TV Zoom Unproportional

[rrssss]

Hello forum,

I bought the CT-30WC14 Panasonic wide screen and like it very much. It is big enough for me (30 inch) since I only sit about 6 feet from the screen. But I have noticed the zoom feature tends to stretch the picture up and down instead of keeping it proportional. Even the manual indicates the zoom will keep the picture proportional but it doesn't.

I've read somewhere that some TV manufactures intentional make the zoom stretch the picture. Why would they do this? Zooming is very important to me when watching DVDs that still leave black bars at the top and bottom of the wide screen. The Zoom on my DVD player will zoom it in by 2X which is a little too much since it cuts off a little of the picture at the top and bottom but at least it leaves the picture proportional. Any comments anyone?

Roy from SC

[Splicer]

The DVD ZOOM and the TV ZOOM are 2 different animals completely. A DVD ZOOM lets you ZOOM in on a specific area of the disc. TV ZOOM is when they STRETCH the picture to fill more of the viewing area (screen).

[57U]

See the FAQ on Widescreen stretch modes. There are several stretch/zoom modes, each with its own purpose.

- a non-linear stretch, meant for viewing 4:3 programming (Just).
- a linear horizontal stretch, meant for anamorphic DVDs.
- a linear zoom (horizontal and vertical stretch) meant for non-anamorphic DVDs, or widescreen TV programming where the quality allows.

[Gentaur]

I have the same problem with my CT-30WC14, and it's not the wrong screen mode. The zoom mode needs to be adjusted through the service menu.

I don't know if it was deliberate or not configured correctly, but the zoom isn't even, and the vertical aspect isn't proportional to the horizontal, making it more like 16:8.

When I got the set last September, there wasn't enough information on how to fix it, and I didn't want to haul it to a shop, so I let it go. With the warranty about to expire, I've researched it again, and will try the service menu, probably tonight. If it works, I'll post the fix here. If it doesn't work, I'll call for service before the end of the warranty, now that I know the set doesn't have to be moved.

If you're afraid to go into the service mode yourself, your warranty should cover in-home service.

[Gentaur]

Success! Here is what you do to fix the zoom mode. Before you start, make sure you have a pencil and paper, and a recorded standard definition 16:9 letterboxed program paused on a bright screen for a nice defined rectangle. I used the opening sequence of "Justice League Unlimited".

Carefully read these instructions entirely before doing them. When changing the settings, go slowly and don't hold any buttons down, or the setting can freeze and not let you put it back. If you're not careful, you can permanently mess up your settings and require a service call. Fortunately, I found this out on settings that didn't seem to be critical.

To get into the Service Menu:

Press ACTION.
Go to the SET UP icon and OTHER ADJ. and make sure MODE is set to CABLE.
Go to the AUDIO icon and OTHER ADJ. and make sure SPEAKERS are ON.
Go to the TIMER icon and set SLEEP to 30. (You may have to set the clock first.)
Exit the menus and tune to channel 124.
Set volume to zero with the remote.
Press the volume down (left arrow) button on the TV. A red "CHK" should appear.
Use the power button on the remote to switch between the "CHK" screen and Service Menu.

To adjust the zoom dimensions:

Press ASPECT until you have the ZOOM mode. The service menu options should appear. Write down "ZOOM" and "FULL" on your paper as column headers.
Move to VEAMP and press ACTION. Write down the existing setting immediately under the "ZOOM" column.
Use the left and right volume buttons on the remote to resize the vertical dimension until the top and bottom have thin black bars. You will need them. Press ACTION to return to the service menu.
Move to V RAS and press ACTION. Write down the existing setting immediately under the "ZOOM" column.
Use the volume buttons to center the screen so that the top and bottom bars are equal. Press ACTION to return to the service menu.
Go back to the VEAMP setting and adjust the height until the bars disappear. Press ACTION to return to the service menu.

Press ASPECT until you have the FULL mode. The service menu options should reappear.
Move to HWID and press ACTION. Write down the existing setting immediately under the "FULL" column.
Use the volume buttons to resize the horizontal dimension until the left and right sides have thin black bars. Press ACTION to return to the service menu.
Move to HPOS and press ACTION. Write down the existing setting immediately under the 'FULL" column.
Use the volume buttons to center the screen until the left and right bars are equal. Press ACTION to return to the service menu.
Go back to the HWID setting and adjust the width until the bars disappear. Press ACTION to return to the service menu.

Press ASPECT to go back to ZOOM mode and verify it's sized correctly. Repeat the above instructions if it still needs tweaking.

If you're tempted to experiment with any of the other settings in the service menu, please resist. If you must, then write them down first and be careful. Some may not show any effect (they may be off-screen), and some may get stuck and not let you restore them.

Press the power button on the TV to exit the service menu and save the settings. Turn the TV back on and the zoom mode should work properly.

Keep the record of the old settings in a safe place in case you need to change them back.

--Dave

[Gentaur]

I forgot to mention that once you get into the service menu, you should change the channel back to the one showing the paused 16:9 screen, either 3 or 4, and THEN fiddle with the dimensions.