Info and forum posts by 'R N M'

RE: Sweeney Series 2 Disc 4 tech. problem

it`s an authoring/compression problem. The MONKEY, TRANSFORMERS SERIES 2 DVDs and Tartan`s HAPPINESS OF THE KATAKURIS have the exact same issues.

The compression has simply been set too high, or without leeway for high bitrates. There`s nothing we can do about it, except hope that the companies responsible for these shoddy disks come to thier senses before making more of the same.

Tartan DVD technical problems

I recently purchased the following 2 Tartan DVDs:

HAPPINESS oF THE KATAKURIS
BATTLE ROYALE NTSC version

and have problems with both freezing on all three of my players at certain points.

HAPPINESS freezes for a while at the start of Chapter 3, and BATTLE at 11 minutes into the film. Both freezes unlock after a few seconds (unless I`m playing them on the DVD-ROM, where they lock it up sometimes).

Having 2 different disks with the same probelm has made me wonder if this isn`t coincidence, but a probelm with these DVDs as a whole. Given the poor authoring quality of a great many Tartan titles, I thought they all might be the same.

So does anybody else expereicne the same probelms with these DVDs?

I used:
SAMSUNG DVD-1E
ECLIPSE DVD-695
CREATIVE LABS DXR2

...All with the same results, so I assume it`s not compatibility issues.

Eclipse DVD695 macrovison hack urgently needed

Before continuing, I`ll state now that this isn`t wanted for Piracy reasons (hence me never bothering to get this hack when I had the player years ago).

I am doing a presentation at College next Thursday on Shrek, and I need to show some footage from the film. As my DVD is region 1, it won`t work on the college players, and so I need to copy parts of the film to PAL VHS for the lesson.

If anybody has the hack so I can do this, I`d be very appreciative!

Cyberhome 402 & 405 confusion...Help please!

I found a site selling these 2 machines, but am somewhat confused. The site shows pictures of the backs of both machines, but they both don`t appear to have Scart output. The 402 also appears to be lacking an optical output for a 5.1 system, a bit odd given that it`s got a built in DTS decoder. It does have a coaxial in the picture, but that is apprently not as good as a optical.

Has anybody got 402 and can confrim this is right?

Also...What about the 405? If that`s the same with an optical, it`d be worth the extra? Is this player any good...Region crackable?

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jon-scott/cyberhome/

RE: Anamorphic Aspect Ratio Con

Re: "a good compromise."

a widescreen TV is a good compromise. It`s 1.78:1, not 1.85:1.

Let`s not forget here that films have been made in ratios between 4:3 and 2.45:1 over the years. The ratios still vary somewhat. 1.78:1 is the middle ground between all the ratios used. A 2.35:1 TV would leave 4:3 pictures somewhat small in the middle.

Whearas I understand Colin`s point, I cannot help bu tfind it somewhat silly. There`s two possible arguments here.
1: "I want all the films in their correct ratios" (And that`s the one for me, which includes not matting films down into widescreen if they`re supposed to be less wide than 1.78:1) or..
2: "I want the films to fit my telly."

Okay, let`s look at number 2. For example: If you`ve got a widescreen TV and a 4:3 TV, both the same height, and are watching a 4:3 film, then the image is going to be the same on both sets. So do the bars at the sides really matter?
Then you`ve got the problem that if you`ve a widescreen TV and only want things to fit it, then you matte 4:3 or crop wider than 1.85:1 to some degree. Basically wanting everything to fit a WSTV is the same as wanting everything to fit a 4:3 TV, the iomage is just butchered in different places. Films like EVIL DEAD have already suffered badly by being matted to make them fit a WSTV

Colin, the only way for you to be happy here is to stick with a 4:3 TV and 4:3 VhS, be it OAR, open-matte or P&S. Films usually suffer if their oAR is tampred with in some way, but if you really want to ahve them always fit your set, this is the only way to go. I really don`t see what it matters if there`s a thin black bar here or there if the film benefits from the OAR treatment.

Anamorphic is far from a con, it`s an attempt to drastically improve the picture for our enjoyment, but you can`t please everybody. Reminds me of the old man on Watchdog who was complaining about the Widescreen TV he`d bought not fitting his `Titanic` video`s 2.35:1 ratio, not understanding the ratio variances.

I can`t see 2.35:1 TVs becoming likely in the near future, given that a lot of films are still shot for 1.85:1 exhibition, or that digital is broadcast mostly in that ratio. Widescreen video cameras are that way by stretching the image anamorphically, cutting the top and bottom off. If TV went up to 2.35:1 the industry would have to completely redevelop all it`s video equipment, and it`s not long done that for 16:9 TVs.

RE: DVD picture distortion on 4:3 TVs.

I`ve found that picture distortion on either 4:3 or 16.9 sets often seems to be determined by the colours. If it`s white it bends in more at the edges.

SOmething else that happens, that really annoys me, is that if the volume is up high (as it often is with lower sound level DVDs), I get a really bad hum from the speakers when the screen is bright or white.

Cyberhome CH 400

Is there a region crack available for this machine? There`s not one listed on this site. As my Eclipse has pretty much given up the ghost, I figured I`d buy a new player instead of getting it fixed (It`s pretty much the same cost), and hear good things about Cyberhome players.

RE: New Harry Potter - Faulty Discs?

For the most blatant piece of plagarism (Of Vertigo comic`s Tim Hunter BOOKS OF MAGIC series) in the last twenty years, Harry Potter ins`t too bad, putting aside the strong `This is all just a rip-off` thoughts.

Tech problems with HP2? I couldn`t get the DVD-ROM stuff to work on the first one.

RE: Toy Story and Toy Story 2 to go OOP

it`s seven years, not ten. The copyright on all the Pixar/Disney movies is shared, so Disney will keep control of distribution.

Disney are well known to be abunch of gits, look at their self-imposed unnesasary censorship!

RE: Philips Wide Screen TV`s - Please Post Your Problems Here!!!

It`s obviously the TV, not the box. Grundig have just gone bust by the way!

RE: Philips Wide Screen TV`s - Please Post Your Problems Here!!!

re: "How many people out there think that this is a normal side effect of P+ or 100Hz or their reception or their dvd player or their cables etc. and don`t complain? "

Probably quite a few. I`ve been reading boards across the world, and it appears that Philips pull the same s*** almost everywhere. This is one really despicable company. I hope the UK action from Trading Standards really does do something, it may change things globally if the company realise they can`t get away with it.

Don`t forget to add your replies to the thread at www.avforums.com about problems with Philips TV sets.

RE: Philips Wide Screen TV`s - Please Post Your Problems Here!!!

I recently sent a big portfolio of information to trading standards, along with pictures and links to sites of endless complaints about Philips TV products.

Trading STandards have confirmed that they are going to investigate!
Hooray!

RE: Anyone with cable, sky, freeview, DVB tv, in fact - Everyone,read this please.

re: c`mon someone figure this out it`s drivin me nuts"

It`s all just a dream?

RE: Philips Wide Screen TV`s - Please Post Your Problems Here!!!

I`ve just put up a page with some of the problems with my set. You`ll find it here: http://www.maddog-films.freeserve.co.uk/philipstv/report_document.htm
I`ve got a bit ot tweaking to do on the page, but it gets it`s message across.

Please feel free to link to it across other forums, so others can see what Philips offer their customers.

RE: Philips Wide Screen TV`s - Please Post Your Problems Here!!!

it just gets better and better with my set. The digital packed up last night. All i get for image now is what I can describe as multi-coloured static snow. I`ve checked if it`s the transmitter by removing the aerial, but it doesn`t make any difference. And it`s stopped responding to the channel buttons as well!

RE: Philips Wide Screen TV`s - Please Post Your Problems Here!!!

Watchdog do take interest, believe me. But if we have a big turn out, they`ll give it a higher priority, and give it a bigger chance of being covered. I`ve just taken some photos of my set`s problems which I`ll be adding to a large document covering all the problems. As somebody who works in the TV & video indusdtry myself, i really find this beyond my tolerance, and am gonig to do everything I can do force Philips to do something. I can but try. But together we`re stronger. Join in. Moaning on message boards just isn`t taken seriously. Neither are easily ignored complaints to Philips customer care (who`s probably a passing janitor or something). But media and legal coverage is another thing entierely...

variable zoom flatscreen sets?

Anything any good (not a Philips, obviously), that has these features? Preferably with a `subtitle zoom` function.

RE: Help me please!!!

normally if CD-Rs wont work, it`ll be with them all. it`s down to the colour of the disks, some machines can`t read through the blue due to the frequency of the laser.

RE: Philips Wide Screen TV`s - Please Post Your Problems Here!!!

re: "You`re obviously not happy with it, so why not get your money back and get a different make instead? It`s not worth the hassle!"

i intend to get rid of it. But that`s not good enough for me. Philips shouldn`t keep getting away with screwing customers like this. the reason I had the Philips in the first place, is that they appeared to be the only company whose WS TVs provided a veriable zoom feature. Given all the old & odd films with numerous ratios I watch, I really needed that function. If I can`t find another good make with variable zoom, then i`ll have to buy a 4:3 again instead.

I URGE ANYBODY HAVING TROUBLE WITH PHILIPS SETS TO CONTACT BBC WATCHDOG AND TRADING STANDARDS. AS A LARGE GROUP WE HAVE MORE CHANCE OF SOMETHING BEING DONE.
********!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!********

...And if there are any more forums listing problems, put links up here. let`s see just how bad they all are.

re: "My mate has the next one up from the 6006. I think it`s the 6557 ?
It has some horrendous picture problems."

Well, mine is the 6557, and you`ve seen what i have to suffer!

RE: Help with Philips 32PW9527!

philips lie by saying they`re unaware of the problems.Given all the complaints sent to them, they know all right.

RE: Why do expensive TVs only have 2 scart sockets?

i could really do with 2 RGB compliant SCARTS. Sadly, I couldn`t find a set with more that 1, so i have to keep changing the cables over. grrr...

RE: Philips Wide Screen TV`s - Please Post Your Problems Here!!!

I know that Overscan can be altered on virtually any set from a service menu. Overscan is just a gamble, I just didn`t expect it to be as bad as it is on mine. Rendering my enteire collection of HK import disks unwatchable by cutting off subs is not something I can tolerate.

if the other problems can indeed be sorted out from within a menu then great. The Technician who came to look at it a few days ago said he couldn`t do anything about it. I didn`t find that reassuring.

As for the warping, where parts of the image look a lot `fatter` than the others (creating a wrap-arround/wobbly effect), it looks like it`s down to the cathode rays not firing out consistiently, stretching in places while contracting in others. Silly buggers, how could they miss something like this?

RE: Philips Wide Screen TV`s - Please Post Your Problems Here!!!

32DW6557 18th march-Comet in Kidderminster.

The long list of problems:

1- SEVERE IMAGE WARPING NOT AFFECTED BY VIEWING MODE (always present in the same way in the same parts of the screen)

2- CLOCK LOOSES IT`S TIME OVERNIGHT, GOING BACK TO DEFAULT SETTINGS.

3- 4:3 IF ZOOMED IN CURVES A HECK OF A LOT, AND VEERS OFF TO THE RIGHT, CUTTING IMAGE FROM RIGHT WHIST LEAVING A BIG BLACK BAR DOWN THE LEFT OF THE IMAGE. THROUGH EXT1 (DVD) IN ONLY.

4- SEVERE NTSC OVERSCAN -So much so that it cuts subtitles off the majority of foreign language films. MADE WORSE BY EACH 14:9 and 16:9 zoom, which overcuts even more. PAL is overscanning too much as well, although not this bad.

5- DIGITAL CHANNELS OFTEN DO NOT RESPOND WHEN BUTTON SELECTED.

6- THICK WHITE LINES DOWN THE RIGHT SIDES OF DARK OBJECTS

7- IF THE IMAGE IS ZOOMED INTO 16:9, IT IS STRETCHED DOWN AT THE BOTTOM PART OF THE SCREEN, EQUIVALENT TO 2 PRESSES ON THE REMOTE `DOWN` KEY.

8- SIDES OF SCREEN HAVE SOFT PICTURE (Mostly noticeable on text)...This is where the black bars are if in 4:3 mode.


A NOTE: I`ve checked another of this model in the shop, and it`s the same. It`s a major design fault of this model. I have been in cotact with Philips who pretty much refuse to acknowledge the problems. I am currently putting together a portfolio of information, including photos of the problems. It will go to Philips head office, BBC Watchdog and Trading standards, both of whom I have already contacted regarding this matter. I am hoping that this model will be pulled from the retail shelves until it is sorted out. An £800 set that has all these problems is completely unacceptable.

This item was edited on Tuesday, 1st April 2003, 14:13

RE: Widescreen TV distortion?

it`s a 32DW6557. Can`t say I`m impressed so far. initial impressions in the shop were good, but these issues since are another matter. I`ve found that NTSC is slightly strecthed vertically as well, creating the impression that the overscan is more extreme than it really is (when zoomed in anyway).

Also, the anamorphic modes don`t seem to be responding correctly if it goes from an anamorphc image back to 4:3. instead of recompressing the 4:3 bit, it further stretches the 16:9 menu before it...sheesh...

Hopefully this`ll all turn out to be clumsy configuration by someone at the factory, and nothing to worry about.

Anyway, I`ve just run off a new configuration screen of my own design in Photoshop, and will try it in the morning, see if sheds any more light on this...

RE: Widescreen TV distortion?

You both seem to have completely misunderstood my e-mail.

I was referring to using the 16:9 zoom on the widescreen TV (not DVD player) for non-anamorphic widescreen disks. This along with the anamorphic stretch were ways of testing that the distortion I was seeing was constant, and not a result of different viewing confuration settings.

I have both the player and TV set correctly, but have side parts of the screen which do distort badly, and I know it`s not normal now. I work in TV & Video production, and used the same THX optimizer I put through this set on the LG and JVC widescreen sets we ahve at work, and they didn`t distort in the same way.

I`ve got a Philips technican coming on Friday to correct the overscan and off-centre 4:3 image, so I`m hoping he can do something aboutt he distirtion as well. My big worry is that this a model design flaw, and not a correctable fault. It`ll mean getting rid of the set and looking for another by another fanufacturer.

RE: RGB / S-Video Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

well, mine was VERY expensive. I had to sell my Granny into sex slavery for it!

Strange though: On my old telly, when I fed RGB in, it automatically set the colour and sharpness levels. I couldn`t alter them. With my new one I can, and I even get a `tint` option come up if i`m playing something in NTSC/PAL-60, althoguh this one aprticluar function doesn`t seem to respond.

RE: What is the difference betwen Re-animator R1 & R2 DVDS

The scene where Dr. Hill`s decapitated head is held up between Barbara Crampton`s naked crotch is missing from the Uk version, although there are other cuts. bear in mind different frame rates!

Avoid the UK one anyway, it`s a Tartan release, which is all you need to know.

Widescreen TV distortion?

I`ve just had a UK Philips 32 inch Digital Widescreen set.

I`ve been testing it out over the last three days, and am generally pleased with it, but have come across 2 problems. It overscans a lot, which is made even worse on full zoom, where I lose a lot of image, and...

...It distorts. At first I put it down to the effect of anamorphic enhancement; stretching the image out. Then I noticed it on 4:3. SO I tried it on full 16:9 zoom, and it still seemed there. The distortion was very distracting during the image, things seem to expand as they move toward what is roughly the point where 4:3 borders are, then squash again as they go toward the screen edges. In the end I put one of the THX optimizers through, which has a series of perfect squares across the screen with a white dot in the middle. Indeed, the more I expanded the image out (or went to widescreen stretch mode), they distorted into increasing oblongular shapes, then start to decrease as they go toward the edges, confirming what i suspected. In anamorphic widescreen mode, all the oblongs should have been the same horizontal length, but they weren`t. in zoom mode, the horizontal lengths of the boxes were also different, wheras their vertical lengths remained consistant with the size increases.

I find this distortion horribly distracting, it`s like things keep getting fatter as they go toward the edges, like a bad 2.35:1 anamorphic camera lens, only worse.

...But is this a widescree TV norm? If it is, I wish I`d stuck to 4:3!

I passed the same `squares` optimiser through my PC`s DVD-ROM, which displays 16:9 images in a 16:9 window. The squares did not distort on there, so it`s clearly the TV set.

...Any help would be appreciated. I`m hoping I can get a technician to come and sort ths out, I don`t want all the agro of taking the TV back for another one which may be the same.

RE: RGB / S-Video Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I`ve been comparing S-Video with Scart RGB, and found that the RGB is much better. It`s a new telly I`ve got, the first with S-Video input. On it I compared the RGB bright red of the higlights on the T2:UE menu with the S-Video signal equivalent. The reds were a little faded and bleeding on S-VIdeo, but perfectly defined on RGB.

I hear a lot of people saying they prefer S-Video, but either there`s something wrong with this set, or RGb looks a lot better.

RE: THE BOUNTY

ah-Thanks. Wish they`d say that on the darned box!

It says the UK one`s PAL, I just hope it`s not an NTSC to PAL conversion, something that`s ruined many a UK ANchor Bay disk. Sanctuary`s HALLOWEEN II looked like an NTSC to PAL conversion....