Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (
More info?)
I am on Time Warner of Western Ohio and they use Pioneer's Passport software
on their boxes. You can only choose pass-through mode if you have the SARA
software. With the Passport software on the SA8000HD, if all modes (480i,
480p, 720p and 1080i) are enabled, the box will send 480p for a 480i SD
program and 720p or 1080p as appropriate for an HD program. With the
Passport software on the Pioneer Voyager BD-V3510HD if all modes are
enabled, the box will send 480i for a SD program. My frustration is that 1)
if the box had the SARA software, I could select pass-through mode and not
have any problems and 2) if the Passport software worked like it does on the
BD-V3510HD then I could enable all modes and again not have any problems.
Its aggravating that the same software doesn't work the same on different
hardware and that the software that would work is not available.
Yes, you are correct in stating that my projector (Zenith Pro 895x) saves
separate settings for each aspect ratio (16:9 or 4:3) for a particular scan
rate. The issue is that it stays in a particular aspect ratio for a given
scan rate until told to switch. (How could it know otherwise?) I have a
programmable Home Theater Master MX-700 remote which I use to unify my home
theater system and do, in fact, have a macro programmed which switches
between 4:3 and 16:9. For me and my family, the nuisance of switching
aspect ratios whenever I change channels outweighs the advantage of an HD
DVD. We do a lot of channel switching/surfing. Also keep in mind that the
MX-200 (kids remote) which is bundled with the MX-500 only has three
available macro buttons in addition to the standard volume and channel
buttons, and that those buttons are allocated to more important functions.
I guess that I was just spoiled by the Pioneer Voyager BD-V3510HD. If
having an HD DVR were more important than convenience, I could just let the
box output SD programming in 480p and switch aspect ratios on the projector
as required. That is yet one more jack/scan rate/aspect ratio combination
that must be converged. (Neither the settings from 480p WS or 480i from the
SVIDEO jack are close enough to provide a good picture).
--Brian
"Hasenpfeffer" <hasenpfeffer@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
news:OcwId.34064$dt3.3057538@twister.southeast.rr.com...
> I have tested both my 8000HD and 8300 HD. I am able to watch ANY SD or HD
> material in 480i standard, 480i wide, 480p standard, 480p wide, 720p
(always
> wide) and 1080i (always wide). I have all the resolutions enabled and
switch
> freely between them with the "setting" button on the remote. I have a TV
> connected to one and a couple of projectors to the other, one Electrohome
> ECP4500 and a Barco Graphics 800. I can save different settings for the
same
> scan rate on both projectors. In the 18 years that I have been dealing
with
> projectors, I have always been able to do that with all projectors. The
> problem is that the projector will not be able to recall the correct
setting
> when it can't see a difference in the signal and it has to manually be set
> to recall the correct parameters. My Pronto remote is programmed to do
that
> whenever I select what I want to watch. There also is the possibility of
> adjusting the height and width of the image on the projector in the
service
> menu.
> Maybe you have a box with a different program? I am on Time Warner in
North
> Carolina (Davidson County).
>
>
> "Brian K. White" <nospam@foxfire74.com> wrote in message
> news:NGFHd.39972$re1.12529@fe2.columbus.rr.com...
> >I can work the box just fine. The box simply does not output 480i for
any
> > SD programming when you have any other higher resolutions enabled. This
> > is
> > a requirement for my projector. There was a lot of good information on
> > the
> > AVS forum on other users with this very same issue so I am definitely
not
> > alone. It just depends on the equipment that the box is being connected
> > to
> > as to whether or not this automatic up-converting behavior will be an
> > issue
> > or not.
> >
> > --Brian
> >
> > "hasenpfeffer" <Meickemeier@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
> > news:hUyHd.39081$fE4.4947473@twister.southeast.rr.com...
> >> The settings button on the 8000Hd will also allow to switch between all
> >> configured resolutions on the fly. Together with the zoom buttons it
will
> > do
> >> about anything.
> >> Nevermind - even though I really don't know what lesson you learned
other
> >> than you didn't know how to work the thing.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> "Brian K. White" <nospam@foxfire74.com> wrote in message
> >> news:uvlHd.34479$re1.29724@fe2.columbus.rr.com...
> >> > The SA8000HD is no more. I returned it and got another Pioneer
Voyager
> >> > BD-V3510HD. I've learned my lesson. No matter what documentation
you
> >> read
> >> > on the manufacturers web site. Always check AVS Forum and see what
> > other
> >> > peoples' experiences are. If I had gone there first, I would have
> >> > known
> >> > that the 8000HD was not an option for me.
> >> >
> >> > --Brian
> >> >
> >> > "Brian K. White" <nospam@foxfire74.com> wrote in message
> >> > news:U6xGd.9005$re1.3569@fe2.columbus.rr.com...
> >> > > Randy:
> >> > >
> >> > > Thank you for the thread on the AVS forum. I will review it. I
> >> > > can't
> >> use
> >> > > 480p since I have my projector configured to recognize that as a
> >> > widescreen
> >> > > format. My projector only has one input usable for high definition
> > but
> >> > > remembers separate configurations for each of the formats that it
> >> receives
> >> > > on a particular input. So I have 480p configured for 16:9
widescreen
> >> DVD.
> >> > > If I adjust the settings for 4:3 CATV programs then I'll lose the
DVD
> >> > setup.
> >> > > The problem in my case is that since I have a projector, I have
BOTH
> >> > > a
> >> > 16:9
> >> > > screen and a 4:3 screen. For maximum viewing area, I need for the
> >> > > box
> >> to
> >> > > pass along both signals types unaltered. The 8000HD seems to think
> > that
> >> > it
> >> > > is dong me a favor by upconverting 480i to 1080i which is not what
I
> >> want.
> >> > > This wound not be an issue if my projector held the height constant
> >> > between
> >> > > formats, but die to the way it works, It holds the width constant.
> > For
> >> a
> >> > > 4:3 material, the projected size is 80-inches wide and 60-inches
> >> > > tall.
> >> > > For 16:9 material, the projected size is 80-inches wide and
45-inches
> >> > tall.
> >> > > When I get 480i material that us upconverted by the box to 1080i
the
> >> > > resultant image is 4:3 due to the side-bars but the actual picture
is
> >> now
> >> > > 60x45! There's a big difference with the 100-inch diagonal 4:3
> > picture
> >> > that
> >> > > I received when viewing SD formatted material with the Pioneer
> >> > > Voyager
> >> > > BD-V3510HD and the 75-inch diagonal picture I now get when viewing
SD
> >> > > formatted material with the Scientific Atlanta
> >> > > Explorer 8000HD DVR.
> >> > >
> >> > > So far as the # button goes, it never does anything except display
a
> >> > message
> >> > > that everything is optimal or something like that. I need a button
> > the
> >> > > changes the actual output format of the material since my projector
> >> lacks
> >> > > zoom capability. I have noticed a slight reduction in picture
> >> > > quality
> >> but
> >> > I
> >> > > am willing to accept it for DVR capability. I am not willing to
> > accept
> >> > > having to change the output format every time I change channels.
> >> > >
> >> > > --Brian K. White
> >> > >
> >> > > "Randy W" <RandyLWaltersremovenospammage@earthlink.net> wrote in
> > message
> >> > > news:41e9cedd.430167476@news.west.earthlink.net...
> >> > > >
> >> > > > Your remote should have a # button; this changes the aspect ratio
> >> > > > and you may find it fixes your problem. You might want to try
> >> > > > enabling 480p along with the others and see if that does
> >> > > > anything. Maybe even try enabling only 480p and 1080i
> >> > > > and disable 480i and 720p (this is what i'm doing and it
> >> > > > works for me, but i'm using mine with a 4:3 tube TV so
> >> > > > it may or may not work for you). Things to try though.
> >> > > >
> >> > > > Also, most of us with the SA8000HD have noticed a reduction in
> >> > > > the quality of the HD image - it's softer and lost some of the
> >> > > > punch of our previous regular HD converter boxes (i also had
> >> > > > the Pioneer 3510HD and was able to compare them directly).
> >> > > >
> >> > > > There's a good thread about the SA8000HD w/Passport on
> >> > > > AVSForum.com that will help familiarize you with the beast:
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > >
> >> >
> >>
> >
http
/www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=453804&perpage=20&pagenumber=1
> >> > > >
> >> > > > Randy
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > > On Sun, 16 Jan 2005, "Brian K. White" wrote:
> >> > > >
> >> > > > >I recently swapped my Pioneer Voyager BD-V3510HD for a
Scientific
> >> > Atlanta
> >> > > > >Explorer 8000HD DVR. Both units use the Passport software so I
> >> > > > >was
> >> > > > >expecting similar behavior. Unfortunately, that is not the
case.
> > I
> >> > have
> >> > > > >set up the box to output 480i, 720p and 1080i. My projector is
a
> >> > > > >multi-scanning unit that understands all of these formats. It
> >> > > > >(the
> >> > > > >projector) has been configured to display 720p and 1080i in a
16:9
> >> > aspect
> >> > > > >ratio and 480i in a 4:3 aspect ratio. If I am watching HD
> >> programming,
> >> > > > >everything is good. Whenever I switch to a SD channel, the
> > cable-box
> >> > > > >outputs in 1080i which is not as all what I want. If I then
turn
> > the
> >> > > cable
> >> > > > >box off and on, it will come up in 480i but as soon as I change
> >> > channels,
> >> > > it
> >> > > > >will switch to back to 1080i even if I tune to another SD
channel.
> >> > This
> >> > > is
> >> > > > >a major issue with me since my projector does not have the
stretch
> >> and
> >> > > zoom
> >> > > > >modes which are normally found on HDTVs. Using the same
settings
> >> with
> >> > > the
> >> > > > >Pioneer box, yielded 480i whenever I was watching SD cable and
> >> > > > >720p
> >> or
> >> > > 1080i
> >> > > > >as appropriate whenever I was watching HD programming. I really
> > want
> >> > the
> >> > > > >DRV capability but not at the expense of having to turn the
power
> > off
> >> > and
> >> > > on
> >> > > > >whenever I switch channels. My equipment is as follows:
> >> > > > >
> >> > > > > TimeWarner Cable (Western Ohio)
> >> > > > > Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8000HD DVR
> >> > > > > Zenith Pro 895X Projector
> >> > > > >
> >> > > > >Thanks for any insight you can provide.
> >> > > > >
> >> > > > >--Brian K. White
> >> > > > >
> >> > > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>
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