View Full Version : Questions about Avia
Widescreen or Bust
03-30-2003, 11:28 PM
Which is the best mode for viewing the Avia disc on a 16x9 screen? I use a progressive scan player with the tv set on Full mode (same mode used for anamorphic dvds). I've noticed that the advanced patterns are stretched. Should I be using some other viewing mode?
Also, some of the advanced patterns have lines on the edges that mark "safe viewing area." What does that mean?
The patterns can be used either way, but some of them were specifically designed for widescreen sets (I think they say "enhanced" or something like that and you should use the "full" mode)
Some patterns are specifically designed to see how the various formats (aspect ratios) fit on your screen (1.66:1 1.85:1, 2.00:1, 2.35:1). I think you use the "fill" stretch mode to view these (the aspect mode that zooms vertically and horizontally)
The "safe area" that you mention is the area that broadcasters usually put their "information" like tickers, scores etc., inside. Going outside this "safe area" means that some people may not be able to see the information.
The broadcasters used to keep everything inside 90%, or 10% overscan. I've noticed recently that they are "pushing" this envelope. Your widescreen set should have about 4-6% overscan. If it has a lot more, you may wish to have this changed to a lower number (there is an overscan test pattern)...
Widescreen or Bust
03-31-2003, 12:24 PM
Thanks 57. I'll look at the overscan patterns tonight and check it out. One more thing. If you use the blue plastic that comes with the disc to set color and hue, what do you use the red and green for?
Although the blue is the most important (and that's why the S&V disk has it only) the red and green can also be used on some specific test patterns. If you watch the AVIA demo, it tells you which patterns to use it on...
I believe it is one with vertical green and red bars and you compare the bars with the background to make sure you don't have too much red or green.... There is a % scale or something. It's been a while since I looked at this.
Widescreen or Bust
03-31-2003, 12:32 PM
Thanks 57. I'll look at the overscan patterns tonight and check it out. One more thing. If you use the blue plastic that comes with the disc to set color and hue, what do you use the red and green for?
billw
03-31-2003, 12:32 PM
I will say that I configured my tv in standard mode and the red and green did not scale as well when I re-configured it in theater mode.
I thought the theater mode was too dark but I am used to it now and the other modes seem bright and washed out.
Has anyone experienced this?
sillygoose
03-31-2003, 08:40 PM
I don't have a theatre/standard mode on my set. Can you explain what these are for then I might be able to take a shot at why they make your colors different.
billw
04-01-2003, 09:50 AM
sillygoose,
what tv do you have?
sillygoose
04-01-2003, 01:33 PM
i have a hitachi 65swx
billw
04-01-2003, 02:42 PM
sillygoose,
This one is for 57U
. He knows Hitachi and he knows AVIA.
Originally posted by billw
sillygoose, This one is for 57U. He knows Hitachi and he knows AVIA. Huh? Sillygoose also knows Hitachi...and a lot more...
Anyone should feel free to contribute at any time, especially if it's someone like sillygoose who has a great deal of knowledge.
I am simply an informed amateur. Some of the people on this forum work in the industry and have extensive experience.
billw
04-01-2003, 03:08 PM
I am sorry. I missed what was being communicated here.
I thought the Hitachi's had a theatre mode.
57U,
I believe it was you that stated that - that was the mode to use when calibrating the TV.
I was under the impression that the hitachi had a similar mode and was simply asking you to communicate the mode that you found to be similar.
It's called "Movie" on the Hitachi. This mode also engages 2:3 pulldown automatically. I believe none of the other modes (sports, news, etc) have 2:3 pulldown, that's why I suggest using that mode.
The names seem similar on other TVs - cinema, theater, etc.
sillygoose
04-01-2003, 06:59 PM
Yeah I have a movie mode on mine too. There is no standard mode. There are movie/news/sports/music modes. They are all really just memory banks for the video settings with the exception of movie mode which enables the 3:2 pulldown. At any rate each one has its own picture settings so if they aren't set the same as far as contrast, brightness, color, tint etc. then obviously they will look different. If all of these settings are the same between two modes then they should look the same when used on the same input if you are comparing two different inputs using two different modes than the inputs may differ in their brightness.
sillygoose, I believe that contrast, brightness, colour, hue are "universal" for all the modes. The modes really only "remember" the "advanced" settings like black level, SVM, perfect picture, auto-colour, etc.
Too bad, I really would like if they did remember contrast, brightness, then I'd have a couple of settings stored into the various modes for HD and SD pictures since HD seems to be a bit darker - pity... As it is, I only use "movie".
(I have a 2001 61UWX10B, so this may have changed...)
Tomtrekkie
04-02-2003, 12:46 PM
I have had my 4 modes set to different levels, and my 3-week-old 51swx20b stores them separately. At work here, I remember different settings stored for contrast, brightness, color, sharpness. Tint I never changed on any mode. I can't remember the other settings.
I know it also separately stores the aspect ratio per input. I don't know about aspect ratio per mode - I'm still learning...
Ok, lunch is over :-)
sillygoose
04-02-2003, 01:28 PM
This must have changed between the model years because mine works as I described it and Tomtrekkie seems to have confirmed that. I find it to be an especially useful feature. I use movie mode for my DVD player and then split the other modes amongst my other inputs: 5100, vcr, analog cable. This way I can calibrate each one separately.
