Can Someone Explain What "Fit to Screen: AUTO" Does on Samsungs?

[IntelliVolume]

I totally get the function of Samsung displays' "Fit to Screen" setting, which is what controls overscan and as such forces the display to exhibit "full pixel" information; in my last television, which was a 1080p Sony SXRD rear projection set, I believe overscan was applied automatically, as the "Full" widescreen setting introduced images that appeared overscanned (though weren't supposed to using such a setting)…but my new Samsung NU8000 UHD TV has a setting in the Fit to Screen option area that is called "Auto," and I don't understand how this works...

I would think overscan would be just an on/off thing, so what is the "Auto" setting actually doing when engaged for Fit to Screen -- notably when playing DVDs and Blu-rays? Should this be left to Auto, or should I select the on/off position? As a point of reference, I actually PREFER overscan on my sets, because it reduces the black letterboxing areas of scope films and enables the "matted" widescreen transfers (1.85 or 1.78) to fill the screen without the tiny letterboxing (though I know this is probably introducing a resolution reduction somewhere).

But does anyone know what "Auto" Fit to Screen does on Samsungs?

[chip75]

Originally Posted by IntelliVolume

I would think overscan would be just an on/off thing, so what is the "Auto" setting actually doing when engaged for Fit to Screen -- notably when playing DVDs and Blu-rays? Should this be left to Auto, or should I select the on/off position? As a point of reference, I actually PREFER overscan on my sets, because it reduces the black letterboxing areas of scope films and enables the "matted" widescreen transfers (1.85 or 1.78) to fill the screen without the tiny letterboxing (though I know this is probably introducing a resolution reduction somewhere).

But does anyone know what "Auto" Fit to Screen does on Samsungs?

Overscan is usually an on/off thing, but not all inputs (or content) can be displayed at 1:1. Auto should display everything it can at 1:1, but if you run into issues you can select On. There shouldn't be any issues with DVD or BD playback over HDMI.

1.78:1 pictures aren't matted, they're full screen, you do on occasion have some window or pillar boxing on older masters, but if you're using overscan with a decent 1.78:1 transfer you're just losing video information from all four sides.

[IntelliVolume]

Somehow I knew it was gonna be you who responded, at least first, Chip...

Originally Posted by chip75

Overscan is usually an on/off thing, but not all inputs (or content) can be displayed at 1:1. Auto should display everything it can at 1:1, but if you run into issues you can select On. There shouldn't be any issues with DVD or BD playback over HDMI.

Thanks for the explanation; so using Auto for the BD player input should basically act like "On" as all the DVDs and Blu-rays should play back pixel for pixel?

1.78:1 pictures aren't matted, they're full screen

Well, I was referring to those widescreen transfers that basically fill the screen, but I see what you mean -- still, by "full screen," did you mean widescreen images that fill a screen?

you do on occasion have some window or pillar boxing on older masters, but if you're using overscan with a decent 1.78:1 transfer you're just losing video information from all four sides.

I think we're dipping into somewhat conflicting areas here; I do own some non-anamorphic DVDs that don't boast widescreen enhancement, so when I play these back I have to use the Oppo player's zoom function to get them into a proper playback ratio -- but I think I wanted to know more about these 1.78:1 transfers in which, with overscan engaged, they fill the 16:9 frame without any LETTERBOXING.

Are you saying that WITHOUT overscan, these transfers SHOULD actually exhibit some letterboxing?

[chip75]

Originally Posted by IntelliVolume

Thanks for the explanation; so using Auto for the BD player input should basically act like "On" as all the DVDs and Blu-rays should play back pixel for pixel?

Generally that should be the case, On is only needed when Auto isn't doing the work automatically, but with your OPPO and a HDMI connection Auto will be perfectly fine.

1.78:1 pictures aren't matted, they're full screen.

Originally Posted by IntelliVolume

Well, I was referring to those widescreen transfers that basically fill the screen, but I see what you mean -- still, by "full screen," did you mean widescreen images that fill a screen?

Yes, a 1.78:1 will be full screen with 16:9 displays. If you're using overscan you're cropping all four sides needlessly.

Originally Posted by IntelliVolume

I think we're dipping into somewhat conflicting areas here; I do own some non-anamorphic DVDs that don't boast widescreen enhancement, so when I play these back I have to use the Oppo player's zoom function to get them into a proper playback ratio -- but I think I wanted to know more about these 1.78:1 transfers in which, with overscan engaged, they fill the 16:9 frame without any LETTERBOXING.

No, without overscan they fit the whole screen, 1.78:1 is literally 16 divided by 9, so they don't have any letterboxing.

Originally Posted by IntelliVolume

Are you saying that WITHOUT overscan, these transfers SHOULD actually exhibit some letterboxing?

With newer releases, no, there shouldn't be any pillar or letter boxing. But some older masters exhibit it in some form. Take Under Siege and Bullitt for example:






Both have some pillar-boxing, but it's definitely not something I'd switch overscan on for.

[IntelliVolume]

Originally Posted by chip75

Generally that should be the case, On is only needed when Auto isn't doing the work automatically, but with your OPPO and a HDMI connection Auto will be perfectly fine.

Alright; I'll try experimenting with Fit to Screen ON tonight and let you know how any Blu-rays or DVDs looked...

The only thing I don't care for when it comes to overscan being OFF is that the wider scope films at 2.40 and 2.35 exhibit GREATER letterboxed areas, making my screen -- which I already sit too far away from (as it was in the last case too) -- seem even SMALLER because the image "shrinks" from top and bottom...

Yes, a 1.78:1 will be full screen with 16:9 displays. If you're using overscan you're cropping all four sides needlessly.

I see...you're right that the sides being cropped off is completely unnecessary in these cases...

What about 1.85:1 transfers? THOSE will exhibit some minor letterboxing on top and bottom, yes?

No, without overscan they fit the whole screen, 1.78:1 is literally 16 divided by 9, so they don't have any letterboxing.

I see...

With newer releases, no, there shouldn't be any pillar or letter boxing. But some older masters exhibit it in some form. Take Under Siege and Bullitt for example:






Both have some pillar-boxing, but it's definitely not something I'd switch overscan on for.

Oh, that's weird; I have Under Siege on DVD and the transfer always filled my screens because of overscan...I didn't realize there's PILLARBOXING on some WIDESCREEN transfers, too...

You're right, though; those instances wouldn't require any need for overscan...

[chip75]

Originally Posted by IntelliVolume

Alright; I'll try experimenting with Fit to Screen ON tonight and let you know how any Blu-rays or DVDs looked...

I don't think there will be any difference.

Originally Posted by IntelliVolume

The only thing I don't care for when it comes to overscan being OFF is that the wider scope films at 2.40 and 2.35 exhibit GREATER letterboxed areas, making my screen -- which I already sit too far away from (as it was in the last case too) -- seem even SMALLER because the image "shrinks" from top and bottom...

Overscan is just zooming in slightly. 1:1 doesn't shrink the image it displays it correctly.

Originally Posted by IntelliVolume

What about 1.85:1 transfers? THOSE will exhibit some minor letterboxing on top and bottom, yes?

Without overscan? They'll look like this:



You can check your overscan with the slide below:

[Deciazulado]

Originally Posted by IntelliVolume

I actually PREFER overscan on my sets

Just a note, when you ovescan a 1080 image on a 1080 HDTV set (or a 2160 on a 2160 UHD TV) the image gets a little blurry because it's being resized and the resizing fuzzes the smallest details and resolution , so you don't get the full 1080 resolution quality / sharpness.

(That's why you have the 1:1 pixel no overscan setting)

[IntelliVolume]

Originally Posted by Deciazulado

Just a note, when you ovescan a 1080 image on a 1080 HDTV set (or a 2160 on a 2160 UHD TV) the image gets a little blurry because it's being resized and the resizing fuzzes the smallest details and resolution , so you don't get the full 1080 resolution quality / sharpness.

(That's why you have the 1:1 pixel no overscan setting)

I realize that (I even mentioned in my first post that I believe some kind of resolution loss is taking place)...however, to be fair, we don't really get a TRUE, full 1080p resolution anyway from these discs (there's always some loss due to screen shape conversions and other algorithms that take place before we see the disc's transfer).

I don't notice any blurriness, but the reason I was keeping the screen on with overscan was because I don't care for the larger black letterboxing areas on scope films.

[IntelliVolume]

Well, here's a very interesting update on the whole Fit to Screen/overscan thing, Chip...

Remember when I was talking about those little green "pulsating squares" at the bottom of the Samsung on certain non-HD channels on my cable box? Well, last night as a test after all the talking we were doing about overscan, I turned on the cable box and tuned into the non-HD HBO channels that (mainly) exhibit these green pulsating areas, and I began to play with the Fit to Screen On, Off and Auto.

Lo and behold, when Fit to Screen was switched ON -- that is, eliminating overscan -- those channels showed a THICK GREEN LINE at the bottom of the screen, connected to a giant green square where I usually see the small ones. Obviously, this was "transmission garbage," but it was being hidden by the overscan -- however, when I put overscan back on (that is, I switched Fit to Screen back OFF), that green line and the giant square was covered up, reduced to just the small green square I have been seeing...

So, obviously, there IS some kind of transmission junk at the bottom of these stations' broadcasts being covered up by overscan -- but what I can't figure out is why the overscan won't cover the remainder of the small green area being seen as a square...is there nothing I can do about this but further zoom in on these channels to eliminate the square?

What do you make of this finding?

As I said, I never saw these green areas on my previous Sony SXRD display using the SAME cable box...

[chip75]

Originally Posted by IntelliVolume

So, obviously, there IS some kind of transmission junk at the bottom of these stations' broadcasts being covered up by overscan -- but what I can't figure out is why the overscan won't cover the remainder of the small green area being seen as a square...is there nothing I can do about this but further zoom in on these channels to eliminate the square?

All you can do is use the Samsung's custom option to zoom in a little further. There might be an option in the service menu to adjust the overscan amount, but it's not something I'd recommend you'd fiddle around with.

[IntelliVolume]

Originally Posted by chip75

All you can do is use the Samsung's custom option to zoom in a little further. There might be an option in the service menu to adjust the overscan amount, but it's not something I'd recommend you'd fiddle around with.

Oh, I was talking about the cable box's remote -- using THAT to zoom in on those channels; I didn't even consider the Samsung's custom picture options...would these be able to be adjusted so that these images are zoomed in on even more permanently (without having to be adjusted every time I use the box)?

[chip75]

Originally Posted by IntelliVolume

Oh, I was talking about the cable box's remote -- using THAT to zoom in on those channels; I didn't even consider the Samsung's custom picture options...would these be able to be adjusted so that these images are zoomed in on even more permanently (without having to be adjusted every time I use the box)?

Yes, that's what the custom setting is for.

[IntelliVolume]

Originally Posted by chip75

Yes, that's what the custom setting is for.

Thanks! I'll try that tonight and report back...

In the meantime, I will also consider fooling around with Fit to Screen with Blu-rays and DVDs...