Poor reception and picture not filling up screen.

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Poor reception and picture not filling up screen.

adamhiroshi

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#23187 21-Jun-2008 11:14

I bought a Panasonic 37" LCD two months ago. Everything was fine until a few days ago when the pictures on all channels became snowy. In addition to that the TV picture is not filling up the screen so there's a 2-3 cm width black line going across the top and bottom of the screen and sometimes on the sides as well. This happens on all channels (TV1-4 Prime, Maori). I don't have Freeview nor Sky so it just goes through a normal aerial.

Everything is fine though when I watch a DVD. No snow and the picture fills up the entire screen.

Could this be a problem with my TV? Or is it a broadcast signal problem or something else?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#139557 21-Jun-2008 12:31

Assuming you did have a good picture the sudden snowy picture indicates your aerial or cabling has developed a fault.

As for the bars this is because all TV broadcasts in New Zealand on Digital Platforms are now in widescreen. Analogue broadcasts such as what you have are now are not in widescreen which is why everything you watch is in "fatovision" and stretched sideways making everybody look fat. The analogue signal is now a centre cut version of the widescreen TV broadcasts which means that the left and right hand side of the picture is simply cut off to fit in on a non widescreen TV. There will also be bars at the top and bottom depending on the show and channel.

If you want to view TV programming in proper widescreen you really need to get yourself a Freeview Box, Sky or TelstraClear cable. You can get both satellite and terrestrial (regular aerial) Freeview boxes and the terrestrial box will also give you High Definition programming if you have a suitable TV.

adamhiroshi

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#139559 21-Jun-2008 12:38

Thanks for the information!

So it's just a coincidence that the problem with the bars and the snowy pictures started occurring on the same day a couple days ago?

rugrat

3107 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#139586 21-Jun-2008 14:59

Check ariel plugs are plugged in properly.

If ariel plugged into vcr or other devices and then going to TV, make sure they are powered. Standby ok.

If after this still no good try retuning TV into channels.

Bars on side but if want to get rid of check TV screen settings Pillar box, full screen etc. My recommendation if there is super zoom.
As it cuts a little off top and buttom probably lose bars in these places as well.

Sounds like somethings gone wrong with ariel or your TV lost its settings.

cyril7

9058 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#139674 22-Jun-2008 09:14

Hi, As the others have said I recommend you check your antenna out, with age/weathering connections can simply and completely break and disconnect. Water can ingress cables and cause a breakdown, is there a mast head amp or even one in the roof space, this may have expired or purhpas that odd power pack that no one knows what its for in the lounge it was just here when we moved in, has been turned off.

The noise may be upsetting the WSS (widescreen signalling) system and causeing the TV to do something odd with its aspect ratio control.

Having spent conciderable money on a high tech widescreen telly it simply defies logic that you would then continue to use a anlog offair signal. As others have said it provides you both with the wrong aspect ratio broadcasts and is 70yr old techology that your LCD tv does not deal well with, $300 to upgrade to DTT or if not available in your area DTH (Satellite FreeVeiw) will provide pictures making the investment in your new TV worthwile, otherwise you would have been better off purchasing a RedShed special 4:3 CRT TV.

Cyril