Aspect Ratio in U4 cannot be reset

[pk49]

U4 V19.3 Build 20191106.
Overnight the Aspect Ratio of the picture has shifted from 16:9. It is compressed horizontally and stretched vertically, the edges of the picture are cut-of and top and bottom are outside the picture area.

One time I saw a box with 720 input 14:9

I am unable to reset this to 16:9, I have Factory Reset, re-run the Firmware upgrade and reset all channels etc

[MrQuade]

Dumb question, but are you sure your TV is set to the correct aspect ratio as well?

[pk49]

Not a dumb question, but the first thing I did check

[prl]

Have you tried shutting down, and turning the unit off using the back panel switch, leaving it off for a few minutes and then restarting?

[pk49]

Sadly, yes. And unplugging everything for 30 mins, just for the fun

[prl]

It was a long shot anyway...

[prl]

Are GUI screens also in the wrong aspect ratio?

Are you able to read the contents of MENU>Information>Service? If so, what do you see in the Videoformat, Videomode and Videosize fields?

[pk49]

By accident I just found the "TV-OUT" button on the remote changes the format, so it is probable at some time I hit this without realising it.

The picture is now correct size, after clicking through several times, I have settled on the HDMI-480p/60Hz setting.

This shows: Video Format 16:9
Video Mode 480p
Video Size 1920 x 1080i25

Does that sound correct for my best-setting option?

[MrQuade]

By accident I just found the "TV-OUT" button on the remote changes the format, so it is probable at some time I hit this without realising it.

The picture is now correct size, after clicking through several times, I have settled on the HDMI-480p/60Hz setting.

A change in aspect ratio should not have been able to survive a firmware re-installation on the U4. Are you sure you actually updated the firmware earier?

This shows: Video Format 16:9
Video Mode 480p
Video Size 1920 x 1080i25

Does that sound correct for my best-setting option?

480p60Hz would be appropriate for a CRT TV watching US sourced TV material. So I am going to say no to that.

The resolution should be set to the native resolution of your TV. So a modern flat panel TV will be 1080p or 2160p, or an older flat panel plasma or LCD may be 720p (though good quality older plasma TVs also supported 1080p too).

You should go into the U4 setup menu and set the appropriate resolution there.
MENU->Setup->AV setup->AV settings

For Aus broadcast TV you want 50Hz, and as-before, set to the resolution of your TV.

[prl]

This shows: Video Format 16:9
Video Mode 480p
Video Size 1920 x 1080i25

Does that sound correct for my best-setting option?

No. The 420p 60Hz is 420 lines progressive (non-interlaced) at 60Hz frame rate. 420 lines is a US broadcast format. Australian SD is 576i 50Hz field rate (25Hz frame rate). Depending on your TV, you probably want to choose 1080i (Australian broadcast HD standard), 1080p or 2180p.

Converting the broadcast 50Hz to 60Hz can cause the video to be jerky. Downscaling the broadcast video to 420 lines(and then having the TV upscale it for display) wastes the available broadcast resolution.

Test broadcasts in 2180p have taken place, and they may become standard sometime. They're already commonplace in Europe.

It's possible that the output resolution settings of your U4 were corrupted somehow, and changing the output resolution re-wrote the settings to valid ones. Like MrQuade, I'm not sure how those settings survived a full power cycle.

[pk49]

It's very puzzling, when I reset through AV Settings, the picture reverts to the compressed horizontally and stretched vertically, and the only way to change it is to use the Tv Out button.

I have settled on a format giving 16:9, 576 Mode (I'm sure I used to have 1080) size 1920 x 1080i25.

I re-ran the Firmware upgrade, and as soon as it booted from the USB stick the picture was the obnoxious 'nearly 14:3'

So yes, I agree that it seems something has become corrupted in the U4, does anyone think it could be repaired?

Thank you, MrQuade and prl for help and suggestions

[MrQuade]

I would try plugging some other device into that same HDMI port on the TV. Test to see if the port is ok. It sounds to me like the high resolution (or high bandwidth) modes are suffering from signal corruption. This maybe points to a hardware fault somewhere.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

I re-ran the Firmware upgrade, and as soon as it booted from the USB stick the picture was the obnoxious 'nearly 14:3'

You can't boot from USB - you can reflash the firmware from it though. Is that what you meant? Did the front panel display show "Press Button" to initiate the reflashing? After pressing the front panel power button in response, the front panel display should've cycled through: "Initrd - Kernel - RootFile Sys - Press Button"; yes?
Did you restore your settings afterwards - as that may've re-applied crap settings.

Try changing HDMI cables (even swapping ends on the same cable).
Try a different TV input.

Are you saying you can't get the 'Mode' to 1080p as below?

AV_settings.png (117.75 KiB) Viewed 1221 times

[pk49]

well well, how enjoyable to have contact with knowledgeable and generous people.
After running the Firmware upgrade (re-flashed the firmware, not booted) I re-set all settings and channels, didn't restore.
In AV Settings, whenever I changed a setting, the picture reverted to 14:6 (?)
It turns out the unexpected (to me) was true, the HDMI input on the tv seems to be causing my problem, I tried different cables, but plugging into a different input appears to have rectified it.

Many and great thanks to you gentlemen, and good health