Pioneer Elite 111FD - gray side bars on 4:3 BDs

[BluOrbit]

I don't know if anyone else has brought this up previously, but...

The Pioneer 111FD Plasma has an option to change the bars on the side of the screen from black to gray (to help avoid burn in and image retention problems) when the Screen Size setting is "4:3" and those gray bars are NOT available with any of the other Screen size settings, e.g., Dot by Dot, Auto, etc. The problem with this is that BDs in a 4:3 aspect ratio already have black bars built into the picture by default. Therefore, when in the 4:3 mode, you get to see the movie, surrounded by black bars, surrounded by gray bars. There is no way, and no reason, to watch a movie like that, obviously,

Has anyone else been frustrated by this, or is there some sort of workaround that I'm not aware of?

Thanks

[fuwa]

Originally Posted by BluOrbit

I don't know if anyone else has brought this up previously, but...

The Pioneer 111FD Plasma has an option to change the bars on the side of the screen from black to gray (to help avoid burn in and image retention problems) when the Screen Size setting is "4:3" and those gray bars are NOT available with any of the other Screen size settings, e.g., Dot by Dot, Auto, etc. The problem with this is that BDs in a 4:3 aspect ratio already have black bars built into the picture by default. Therefore, when in the 4:3 mode, you get to see the movie, surrounded by black bars, surrounded by gray bars. There is no way, and no reason, to watch a movie like that, obviously,

Has anyone else been frustrated by this, or is there some sort of workaround that I'm not aware of?



Thanks

In the set-up mode under the options bar you can pick natural, wide/zoom, or off. There is also a shadow mask option.

I watched All Through the Night and while viewing in Auto and Dot by Dot the picture is stretched to fill the screen no matter what options I select. To view the picture in the original format I have to use 4:3 mode and then I get the grey bars. I don't know how to change these to black bars.

I thought when I selected Natural and shadow mask and used auto screen size that the screen would automatically go to 4:3; it does not. The grey bars only go on automatically when I watch broadcast TV, not blu-ray.

When I took the disc to BB and they played it on their sets, the picture automatically displayed the 4:3 ratio with the grey bars.

[BluOrbit]

Originally Posted by fuwa

In the set-up mode under the options bar you can pick natural, wide/zoom, or off. There is also a shadow mask option.

I watched All Through the Night and while viewing in Auto and Dot by Dot the picture is stretched to fill the screen no matter what options I select. To view the picture in the original format I have to use 4:3 mode and then I get the grey bars. I don't know how to change these to black bars.

I thought when I selected Natural and shadow mask and used auto screen size that the screen would automatically go to 4:3; it does not. The grey bars only go on automatically when I watch broadcast TV, not blu-ray.

When I took the disc to BB and they played it on their sets, the picture automatically displayed the 4:3 ratio with the grey bars.

So I guess there's nothing that can be done, which really pisses me off. There are a LOT of great 4:3 BDs out and lots more coming out and every time I watch one I get a shadow of vertical lines on my set for a long time afterwards. I assume that being able to change the bars from black to gray might help alleviate that problem, but I guess I'll never find out.

Also, I'm surprised that your picture is stretched when using the Dot by Dot mode...I don't believe that should be happening and it doesn't for me.

[fuwa]

Originally Posted by BluOrbit

So I guess there's nothing that can be done, which really pisses me off. There are a LOT of great 4:3 BDs out and lots more coming out and every time I watch one I get a shadow of vertical lines on my set for a long time afterwards. I assume that being able to change the bars from black to gray might help alleviate that problem, but I guess I'll never find out.

Also, I'm surprised that your picture is stretched when using the Dot by Dot mode...I don't believe that should be happening and it doesn't for me.

If the movie has those black sidebars already, I don't change to 4:3. Grey and black bars are annoying. I watch in Pure mode and don't have any problems with shadows of vertical lines afterwards.

I have both the 111 and 151 and I think they both work the same way so I will check the settings and owner's manual, maybe I have something set up wrong. I thought Dot by Dot would display a 4:3 movie as 4:3; it may be the blu-ray player as broadcast tv works fine.

[oppopioneer]

Originally Posted by fuwa

I have both the 111 and 151 and I think they both work the same way so I will check the settings and owner's manual, maybe I have something set up wrong. I thought Dot by Dot would display a 4:3 movie as 4:3; it may be the blu-ray player as broadcast tv works fine.

I have the Pio Kuro 151FD. Dot-by-Dot should only be enabled for 1080p and 1080i sources. Also when using Dot-by-Dot make sure you turn off the Side Mask Auto Detect in the settings. CNET said that dot-bot-dot doesn't like it when Side Mask Auto Detect is on.

[oppopioneer]

The safest thing to do is enable all the safety features on the Pio Kuro and set the Screen Size to Auto. When it's in Auto all the safety features are functioning.

[fuwa]

Originally Posted by oppopioneer

The safest thing to do is enable all the safety features on the Pio Kuro and set the Screen Size to Auto. When it's in Auto all the safety features are functioning.

I changed the screen size on the Sony blu-ray to "fixed". I reset the Pioneer to enable protection modes. I went to the screen size on the pioneer set-up options menu and set the size to "natural". Natural keeps the original aspect ratio displayed as opposed to "wide zoom" that expands the 4:3 ratio to fill up the whole screen.

Now using auto mode results with grey bars on the side with a 4:3 picture. Using Dot by Dot and Full screen modes result in black bars on the sides with a 4:3 picture. Using 4:3 mode with a 4:3 picture results with grey AND black bars like the OP mentioned; not a pleasant way to watch a movie.

My issue was with the settings on my Sony blu-ray, everything was OK on the TV. I suspected this as broadcast TV worked OK.

I prefer black bars on the side but will use the grey bars to protect the tv. My question to the experts here is why grey bars just for the sides? Why not grey bars on the tops and bottoms also?

[oppopioneer]

Originally Posted by fuwa

I changed the screen size on the Sony blu-ray to "fixed". I reset the Pioneer to enable protection modes. I went to the screen size on the pioneer set-up options menu and set the size to "natural". Natural keeps the original aspect ratio displayed as opposed to "wide zoom" that expands the 4:3 ratio to fill up the whole screen.

Now using auto mode results with grey bars on the side with a 4:3 picture. Using Dot by Dot and Full screen modes result in black bars on the sides with a 4:3 picture. Using 4:3 mode with a 4:3 picture results with grey AND black bars like the OP mentioned; not a pleasant way to watch a movie.

My issue was with the settings on my Sony blu-ray, everything was OK on the TV. I suspected this as broadcast TV worked OK.

I prefer black bars on the side but will use the grey bars to protect the tv. My question to the experts here is why grey bars just for the sides? Why not grey bars on the tops and bottoms also?

I never watch any movie in 4:3, if a tv show is in 4:3 I let the Auto size stretch the screen so it's Wide Mode and the entire screen is stretched to fill the entire screen or I don't watch it. I don't like any bars whether they be black or gray.

The Pio Kuro's safety features for some reason don't get rid of bars on the top and bottom, only the sides.

I have all my safety features enabled:

Screen Size: Auto
Auto Detect-Side Masks - Mode 2
Wide Mode/Zoom - Mode 2
Orbiter - Mode 2
Energy Save Mode - Mode 2 for all tv viewing, I turn it off for bluray movies.

I can't stand tv shows that are in 4:3, I think it's stupid and defeats the purpose of flat screen tv's today that are designed for full screen cinematic width. I wish the broadcast networks would get rid of 4:3 for shows and commercials. I don't like the constant changes in aspect ratios for every commercial. One commercial is full screen, the next is letterbox, the next is 4:3. I don't know if they are trying to impress the public and showing everyone what they can do? It's not cool or cute.

[wafi]

Originally Posted by oppopioneer

I can't stand tv shows that are in 4:3, I think it's stupid and defeats the purpose of flat screen tv's today that are designed for full screen cinematic width. I wish the broadcast networks would get rid of 4:3 for shows and commercials. I don't like the constant changes in aspect ratios for every commercial. One commercial is full screen, the next is letterbox, the next is 4:3. I don't know if they are trying to impress the public and showing everyone what they can do? It's not cool or cute.

Its all about how it was filmed. The networks show them as native. I don't think most people would like the image stretched.

[fuwa]

Originally Posted by wafi

Its all about how it was filmed. The networks show them as native. I don't think most people would like the image stretched.

I noticed on the Wages Of Fear blu-ray some picture distortions when the camera was panning across some buidlings at the beginning of the picture. This occurs when the picture is stretched in the wide zoom mode and does not occur when viewing in the correct aspect ratio of 4:3.