[artinsocal]

My Setup:
Tivo S3 and Samsung 720P 16:9
My HD channels resolution comes in 1080i and sometimes 720P, and I notice that on all of the 720P channels the screen is cut off at the sides and even sometimes on the top and bottom. However the 1080i channels fill the entire screen. I've tried numerous combination of settings on the S3 to try to get the 720P channels to fill the entire screen but have not been able to thus far. Is their maybe a setting on my TV that I have yet to figure out that would accomplish this. I've had my TV for less than a week and has so many different settings that hopefully someone here can point me into the right direction. Thanks.

 

[bkdtv]

This is called overscan. By default, most TVs cut 2% to 5% of the picture off each picture edge. Many newer display models offer a feature called 1:1 pixel mapping which will display the picture without cutting off any of the image. This is typically enabled through in a settings menu

Many of the 2007 Samsungs have this feature accessible through a menu. They call it "Just scan" mode. The older 2006 models do not have this feature.

What Samsung model did you have?

 

[artinsocal]

This is called overscan. By default, most TVs cut 2% to 5% of the picture off each picture edge. Many newer display models offer a feature called 1:1 pixel mapping which will display the picture without cutting off any of the image. This is typically enabled through in a settings menu

Many of the 2007 Samsungs have this feature accessible through a menu. They call it "Just scan" mode. The older 2006 models do not have this feature.

What Samsung model did you have?

I have the HPT4254 and I have seen the "just scan" mode and I didn't know what it did but I will try that mode again. Thanks.

 

[AbMagFab]

I have the HPT4254 and I have seen the "just scan" mode and I didn't know what it did but I will try that mode again. Thanks.

You should also probably set the Tivo to output 720p Fixed.

 

[d_anders]

You should also probably set the Tivo to output 720p Fixed.

Sorry, I don't follow, please explain. You're a long time and experienced member of the board, so I respect your advice on TiVo.

Why not at 1080i fixed for this situation? His set has problems with 720p inputs...just set everything coming out of the Tivo at 1080i fixed, right? Will fill the whole screen, just as he wants...I must be missing something.

 

[AbMagFab]

Sorry, I don't follow, please explain. You're a long time and experienced member of the board, so I respect your advice on TiVo.

Why not at 1080i fixed for this situation? His set has problems with 720p inputs...just set everything coming out of the Tivo at 1080i fixed, right? Will fill the whole screen, just as he wants...I must be missing something.

If he's going to do the pixel mapping, and he has a 720p DLP, then he should set it to fixed 720p. Otherwise the pixel mapping is mostly pointless.

 

[Okeemike]

If he's going to do the pixel mapping, and he has a 720p DLP, then he should set it to fixed 720p. Otherwise the pixel mapping is mostly pointless.

mostly pointless...hahaha. Just like college.

 

[Okeemike]

Sorry, I don't follow, please explain. You're a long time and experienced member of the board, so I respect your advice on TiVo.

Why not at 1080i fixed for this situation? His set has problems with 720p inputs...just set everything coming out of the Tivo at 1080i fixed, right? Will fill the whole screen, just as he wants...I must be missing something.

So, this makes me wonder (and I guess I could test myself) is there an appreciable different between 720 and 1080? I mean, I know there is a technical difference, but can the average person see the difference?

 

[Laserfan]

So, this makes me wonder (and I guess I could test myself) is there an appreciable different between 720 and 1080?

That is exactly what you have to do: try it both ways, i.e. Tivo at fixed-output 1080i, and Tivo at fixed-output 720p, and look at some HD and the Tivo menus.

My set is a 1366x768 Sony, and so it has to scale EVERYTHING coming-in whether it be 1080i or 720p. Turns out it looks noticeably sharper to me when the incoming signal is 1080i.

So my several gizmos including my S3 are set for 1080i and I don't ever have to think about changing them.

 

[AbMagFab]

So, this makes me wonder (and I guess I could test myself) is there an appreciable different between 720 and 1080? I mean, I know there is a technical difference, but can the average person see the difference?

Completely depends on the TV resolution, the TV size, how close you are, the device doing the scaling conversion, and how much you care.

For example, many TV's do a better job at scaling than the Tivo, which is why they put Native in. This sends the native resolution of the signal to the TV, then lets the TV scale to it's native resolution.

For example, 768p TV's (LCD) often look better with an incoming 1080i fixed signal than 720p. Perhaps this is because the Tivo does a better job scaling up? Perhaps it's the slight loss of pixels at 720p? Perhaps it's a placebo effect?

For the newer 1080p sets, there is a more noticable difference. However you have to be sitting close enough to really see it. For example, for a 60" 1080p TV, you need to be around 8-feet or closer for the eye to distinguish pixels enough versus 720p. The further away or smaller the set, you're not likely to notice (and frankly, you shouldn't bother with a 1080p set).

In any case, it ultimately boils down to what looks good to you. Try them all, decide what you like, and enjoy. This is all about entertainment, after all.

 

[mchief]

During the past few days, I've been switching resolution on the Tivo HD from Native to Fixed to see if I can see any difference and the Tivo locked up. Next day tried again and again the Tivo locked up. So - being the bright guy that I am, I decided 1080i fixed was good enough and leave it alone.