panasonic TVs, once you've enabled "Full" you also have to select "Size 2" in the settings menu to eliminate overscan. Sneaky.

===============
To access service menu:

1. Press your Panasonic plasma TV’s “Power” button to turn it on.
2. Press and hold the “Volume Down / -” button on your set’s front or side panel.
3. Press the “Status” button on your set’s remote control three times while you are still holding the “Volume Down / -” button on your TV.
   
   =========
   
   This issue started when our Virgin Media Tivo box had a 'green screen of death' and said it was trying to fix itself. We believe that box, or the new Tivo box we got as a replacement, did something permanent to the Panasonic's settings i.e. gave it a kick and traumatised it.
   

We've gone through all possible combinations re: Zoom and 16:9, etc. that we can find, we made some small improvements, but, it is not perfect.

The problem exists regardless of whether the Tivo box is viewed or UK Freeview (our national free-to-air service.)

I personally don't see the overscan on some channels / programs (like the HD ones) but the TV owner is adamant there is a Big Problem and is quite upset that a £1500 4-year-old TV may have to be sold off and replaced.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Thank you.

 

[Jase]

The Overscan setting is found in the Main Menu - Picture - Screen Settings - 16:9 Overscan - On/Off.

The Aspect Select should be left on Auto or 16:9 if you don't want 4:3 sources to be displayed as 4:3.

Some sources (usually 4K HDR) won't allow you to change the Aspect and will automatically display as 16:9. The Overscan and Zoom Adjustments will be greyed out for these sources.

 

[mikej]

If Overscan is turned off in the TV's settings and Auto or 16:9 resolution is selected, then there shouldn't be an issue. I can't see anything wrong with the photos you've posted.

If the TV has a Pixel Orbiter / Pixel Shifter feature, then this will give slightly uneven picture borders which could give the impression that something is wrong. If it is present and turned on, then you could try turning it off but it's worth noting that this is a feature designed to combat 'burn in'.

I would also try a factory reset to 'Shipping Condition'.

When you say 'the TV owner', is this a friend's TV ?

 

[Pharisee]

Thank you Jase and MikeJ for your replies. I will forward them to my friend, and report back here.

It is not my TV. She and I have been giving it a fair go in fixing this problem, spending hours on it, but I believe I can still a problem, especially when I looked at pictures elsewhere on the internet of overscanning: it does degrade the picture and cut off the edges. When you notice it, you can't 'unnotice' it any more.

It makes closeups just a bit too closeup, and spoils the experience.

I expect better from a 4K HD TV: when I was looking at some UHD films on Netflix, before this problem emerged, the quality was a very impressive; you could 'see where the money went.'

 

[mikej]

I had a Panasonic plasma for nearly 8 years before I got my current Panasonic OLED and haven't had a problem with Overscan on either, so it's strange you're having issues. The FZ will only be a year older than my GZ and a lot newer than the plasma

It sounds like you either have a fault with the TV or something is incorrectly set or configured - I would suspect the latter is more likely.

If you want to start with the basics, update the TV's firmware to the latest version (if necessary), then do a factory reset back to 'Shipping Condition', retune the Freeview channels, ensure Overscan is switched off in the settings and that Aspect Ratio is set to 16:9 or Auto, then try watching the TV's Freeview channels or own streaming apps.

If all looks OK, then try any external devices. If you then get problems, I would check the video settings of those connected devices.

You could also try a resolution test slide like this ?

 

[Pharisee]

If you want to start with the basics, update the TV's firmware to the latest version (if necessary), then do a factory reset back to 'Shipping Condition', retune the Freeview channels, ensure Overscan is switched off in the settings and that Aspect Ratio is set to 16:9 or Auto, then try watching the TV's Freeview channels or own streaming apps.

That sounds like a plan. I will covey it to the TV owner. Thank you.

 

[Pharisee]

According to the TV owner, the above has not worked. One idea I had is that she was used to the picture produced by the old Tivo box, as she watched that exclusively.

Therefore, I think I shall try and get an old one from Virgin, if that is possible. It's a variable worth exploring.

If anyone has any other ideas, I shall be delighted to hear them. It's certainly an odd situation. A reset like the above should clear out any old settings on any device, I would think.

My thanks to the two posters above.

 

[Jase]

Perhaps she's been watching in the wrong aspect ratio on the Tivo box and now the 'correct' one looks wrong to her?

 

[mikej]

Have you tried the resolution test slide above ?

Compare how it looks in the corners with another device with a 16:9 screen like a phone or tablet and see if anything is cut off.

Use the TV's own YouTube app.

 

[Pharisee]

Ha. I think you may be right, Jase.

I asked Virgin for the previous version of their Tivo box. They sent us an old Cisco box i.e. one that was probably hot stuff in 2010. However, it had one feature the newer box didn't: you can set 4:3 as the ratio and 'Panel' as ... whatever, which then letterboxes everything; making it look stretched, but, crucially, the pictures doesn't looked zoomed in and chopped off at the top.

She may have got used to something like this and now everything looks off. I was mildly surprised, to say the least, when I saw this.

However, it remains a fact that the TV, itself, is doing something unaesthetic regardless of where the signal is coming from.

MikeJ, I might try that test next, but, I can see with my own eyes on some programmes that this £1.5k TV is doing something 'dumb' to the picture.

Too many 'clever' inbuilt features in the TV itself + too many variations in resolutions in the signals presented = a picture only the 'ignorant' or partially-sighted would find acceptable.

I wonder if I could put in an intermediate box which would just letter-box and homogenise the signal so the TV wouldn't have anything to fiddle with?

Thank you for your replies. If this saga ever ends, I hope to post here.

 

[Jase]

I'd try what @mikej has suggested above as that should show straightaway if there's an issue. You could also try a Blu-ray player or Freeview box?

 

[Pharisee]

Dear Jase,

Just to say, thanks to you and the other posters. The TV owner has decided they'll have to live with the picture. I don't see what's on-screen as a major irritant, personally, and I can't now see how you can aesthetically letterbox something, even more, on a screen that's already 16:9 anyway.

However, I guess 'double-letterboxing' would stop everything looking huge on an UHD 65" TV and increase the resolution on old films? I'm looking at The Professionals right now and its grainy and huge.

I suspect the owner got used to something that was unnatural, and now, what's natural, looks odd.

Thanks again.

 

[mikej]

The reason she's getting this 'double letterboxing' effect is because she's using the 4:3 picture output setting on the old Virgin box - this is a setting that was originally designed to allow a 16:9 picture to be displayed on an old 4:3 TV (by 'letterboxing' the picture) and is not appropriate for a 16:9 TV, hence the (presumably ludicrous) stretching that this incorrect setting must result in.

Overscan doesn't have a big effect on the picture (it only zooms in very slightly) so if the picture is zoomed in very noticeably, then it'll be down to incorrect aspect ratio settings on the TV, incorrect video output settings on the external source or possibly even a combination of the two.

When watching old 4:3 content like the Professionals, then some experimentation might be necessary - eg. it may be necessary to use the TV's 'auto' aspect ratio if the 16:9 setting stretches the picture.