Samsung Box

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Tristan

Welcome to the site

I'm pretty sure this is a bug in the current Samsung software on Langley. If it is, it should be fixed in the next code release (which is "coming soon").

I *think* Brighton is Bromley Tristan.....

[BBKing]

It is indeed....

[spiderplant]

The Samsung box is behaving correctly. See the diagrams on page 17 of http://www.dtg.org.uk/publications/books/afd.pdf. The Samsung is behaving as shown in the second line. The older Pace boxes aren't capable of doing this, so have to use the 'best compromise' shown in the first line.

If the programme has true widescreen content, with important stuff going on at the edges of the pictures (usually in a widescreen movie), the Samsung box will use the mode shown in the first line on page 19, and you will get a 16:9 letterbox.

[shredder]

the cropping of the picture with samsung stb is an going fault across the bromley region a software download is due to resolve ther issue but knowing ntl that will be later rather than sooner, i have the displeasure of working in the faults department and as with most things in the company most of the info is witheld from first line staff meaning it is near imposible to give cmrs the full answer they require.

[william]

Originally Posted by Tristan

Welcome to the site

I'm pretty sure this is a bug in the current Samsung software on Langley. If it is, it should be fixed in the next code release (which is "coming soon").

Thanks, Tristan.

I'm on the Bromley (ex C&W) platform, but I guess what you say may apply here too.

One really cool thing about the Samsung box is the new remote you get. You can program it to send signals to your TV too, so even with my ?1993 JVC TV, when I press the volume control on the STB remote it changes the TV volume, and the mute button mutes the TV. You can access teletext too via the STB remote, on the occasional channel that has it, and put the TV in and out of standby mode.
__________________

Thanks for these other replies, too! From what I can make of the PDF file you linked to, Spiderplant, it looks as if the box is designed to make a 14:9 letterbox for transmissions where this is regarded as safe. I see that Trisha now on Five is showing in a 16:9 letterbox, but the BBC channels, including the supposedly widescreen News24, seem to show in 14:9 all the time.

I must say I prefer 16:9, and if the box is behaving correctly, I'd like to have the option of choosing that ratio as a default for widescreen, no matter what safe area code is transmitted.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by william

I'm on the Bromley (ex C&W) platform, but I guess what you say may apply here too.

The problem that Tristan is referring to definitely is a Langley-only problem. If you had it, you'd loose a great slice off the RHS of the picture.

it looks as if the box is designed to make a 14:9 letterbox for transmissions where this is regarded as safe. I see that Trisha now on Five is showing in a 16:9 letterbox, but the BBC channels, including the supposedly widescreen News24, seem to show in 14:9 all the time.

Yep. I find News24 annoying on a WSTV because of all the dead picture area.

I must say I prefer 16:9, and if the box is behaving correctly, I'd like to have the option of choosing that ratio as a default for widescreen, no matter what safe area code is transmitted.

With some modern 4:3 TVs you can set the STB to widescreen, then tell the TV it has a 16:9 source, which might give the effect you want.

[bob_builder]

Originally Posted by william

One really cool thing about the Samsung box is the new remote you get. You can program it to send signals to your TV too, so even with my ?1993 JVC TV, when I press the volume control on the STB remote it changes the TV volume, and the mute button mutes the TV. You can access teletext too via the STB remote, on the occasional channel that has it, and put the TV in and out of standby mode.

All STBs can have this new remote control now. There are two versions available, a grey one for Bromley Pace boxes and a purple one for Langley Pace and Samsung boxes.

[HD462]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

The problem that Tristan is referring to definitely is a Langley-only problem. If you had it, you'd loose a great slice off the RHS of the picture.

We had the Samsung box fitted as a Pace replacement a couple of weeks ago. I've been thinking it's much better and more reliable, but the last few days we've noticed the picture seems to have slipped off the right of the screen as you say (really noticeable when text is on screen). If we switch to channels 1 to 5, then switch to just viewing through the aerial you can see how much is missing.

I guess I won't need to report it then if there's a bug fix in the pipeline, although how long, any idea, as it's really annoying?

I've rebooted the box, and it seems to have righted itself for now, but the reason we got the Samsung box was because of having to continually reboot the Pace box, I was hoping those days were gone.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by HD462

I guess I won't need to report it then if there's a bug fix in the pipeline, although how long, any idea, as it's really annoying?

I've rebooted the box, and it seems to have righted itself for now

Sorry, I don't know when the fix will be implemented.

You can often make the fault go away by changing channel - as long as you pick the right channel! ITV1 and ITV2 are likely candidates. If that doesn't work, tune to any 4:3 channel (e.g. Sky News), then reboot.

[th'engineer]

Originally Posted by HD462

We had the Samsung box fitted as a Pace replacement a couple of weeks ago. I've been thinking it's much better and more reliable

They are had mine a good few months its excellent, and was fitted by one of NTLs best engineers no complaints

[browneggsandham]

Originally Posted by th'engineer

They are had mine a good few months its excellent, and was fitted by one of NTLs best engineers no complaints

Who was that then

Browneggsandham

[HD462]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Sorry, I don't know when the fix will be implemented.

You can often make the fault go away by changing channel - as long as you pick the right channel! ITV1 and ITV2 are likely candidates. If that doesn't work, tune to any 4:3 channel (e.g. Sky News), then reboot.

Cheers, I'll bear that in mind if / when it does it again. We did try changing channel, but it didn't do anything. The soft reboot (ok, left, right) seemed to sort it, although you shouldn't really have to be doing this. If they know there's a fault, and it can be fixed with just a software update down the cable, and no engineer visit, why don't they do it asap?

The engineer did know about this fault, as I remember him mentioning it as one of the few faults the box has, he told us how to do the soft reboot in case it happened, although it had been ok at first.