Fix overscan issue?

nguyendot

Hey guys,

I got a new Sharp LC-47SB57UT 47" 120hz LCD delivered yesterday. First thing I did before mounting it was hook up the usual media pc, my HP 17" DV9035nr laptop via HDMI to play some H.264 content.

The connection works, however there is a huge amount of overscan (any overscan is huge). This presents a problem as it cuts off all the icons on the edge of the screen, as well as most of the task bar at the bottom. Text is not very crisp so it hurts your eyes to read it. I figured it was just a problem with the computer so I used the Nvidia HDTV resizer. It won't apply for some reason. I resize it and hit apply, and it automatically goes back to "off". Updated driver, no different. It's a Nvidia 7600gs mobility chip, and it works beautifully on my Samsung 46" (both LED and not). I've also used the same unit on my Westinghouse 47" 1080p with no overscan issues, as well as the JVC 42" I just got rid of. They all either had no overscan, or a stretch/wide mode that was 1:1 pixel mapping.

I plugged the PS3 into the tv and played Wall-E. Wall-E has that system optimization wizard, and the first test for the video is overscan. The entire third yellow box is missing no matter what mode I put it in. Even if I put it in 4:3 mode, which theoretically should squish the image into a 4:3 box, you have the image cropped! This leads me to believe the tv crops the signal post-processing.

Anyways, does anyone know how to fix this? The image it does show is decent, but I know if I can get it 1:1 mapped it will look much better, and PC usage will be significantly better. I feel cheated out of my 1080p experience as not all 1080 lines are being displayed then!

It does display 1680x1050 with no overscan, but it does not fill the screen, which sucks.

cheddar

This has all the signs of the TV applying its internal electronics to mess with the picture. Especially since text isn't razor sharp from your computer. 1 to 1 mapping should have crisp text if fed a native 1080p signal to a native 1080p panel.

Are you saying your TV doesn't have a pixel by pixel mode? If it's just a stretch mode, the TV is still messing with the signal. But HDTVs usually have a pixel by pixel mode that displays the image with minimal scaling. When engaged, you will often see a thin edge of garbled pixels on one side of broadcast hd television.

I have had issues with overscan and scaling mucking up the picture before and prefer the pixel by pixel mode even with the occasional garbled edge just because blu-rays, etc look the sharpest with no overscan.

I have an older sharp with this mode, it would be bad news if they took it out as IMHO, HDTVs do a pretty horrible job once their scalers and picture processing are fully engaged.

nguyendot

I can't find the 1:1 mapping mode ANYWHERE!

This is unbelievable for a brand new tv. All my old ones have it.

The Sharp technician told me it was because my cable box was sending a "cropped" signal. I told him i yanked the HDMI cable out of my other tv and put it directly into this one, so that wasn't possible.

He then told my my laptop wasn't set at the right scanning frequencies... really? That was fine and dandy (but wrong), until I told him my PS3 and my BDP-S1 blu-ray were cropping too, and those DONT send out a cropped signal.

I wish it had that mode but I cannot seem to find it anywhere. When using HDMI input it only has S.Streetch, Stretch, and Zoom. Where is my "actual fit" mode?

cheddar

Wow, pretty big oversight if they really took it out. This would be a deal killer for me as relying on the TVs internal scaler for everything would drive me nuts. That would be the first thing I would find out from the tech if you talk to them again is if the TV has this mode or not.

Could also be you got a bad set. Hope you have a good return policy in any case...

nguyendot

Oh I got a good return policy
I got it from Dell, so if there's any issues I know what to do to take care of it. If anything I can flip it. I got this because I didn't want to keep the $1400 46" LED that burned a hole in my pocket, but I may just keep it as it does everything I want it to honestly.

nguyendot

Okay so i called them after work like they asked, so i could do a factory reset. Turns out the normal factory reset doesn't work, because this tv is 'different'. By different I'm guessing it has something to do with the fact that when you set up a universal remote you have to use an LG tv code.....

Anyways I call back and now they tell me that the factory reset won't work and that I have to call back between 8am-5pm (my work hours) to get the "dispatch" department so they can instruct me how to do a factory reset, and I must be in front of the tv while that happens. Well gee, I told them I work 8am-5pm earlier in the day, and they knew what model I had, so they should have probably told me this earlier instead of wasting my time again. I escalate and get another technician.

This one tells me that showing a "native" 1080p signal is a "feature" and that this tv is not a full Aquos model and that this "feature" may be stripped. I ask her how a normal operating expectation of any LCD that is 1080p can be an optional "feature". She tells me that if it's not designed to do that then it can't be changed. How can a 1080p lcd not be designed to show full 1080p? It says "full hd 1080p" on each side of the box it came in and it is stamped prominantly on the front bezel.

What she told me was akin to me selling you a laptop, and you calling in because it never runs faster than 90% no matter what you do or what you're running, and then me telling you that it's a "feature" for it to run at 100% and that your model wasn't designed to run at 100%.

Seriously? It can't be called 1080p if it crops 10% of the picture off no matter what buttons you hit or modes your set. They're telling me to hit buttons that don't even exist on this. Now they want me to have a service technican come out and look at it.

The tv is ONE day old! I just unpacked it about 24 hours ago! Two hours on the phone and now a service call, what a crock of .... yeah.

On top of it they're making up stuff like "if the signal coming in is not compatible it will not display it". Seriously? I'm using an 80gb PS3 @ 1080p, a Scientific Atlanta 4250hdc @1080i, a Sony BDP-S1 @1080p, and my laptop! They're all using HDMI. They're saying that my stuff is sending out 'non standard' formats. Uh, those are all normal pieces of equipment, and if the formats were 'non standard' the picture wouldn't be correct when I yank the HDMI cables out and jack them into my Samsung(s) or JVC lcd. Seriously how can this be such a large oversight? And how can they lie to my face? I'm not a normal consumer, I know what's supposed to be and what's a crock of bullshiz.


If this isn't resolved ASAP, it's going back, the end.

cheddar

There doesn't seem to be a lot of reviews on this set. And the one review on Amazon describes the exact same problem you seem to have. If this is some rebrand to put a cheap 47" panel into their lineup, but a poor quality one, seems like a pretty stupid move for sharp.

But I'd say since it's only a day old and it seems to be a limitation of the set's design, you might be better off with another model. Even a 720p plasma would probably give you a better picture and be in the same price range if you can get one on sale.

nguyendot

I'm trying to return it but Dell's giving me the run around for some reason. That's fine, when I get to work tomorrow I'll have my friend return it.

They tried to tell me I have to call sharp first, I told them I did. Then they tried to stick me with a $95 restocking fee, which doesn't apply if the set is defective - sharp confirmed this by setting up a service call.

Oh well, I'll circumvent the system then if they want to be so harsh about it.

Sherardp

Perhaps this is due to the limitations of your video card bro. Just stabbing in the wind here, but it could be due to the limitations of your video card over HDMI. I could be way off since you did have it working with other sets though slightly smaller in size.

And as mentioned before Dell customer service is some of the worst to deal with. I had simliar issues regarding a brand new laptop with a dead hard drive and got passed around until it finally took some foul language and butt chewing to achieve the mission.

nguyendot

Sherardp,

I thought the same thing, but I also mentioned I tried my PS3 with blu-ray as well as my sony BDP-S1 and my cable box, they all show the same issue.

Sherardp

nguyendot wrote: »

Sherardp,

I thought the same thing, but I also mentioned I tried my PS3 with blu-ray as well as my sony BDP-S1 and my cable box, they all show the same issue.

Roger that. Then agree the set must have something internally going on. Should have read your OP more thoroughly bro. Hope you can get it worked out with Dell on the return.

nguyendot

It's set for a return, I went through my own contacts and got a federal team member to return it for me. Gotta love being able to take the internal route.

I don't know what I was thinking, I should be happy with what i've got.