Technical Issues and Questions

[David M.]

Yeah, that's what's happening. The Panasonic player I have here (2012 model) is only showing 704 pixels wide. That may actually be the technically correct way of doing it.

This might seem insane or wasteful, but like I said, consider it like "open matte" video. The standards for SD digital video were designed to be analog backwards compatible which is why we have all this weird stuff. It is not technically the same as overscan.

It's interesting that they didn't implement this with 16:9 though.

By the way, the most recent Oppo player I have here (BDP-103) shows the entire 720-wide image when it's in the 1080p output mode.

Here is the test DVD I just made (ISO format). You can burn it to DVD-R and see what your own player(s) make of it. It has both 4:3 and 16:9 versions on the disc. The left and right edges of the encoded video are filled in red (8 pixel red borders) The rest is green. And there's an X-shape which goes all the way out to the sides.

http://www.mediafire.com/?8wtfgefdzacxxc6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I still need to read the Rec601 spec, but my understanding of it is that the 8 pixels being cropped from the left and right side is the "correct" way, as insane as it might seem.

[EddieLarkin]

Thanks for that David, at least now I know. I was sold on the Oppo 103 when I read your review of it a few days ago; very glad to hear it doesn't share this problem with the Pannys! I'm due some tax back next month and now I know what to spend it on.

[David M.]

Just be glad this is one more piece of video mania that's been done away with with rec709 HD.

Shame they didn't mandate the death of overscan also!

[jindianajonz]

If you're thinking of getting one of the heavily recommended Panasonic Vieras, you may want to do it soon.

[David M.]

Wait and see. I've heard "Plasma is dead" so many times over the years it doesn't even register. The AV press has this perverse fetish with the subject. With that said, the reports of Panasonic exiting are intensifying.

There's no rush. The 2013 models are just beginning to hit shelves. Even if those were the last ones, you have all year to grab them.

[David M.]

I would stick with what you have. I also owned a VPL-VW60 (my first real projector, incidentally) but that was some time ago. Can you save for longer and get the VPL-HW50? If you read my review of that you'll know how much I loved it - especially the Dark Frame Insertion feature which makes the image look quite like a 35mm film projection in terms of movement.

The biggest issue is the pixel fill ratio. Sony SXRD is outstandingly smooth in this regard. Going to Epson's 3LCD you would notice the pixel grid effect in bright images.

[Lemmy Caution]

Is anyone familiar with this https://www.rabbittv.com/, which for $10 a year claims to give you access to "5000 internet TV stations" but it's not very clear from their site just what all that means. They list most cable TV stations, and it could be a good thing for expats like me or frequent travelers. It's certainly cheap enough and a simple small USB plugin device. But I have no idea yet how reliable this is or useful, etc. Will research more, but this is the first I've heard of this.

[Black Hat]

Sound too good to be true. Most likely it's just a bunch of apps if even that. Hope I'm wrong tho.

[Lemmy Caution]

Rabbit TV seems to be simply an aggregator of links to tv/radio/movies available freely on the internet. That is, it provides a central menu with bookmarks to existing free entertainment programming, such as Hulu, CBA, Comedy Central, etc. A sort of TV Guide for the digital age.

A number of Amazon product reviews suggest simply googling "free internet tv"and saving $10. There also seems to be some warnings about questionable billing practices.
So basically it just makes it easier/more convenient to find existing internet content.
A boon I guess to those who aren't aware there is a lot of free content -- day old Tv shows, etc -- available on the good old interwebs, or those not minimally computer savvy to find same.

[jindianajonz]

Does anyone have any advice on how to fix 3d crosstalk?

I have a Panasonc TC-P60ST50 with both panasonic TY-ER3D4MU and Samsung SSG-4100GB glasses, and a Sony BDVN890W/Z blu-ray player. I've seen ghosting to some extent on pretty much every movie I've watched on it, but it seems to be the worst around white objects on dark blackgrounds. In Hugo last night, a guys tuxedo looked like it had an inch wide green trim due to the ghosting of the white dress shirt on the coat.

So is there anything I can do to address this?

EDIT: Forgot to mention that both brands of glasses have the same problem, and as far as I can tell to the same degree.

[Black Hat]

Does anyone have a recommendation for an external blu ray drive for a macbook retina?

[Drucker]

This should be an easy question, and I'm sorry for having to ask it, but how much should I be able to view the black bars at the top and bottom of a 1.85 film? I truly don't see any on my TV. I just played on the Waterfront in 1.85, then popped in Days of Heaven (1.78) and they looked the same in screen-filling-ness to me. Could my LED possibly be overscanning something? Could my Oppo? The dimensions for 1.66, 1.33, 1.19, 2.35, and 2.55 movies all seem to be what they should...so am I missing something with 1.85? Should the bars be as pronounced as they are in, say, bluray.com screencaps?

Thanks!

[David M.]

Yes they should. What TV do you have?

[David M.]

Does anyone have a recommendation for an external blu ray drive for a macbook retina?

I just got one of these and am very happy with it.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008 ... UTF8&psc=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Drucker]

Yes they should. What TV do you have?

I have a Samsung LED 46" 6300SF. No idea why this seems to be the only AR that isn't right.

[Drucker]

So I just fiddled around with my Oppo, and found the "unders can" zoom function. (When you find it, though, it just says "unscan" on the screen, but in the manual, it is referred to as "Under Scan").

If I compare the default picture on screen with "under scan" there is certainly slightly more information in the frame, but it seems pictureboxed. Other blu rays I tried out ended up with borders on some sides (High and Low produces small borders on the left and right, Days of Heaven even has a slight border on the left and right) in under scan mode.

So I'm not sure what to make of this, and if anyone can help shed some light on this for me, it'd be most appreciated!

[David M.]

On Samsung displays the 1:1 mapping mode is implemented as an aspect ratio. I think it's called "Just Scan". So change ratios with 1080p content until you find it.

Don't use the underscan feautre on the Oppo. That scales the image once then the scaler in your TV is scaling once again when it adds its own overscan - waste of resolution. Just disable overscan totally.

[tenia]

At the time, to be sure I was in the right setting, I used a BD of a 1.85 movie until I only had my slight borders on top and below the movie. I believe this to be the easiest way to check that everything is fine.

[Drucker]

Thanks again, David. "Screen Fit" should be the aspect ratio (with that name, I never would have guessed), not 16x9.

Now I think I know how to fix my father-in-law's, which for some reasons preserves the AR on blu ray content but stretches out DVDs.

[David M.]

Yes, I keep telling them that this is too confusing and that 1080p input should kill overscan automatically.

[Zot!]

I'm in the market for a 60"+ TV in the US, but I would prefer I could display PAL and 25p content natively. I think some of the VIZIO and other "off" brands would support this, but picture quality is the biggest consideration, and I don't if any of the big players have this feature, outside of buying a European model, at which point price and voltage become a consideration. Any guidance would be appreciated.

[David M.]

I'm in NY at the moment for the Value Electronics shootout (I'm a speaker at it). I'll test which models run 50hz OK for you.

[Zot!]

I'm in NY at the moment for the Value Electronics shootout (I'm a speaker at it). I'll test which models run 50hz OK for you.

Thank you David! That would be very much appreciated.

[Black Hat]

Does anyone have a recommendation for an external blu ray drive for a macbook retina?

I just got one of these and am very happy with it.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008 ... UTF8&psc=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thank you!

[David M.]

Fantastic news. 3 of the best TVs this year: the Panasonic VT60, ZT60, and Samsung F8500 plasmas - all accept and display 50hz signals without the need for a conversion player.

I can't guarantee they will show the picture without a bit of stutter, but for 24->25fps film transfers, that shouldnt be too noticeable.