Hi All,

I have a few Avants and they all seem to show the same strange behaviour. They all select 16:9 (as WSS detection is set to on) when watching Virgin or DVD's, yet when watching normal analogue TV through their in built tuners they will never select full 16:9!

I'm pretty sure that at least some programs are broadcast in widescreen on UK terrestrial TV so why are my Avants not showing them in this format?

Cheers

I dont think any of them do. At least none of mine ever have!

They do switch to wide when watching terrestrial channels on Sky connected by scart.

My Avant 32 DVD behaves like joeyboygolf; does not go full 16:9 through terrestrial TV but does through Digital free to air STB connected through the scart

k984942:

I have a few Avants and they all seem to show the same strange behaviour. They all select 16:9 (as WSS detection is set to on) when watching Virgin or DVD's, yet when watching normal analogue TV through their in built tuners they will never select full 16:9!

I'm pretty sure that at least some programs are broadcast in widescreen on UK terrestrial TV so why are my Avants not showing them in this format?

I'm not too familiar with the UK broadcasting scene, but I'm pretty sure all analogue broadcasts are sent in 4:3 over there as well (and letterboxed by the operator, when the actual content is widescreen). The reason is that there are an endless number of older TV sets that would otherwise show a wrong aspect ratio and have no means of correcting it.

On digital TV you don't have this problem, since the STB can be configured to letterbox the programme when needed, if the TV doesn't support WS.

In short, I don't think there's anything wrong with your Avants or their settings.

My Mk3 Avant will switch to full screen 16:9 if a "letterbox" picture is detected using the analogue tuner. Films are occasionally shown in proper widescreen mode on analogue 4:3 transmissions, (and are marked as such in the Radio Times), and my Avant seems to eventually detect this and alters the ratio accordingly. The picture is then exactly the same as the proper 16:9 version on Freeview. It can take a while for the aspect ratio to be detected, but once selected remains stable. The Avant is set on Format 1. with the picture usually defaulting to the semi-stretched/cropped 15:9 ratio. If all analogue transmissions were in "letterbox" format, the Avant analogue tuner would be a great success instead of the inevitable compromise. Hope this helps.

Neil.

k984942:

I have a few Avants and they all seem to show the same strange behaviour. They all select 16:9 (as WSS detection is set to on) when watching Virgin or DVD's, yet when watching normal analogue TV through their in built tuners they will never select full 16:9!

My avantDVD inbuilt analog tuner change the screen format automatically and always perfectly well among the 3 picture formats depending the analog tv broadcast picture format sent by my local tv provider.

When a tv broadcast is transmitted in 16:9 anamorphic format by my analog tv provider AND this transmission also has the picture format signal along with (TF1, France3, Arte, Direct8, NRJ12, ARD1, ZDF...etc) then my avant change automatically to "FORMAT 3" (widescreen); exactly in the same way when playing DVDs.

If the analog tv broadcast transmission is in 16:9 letterbox format AND the picture format signal is transmitted too (TSR1, TSR2, TCM, RSI1, RSI2, SF1, SF2...) then my avant change automatically to "FORMAT 2" (zoom).

Exactly the same happens with all 4:3 SD transmissions and the avant "FORMAT 1"...

It's absolutely essential that your analog tv local provider send you the correct PICTURE FORMAT SIGNAL INFO (aspect ratio) along with the tv channels image (in the same way that teletext info!) Only when the avant receives this picture format signal can change the screen format by itself.

In addition the HDR2 inbuilt analog tuner (VTUNER) works exactly in the same way!!! and changes automatically the screen format according to the analog tv broadcast aspect ratio... of course it works with all the recorded material too.

Hope this hepls.

Regards.