Info and forum posts by 'stainless'

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Joined on: Friday, 5th January 2001, 19:34, Last used: Friday, 5th January 2001, 19:34

Access Level: Mostly Harmless

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This user has posted a total of 11 messages. On average, since joining, this user has posted 0 messages a day, or 0.01 messages a week. In the last 30 days, this user has posted 0 messages, which is on average 0 messages a day.

Recent Messages Posted:

Banding with Region 1 DVD on Aiwa 370

Hi Folks

I recently bought a couple of R1 DVDs (Gladiator, Local Hero) in the States. I am getting broad light/dark bands across the image - it seems particularly noticeable when there are bright elements in the scene.

These are present if the rear sliding switch is set to NTSC, and if on AUTO when Pseudo-PAL is turned on. The TV seems able to handle either (it`s a Thomson wide-screen).

Now here`s the interesting bit. If I turn off the Pseudo-PAL menu option, then the banding goes away - however, this is not much of a solution because then the picture goes jerky when he camera is panning.

My question. Is this a function of the DVD player or the TV? (It`s not the discs because they play fine in R1 or R2 on my PC). Is there anything that can be done?

Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

>> stainless <<

RE: What player do you have, so I can work out the which players have sold the most.

Aiwa 370

RE: Just bought an Aiwa 370.

Yes - a decent cable will make a difference. Keep the cable length as short as you can get away with - I use a 1.5m cable, which seems to be the shortest available - avoid the 5m cables if possible. Secondly, the screening of signals and ground return arrangement is important.

I chose a £16 JVC branded ribbon style cable from Dixons - only a bit more expensive than their `ordinary` SCART cable. It works really well, there are 14 individually screened signal pairs - so everything is nicely isolated. (It`s not a ribbon cable in the computer sense.)

I would avoid the £35 supa-dupa cables on the market. No doubt there is a small increase in quality, but is it worth the expense to Joe Average? IMHO you would need a studio grade monitor to notice the difference.

Layer Change on The World is Not Enough (Special Edition)?

I`m playing the above DVD on an Aiwa 370 and also on a Toshiba PC hosted DVD-ROM.

Can anyone confirm that the hesitation I see at the Chapter 9 to 10 transition (just as they get into the helicopter) is a layer change.

I am really quite surprised by this because I read that the Aiwa 370 was particularly good at handling layer changes. My Toshiba DVD-ROM also hesitates - but much less noticeably.

All assistance much appreciated. Thanks.

SCART Peculiarities...Help!

Hmmm...having a few oddities with my setup; can anyone help? The setup is a fully wired SCART from Aiwa 370 DVD to AV1 on TV plus a fully wired SCART from VCR to AV2 on TV (the TV is a Thomson 28WS22). The DVD is set to RGB SCART and the VCR is VHS (ie not S-VHS).

Consider the following situation...you`re watching a DVD and you wish to quickly flick over to an off air channel (eg BBC1) to catch the news (or whatever). I get the sound of BBC1 but the video is an unsychronised picture of the DVD output. The unsync`d DVD video picture also happens if I select AV2 (VCR) or AV3 (nothing connected!) as the input to the TV.

This does not happen when the DVD is put into standby - everything is then what I would consider normal. It seems as though AV1 has taken over!!

Any suggestions very gratefully received.

RE: Anyone know where I can pick up an Aiwa 370?

Well - if you`re anywhere near Suffolk, the Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich Comet stores both have display stock on sale (looked unmarked to me - they wouldn`t give a reduction). A couple of days ago the Ipswich store also had four boxed units - but that`s down to three `cos I got one!!

First impressions - very good; although I don`t have the wider experience to compare with other models.

Good luck in your search.

Fully Wired SCART Cable - Recommendations Please.

I`ve read somewhere in this forum that the quality of SCART cable can make a world of difference to picture quality on RGB signals between TV and DVD.

I have seen a lot of SCART cables on offer, some are obviously rubbish, some look like they may be `gold plated` rubbish.

Could anyone out there in the forum please recommend a good brand of cable that they have tried successfully. Conversely - are there any brands which are known to be rubbish and to be avoided.

All help much appreciated. Thanks.

RE: Comet and the Aiwa 370...some official correct info please!

Well, my local store are selling off the display model labelled `last one`. A week ago it was labelled `out of stock` - so I guess that Comet have decided in the past few days that this is an end-of-line item.

I don`t buy display stock as a point of principle, so the assistant looked on the computer for the global stock situation. That confirmed that there would be no more coming in - but - the store in the next town showed four brand new boxed and in stock. Quickly whipped out the plastic and paid for one which I am picking up tomorrow night - can`t wait, only hope it`s OK `cos I`ll admit to being a bit fussy.

In summary - there are a few left if you hunt them out. However, let`s not forget that in a month or so the Aiwa 370 wil be yesterday`s news and we`ll all be raving about the next `best buy`.

RE: Help with screen settings for Aiwa 370

Hi

You may already know this, but...the SCART has a control signal on pin 8 to switch the TV into various states. This used to be a two state signal ie TV and AV (that`s how a VCR switches the television to AV mode when you put in a pre-recorded tape). More recently it has become a three state signal by introducing a `middle` voltage to switch the TV into widescreen 16:9 mode.

Solution. Well I haven`t been able to get my 370 yet (but I will !!) so I can`t say if the DVD has a way of turning this signal off (if it`s the same as the LG3350 online manual then I think the answer is no). The alternatives would be to disconnect the wire on pin 8 of your SCART - which is a bit drastic; or use the S-video 4 pin input rather than the SCART.

I would guess that your Lecson was only outputting the two level signal on the SCART, that`s why you didn`t have the problem previously.

Hope that`s of some help.

RE: I cant get myself an Aiwa 370 so what similar alternatives are there with same features for £250

The nice people at Comet (0845 600 7002) reckon that they will be having more stock of the 370 on the shelves Monday.

Yeah, I know...but it`s probably worth a call to your local store to find out if it`s true.

My one concern would be that if they are scraping around to get stock - then there may be some `B stock` or repaired/returned units creeping onto the shelves. I have absolutely no evidence for that statement - just `gut feel`.

RE: Aiwa 370 connections - Scart / S Video

Mark

Most modern TVs have 3 SCARTs; AV1 is normally a type 1 SCART which will accept CVBS (composite video) and also RGB (these are switched by menu option on the player and communicated to the TV by means of a hi/lo voltage on one of the SCART pins). AV2 and AV3 are both type 2 SCARTs - these will accept CVBS or S-video. In this case the switch is usually (always?) done by menu selction on the TV. AV2 and AV3 also usually have a separate 4 pin connector which is wired in parallel with the Y/C signals on the SCARTs.

So, to answer your question - you can use AV1 for an RGB connection or either AV2 or AV3 for an S-video connection using either SCART or 4pin - it doesn`t matter. The general conscenus seems to be that RGB is the better option with S-video a close second.

To answer your second post. Yes, it is normal for S-video to give a more colorful, more vivid picture. As for the black and white business...my guess (and it is only that) is as follows. From your description it seems that you are plugging the DVD SCART into the TV SCART with associated S-video connector; ie you are connecting a SCART type 1 output to a SCART type 2 input (AV2 or AV3). This will certainly confuse things - my guess is that the TV is expecting an S-video Y/C signal but is only getting a CVBS signal on the luminance (Y) pin which it will show as b/w (possibly because you haven`t set the DVD to S-video). NB: on a type 2 SCART (and it`s parallel 4 pin?) the Y luminance signal shares a pin with the CVBS signal. To extend the guesswork - when the SCART is plugged in then the CVBS/RGB hi/lo switch control signal forces the TV to expect CVBS and recognise the colour elemnt of the signal (it shouldn`t really do that on a type 2 - but probably does).

If I were you I would set the DVD for `component` output, connect the DVD SCART to the AV1 SCART on your TV (both type 1) and that should be it. You can then connect your VCR to AV2/AV3 setting it on the TV to `video` or `S-video` depending on whether you have an S-VHS VCR or not.

I hope that hasn`t been too confusing. If you post a few more details then I or someone else may be able to help further.