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Panny plasma Vs Comcast HDTV, HELP


Hey folks. Need some help here

I got myself a Panasonic 42in plasma, model # TH-42PD50U
I have 2 ways i have been trying to watch the TV

Currently, i have the HD box set up passing HD through the component (comcast HD boxes DO pass 1080I through component)to the plasma. Also, i have the COAX from the HD box connected to the COAX input on the Plasma.

When watching the source through the COAX input, i am unable to get the HD (as expected). When watching standard definition programming i can use the aspect button to switch from Full, Just, 4:3, and ZOOM to find the best way to view the program. on the 4:3 there are grey bars on the sides, and the other 3 methods will stretch the pic in different ways so i can select which is the most desireable.
However, NONE of the menu's will be displayed, i cannot get the channel guide to show up through the COAX input.

When watching the source through COMPONENT, i am able to recieve 1080I signals, everything looks crisp and lush, however, on standard definition channels the picture is broadcast 4:3 aspect to the TV. This results in the black bars on the left and right side.
The TV has an ASPECT button, however, when watching through COMPONENT the ASPECT button DOES NOT WORK. The TV will not go into Zoom, Full, Just, or 4:3 mode.
When watching the HD channels it WILL go 16:9, the 4:3 HD signals will show the grey bars on the side, or some wierd moving pattern with channel logo's and stuff depending on the channel. When watching 16:9 aspect the entire screen is used and works as it should, and i should also add, it looks SPECTACULAR. The channel guide and menu's from the cable box WILL show up.
The biggest pain in the ass is that the SD WILL NOT fill the whole screen, and the ASPECT controls do not work, meaning that if i get a wide-screen movie on demand, then i have black bars on the TOP, BOTTOM, LEFT, AND RIGHT of the screen!!!

So, as a work around, when i am watching an HD channel i watch through the component, and when watching SD i watch through the coax so i can use the aspect mode to fill the screen. When searching the channel guide i have to flip back to the COMPONENT input

My buddy has a Panasonic CRT HDTV with the same box, he uses the HDMI and his TV will broadcast widescreen in widescreen, and his Aspect control WORKS with the SD. He doesent seem to have this problem.

Does anyone have this TV? Have you used it with HDMI?
Im thinking that i might need an HDMI-to-DVI cable in order to be able to use the ASPECT button with the SD in order to fill the screen.

Ugh, i hope this isnt too confusing, but it is complicated to explain.

Basically

Watching from COMPONENT
ASPECT button WILL NOT WORK, SD is broadcast with black bars, without the use of the Aspect i fear i might get burn-in.
The cable guide DOES DISPLAY

Watching from COAX
ASPECT button DOES work, HD does not, and the channel guide DOES NOT SHOW UP.

Is there any way i can have my cake and eat it too? Should i get the HDMI cable? I really dont want to blow another 100 bucks just to find out that doesent work either.

Ugh... why cant i just have 1 input that will show the cable guide, have full use of the aspect button, and get HD?

ALSO, My denon 2900 connects to the Denon 3805 via COMPONENT, then to the TV via component, the aspect does NOT work with the DVD player either.... im starting to think the aspect function will work with coax but NOT COMPONENT, maybe it will work with HDMI?
slappy
chadnliz
3,736 posts
 
Slappy, I am glad you perhaps shoved him off of his soap-box...or maybe his mom wont let him on the computer anymore, anyway happy HD, music and peace.
cinematic_systems
282 posts
 
You guys are quite a crew,

So none of you understood my posts? That's brilliant, I had two goner's read my posts and they understood. But they have +100 IQ's so maybe it was an unfair sampling.

I did make one mistake I forgot a question mark after Panasonic because Desilva had the manual, I wanted to know. I didn't know if they removed this feature, but on older Panasonics it was there on the 42 HD's.

But if you read my post you'll see that your final explanation is regurgitating back to me what I already told you. But I'm the Moron?
How do you respond to someone who is incapable of understanding what you write.

Clearly I made every attempt to talk as far down to you as I could but I simply need to find an 89 to translate what i'm saying.

As for my friends, let me add I don't have any "stupid" friends. Clearly this is why we don't get along.

"That is where the difference lies, because my buddys TV retains the aspect controls. probably just some type of logic processor or something that can figure it out, or maybe as the HD box sends it out over 1080i it sends a flag to mark it as SD so his tv enables the aspect controls. That is just a guess, i really dont care how his TV lets him watch SD quality over 1080i and allows him to use aspect."

I've explained this to you twice, when are you going to read and have it sink in?

"Either way, the FIX was not in the tv, it was a HIDDEN menu on the COMCAST BOX that you cannot access while the comcast box is turned ON, it can only be access by hitting menu when the box is OFF, and it takes you to a menu that is not otherwise available. All i needed to know was where the hell that freakin menu was hidden, and presto i had it."

Never said the fix was in the TV, you said you wanted your cake an eat it, which was aspect controls with 1080i input. So now you have a 480p input not HD, so I'm still blaming the user as the biggest problem.

"But let me just get this one thing straight, according to you, you cannot stretch/zoom an 1080i signal. So everyone with Comcast digital cable needs to use 2 seperate video inputs? They cannot watch HD then flip to an SD broadcast which is send over a 1080i singal and have aspect controls?"

Never said that, must have been someone else.

"Because guess what? Comcast HDbox ONLY sends 1080i over component if you have 1080I setup, it will NOT send 1080i and later on send 720p or 480p or 480i. it simply sends the highest resolution, which is the resolution you select on the hidden menu, and it will send SD quality over 1080i"

Let me clarify your comments on your cables system that is the case, But that was never in dispute.

"So once again cinematic, you are unable to grasp the concept of the question, you run off some other unrelated concept and pat yourself on the back for being such a smart guy. The entire question was obviously over your head."

Slappy if life was simple you'd be a role model.
danlib1
819 posts
 
Cinematic states:

1.
"So none of you understood my posts? That's brilliant, I had two goner's read my posts and they understood. But they have +100 IQ's so maybe it was an unfair sampling."

2.
"I've explained this to you twice, when are you going to read and have it sink in?"

3.
"As for my friends, let me add I don't have any "stupid" friends.-

4.
"Slappy if life was simple you'd be a role model."

Cinematic: If you talk to everyone the way you address us, then I'd have to challenge you on #3.
edesilva
768 posts
 
"How do you respond to someone who is incapable of understanding what you write"? Perhaps it isn't Slappy's understanding. Perhaps it is that you don't communicate very effectively. Or, maybe you were just wrong and your 3XL ego won't let you admit it.

Generally, when people say things like:

"The keyword is HDTV and something your TV is not."
"Cake and eat it= +$1000 for an HDTV plasma."
"No master of obtuseness, his tv has the equivalent 1024x1280 resolution, it is a real HDTV. Not compatible like yours."
"Edesilva has the manual and doesn't get it either, you don't have enough resolution to stretch 1080i, 720p and 480p."

A fair read is that you are saying the problem is that his TV isn't HD. That, in fact, is *not* the problem.

PS. I don't, in fact, have the manual. But, some of us sub-100 IQ types have learned how to use this new-fangled internet thing to look up manuals.

PPS. I'm guessing you don't have any smart friends either.
cinematic_systems
282 posts
 
Desilva,

Not fair at all I would say: What about this half?

1. "What resolution is the Component input from the cable box... 1080i? Keep in mind the black bars are generated by the cable box. So to strech an (let me add "SD") image would require more or less resolution than your TV has?, this goes for DVD too......you're out of dots brother, you only have 480x752."

Addressing the Cable box, yes?

2. "When watching the source through the COAX input, i am unable to get the HD (as expected,). When watching standard definition programming i can use the aspect button to switch from Full, Just, 4:3, and ZOOM"

What is the max resolution of the coax input?...285-325 lines

More cable box data, no?

3. "Have no idea why your menu won't pass thru the RF connection. Cable companies can be silly sometimes when it comes to chizzling customers for more money".

Call the cable company...cable box issue? yes

3. "On that it was set to pass 1080I on all signals, basically, i set the box to only put out a 480p signal which is all my TV is really capable of doing.

Gee I didn't know that, wonder who the first person was who brought that concept up."

4. "That is where the difference lies, because my buddys TV retains the aspect controls. probably just some type of logic processor or something that can figure it out, or maybe as the HD box sends it out over 1080i it sends a flag to mark it as SD so his tv enables the aspect controls. That is just a guess, i really dont care how his TV lets him watch SD quality over 1080i and allows him to use aspect."

----->I repeat: Keep in mind the black bars are generated by the cable box. So to strech an image would require more or less resolution than your TV has?" Let me add a finer point; for this feature to actually look any good.

The posting in this style has nothing to do with my ego but more to do with my desire to torture Slappy. The fact is YOU also didn't read my posts completely and while I didn't spoon feed slappy the exact answer I showed him exactly where to look and why! My original post did everything but directly answer his question and gave him the information he needed. Slappy and I go back, and he didn't read his manual so it was payback time.

It's really none of your concern. So don't take it personal.
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