Am I being led up the garden path!!!! Panasonic TH-42PX80 Plasma & DMR-EX78EBK DVD Recorder

[admin_exported]

The problem..............E-mail recently sent to Panasonic with regards to a block of white & Black squares running from the top left of the TV to the centre & a White line mirrored at the bottom of the TV.

As discussed earlier today, please find attached photos of the problem that I am currently experiencing when attaching the above DVD recorder to the above television either via HDMI or scart. I have taken the pictures against a still background which shows it more clearly although it appears on all channels all of the time. If I turn the DVD recorder off then the lines disappear although there is still an uneven black line at the top and bottom of the television in the same area with a slight blurring effect. I have also noticed that if I select the AV input on either of the remote controls and slowly scroll through the inputs finally choosing the HDMI input then the picture returns perfectly with no blemishes at all, however I am only able to change channels a few times before the squares & line re-appear. If I set the TV to "overscan" then everything vanishes as the picture is pushed outside the boundary of the frame although I find it uncomfortable to view the television in this mode. I have no issues when I pause and
record live TV or watch pre-recorded material, everything is fine without "overscan" switched on!
I returned the original DVD recorder to the supplier who advised me that they could find no fault but sent out a new DVD recorder for me to try again but the problems still exists.

I hope you can help me because it is driving me mad!

The reply from Panasonic ...............

I have been speaking to one of my engineering colleague's about your issue and he has explained to me what you are seeing there.

When you are watching normal TV or a DVD the overscan does need to be on or you will then see the lines you have taken in your photo's

The only time you would turn this function off is when you would be using a Bluray player or something that does 24p playback then the overscan needs to be off for this to work.

The Question........

Is this correct as i thought that the "Overscan" function was optional and you should not have to set it to ON to hide the squares/line?

All opinions are very much appreciated

Thanks.

 

[grdunn123]

HARWOOD:

The problem..............E-mail recently sent to Panasonic with regards to a block of white & Black squares running from the top left of the TV to the centre & a White line mirrored at the bottom of the TV.

As discussed earlier today, please find attached photos of the problem that I am currently experiencing when attaching the above DVD recorder to the above television either via HDMI or scart. I have taken the pictures against a still background which shows it more clearly although it appears on all channels all of the time. If I turn the DVD recorder off then the lines disappear although there is still an uneven black line at the top and bottom of the television in the same area with a slight blurring effect. I have also noticed that if I select the AV input on either of the remote controls and slowly scroll through the inputs finally choosing the HDMI input then the picture returns perfectly with no blemishes at all, however I am only able to change channels a few times before the squares & line re-appear. If I set the TV to "overscan" then everything vanishes as the picture is pushed outside the boundary of the frame although I find it uncomfortable to view the television in this mode. I have no issues when I pause and
record live TV or watch pre-recorded material, everything is fine without "overscan" switched on!
I returned the original DVD recorder to the supplier who advised me that they could find no fault but sent out a new DVD recorder for me to try again but the problems still exists.

I hope you can help me because it is driving me mad!

The reply from Panasonic ...............

I have been speaking to one of my engineering colleague's about your issue and he has explained to me what you are seeing there.

When you are watching normal TV or a DVD the overscan does need to be on or you will then see the lines you have taken in your photo's

The only time you would turn this function off is when you would be using a Bluray player or something that does 24p playback then the overscan needs to be off for this to work.

The Question........

Is this correct as i thought that the "Overscan" function was optional and you should not have to set it to ON to hide the squares/line?

All opinions are very much appreciated

Thanks.
I have a new Panny TH46PZ81 plasma and I get these too.......goes from far top left to about top middle of screen. Only appears occasionally though. Turning Overscan on does get rid of it but I'm with you in thinking why should I have to turn something on to avoid seeing these artefacts. They actually look like VT markers as if you're seeing the picture as an editor would?

 

[Anonymous]

Ive never seen them and i have overscan turned off, although all feeds into my tv are 1080p via my onkyos 875's upscaler

 

[Anonymous]

Is the Pansonic recorder upscaling the picture before sending it to the tv via HDMI? What settings do you have it on? Try changing between 'Auto' and '1080p' and overscan 'On' and 'Off' and see if this helps.

I have the same setup so I will try to replicate your problem tomorrow.

 

[grdunn123]

alsina:

Is the Pansonic recorder upscaling the picture before sending it to the tv via HDMI? What settings do you have it on? Try changing between 'Auto' and '1080p' and overscan 'On' and 'Off' and see if this helps.

I have the same setup so I will try to replicate your problem tomorrow.
My feed is routed from Sky HD box through HDMI to Sony STRDA1200ES and then by HDMI to Panny plasma.I have the Sky box set to auto for upscaling and asaik the Sony doesn't play any part in the upscaling so the TV must be doing it. I only see it every few days so it's not a problem for me..........have noticed it though.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Alsina.

The only setting that seems to change the White/Black squares is 576i/480i. It removes some of the the White/Black squares at the start of the line and leaves about 5 of them in the middle top of the TV!

I've tried all the settings and the issue remains the same on all!

Thanks for your help.

 

[Anonymous]

If you have overscan switched off the TV displays exactly what is sent to it. SD programs have some technical bumf in a few lines of pixels at the top and bottom. If these cause you problems with viewing then you set overscan on. With an HD program there shouldnt be any need for overscan, it should fit perfectly - does it? If it does there is no problem with the TV.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi rewerb.

Thanks for your input. I fully understand what you are saying but what I cannot understand is why when the DVD recorder is switched off or the ariel connected directly into the back of the TV then the Black/White squares at the top left hand portion of the TV and the White line at the bottom left hand portion of the TV dissapear and are replaced with a slightly uneaven blurry Black line in the same areas. Surely the same characteristics should show on both TV & DVD recorder using the same ariel!. Also when I select the AV input on the DVD remote and scroll through the various inputs slowly finally choosing the HDMI1 input the TV picture returns perfectly with no squares/lines or blurry Black lines and it is only when I change channels a couple of times that the squares/line re-appear.

I only watch TV through freeview so i'll wait until a HD programme is broadcast and see what happens then!

Please keep the suggestions/advice coming.

Thanks all.

 

[Anonymous]

Just thought. I can't receive HD through freeview can I????

 

[Anonymous]

No. Only Freesat

 

[Anonymous]

It's official.

Just received a call from the Panasonic Technical department - very helpfull. "Overscan" must be turned ON to tidy up the picture on SD reception.

Thanks all for your help.

 

[Anonymous]

I've recently got the 37PX80 and have not noticed any abherations apart from the dot in t he righrt corner when an ad break is due. Find that useful though rather than a pain. Must of just got used to seeing it.

 

[Anonymous]

Nay, nay & thrice nay.

Please read the original thread. White/Black squares running across the top left hand portion of the TV and a White line mirrored at the bottom. I'm not reffering to ad break dot!!!

Do you have "overscan" switched on for SD content?