Bought a new TV and getting jaggies on DVDs

[mordant]

I just bought a 27 inch Panasonic flat screen TAU TV (I've a small apartment and this is about as big as I can go without being overwhelmed). When watching TV the picture is very good and I'm quite happy with it. When watching DVDs however I'm noticing a small problem. During movement if I look closely at the picture I see jagged edges around objects (more noticible on straight lines). It looks a little like interlacing but is only on the edge not through the whole object. When I pause the picture the lines are not there. I have a Pioneer 343 hooked up with component video. I've also tried with an Apex 1200 through composite video and had the same result. Is there something I can do to get rid of them? Is it just my eyes? I didn't see them on my old 21" TV.

Any thoughts? I just tried it with Gladiator and The Matrix... I also tried a VCD recently and didn't see the lines on it (and the VCD picture looked better on the 27" than my old 21" which I wasn't expecting).

[SeeMoreDigital]

Have you tried swithing off all the 'digital processing tools'!

Then spin your DVD (store bought, not ones you made yourself) and then switch on the processing tools one by one!

I'm sorry to say I'm not a big fan of 100Hz Panasonic TV's. Does yours automaticly stretch an image to fill the screen too?

I really hate that!

Cheers

[mordant]

I tried turning off the edge enhancement and that seemed to help. Having gone back and looked at some interlaced video on my computer, the effect I'm seeing on the TV does look like interlacing. I haven't seen any auto stretching of pictures yet. I'll look through the setup menu and see what else can be turned off. Thanks for the response.

The DVDs I've played have been store bought.

[SeeMoreDigital]

Is your 27" Panasonic TV a widescreen model?

If it is you will probably find it auto stretch when viewing 'off air' TV signals. Rather than when viewing cable or satellite transmissions from a dedicated set top box.

Cheers

[mordant]

I exchanged the TV for another thinking it might just have been defective. This is a 27" flat screen TV, but is not LCD or Plasma, and is not progressive scan. The interlacing lines are still visible in motion and panning scenes. Having done some more reading it seems that any TV over 21" that is not progressive scan will show interlacing to some degree in motion...is this true?

If so, is there anything that can be done about it?

When making VCDs, SVCDs, or DVDr videos of my own are there things I can do to keep those lines away? If I use a deinterlacing filter will it make a difference with mpeg 2?

I don't think I can lay out the money for a progressive scan TV, so I may be stuck with this one. What happens if I get a progressive scan DVD player and hook it up to this TV?

[SeeMoreDigital]

Hello again,

When you say exchanged, do you mean you still have the same make and model of TV?

In any event, can you confirm exactly what you now have?

What DVD's are you having problems with?

Cheers

[mordant]

Yeah, I stuck with the same make and model...Panasonic CT-27SL-13...I thought the picture was pretty good and believed that the interlacing was a defect in the one I purchased. After getting the new one home and seeing the same effect I did some reading online that gives me the impression that over 21" you are going to see interlacing unless you have a progressive scan TV (or stand alone line doubler).

I've tried Gladiator and Matrix, with Gladiator the lines are mostly noticible on the tress in the beginning when the camera pans.

Matrix it can be seen all over the place...in motion and pans.

The price jump for a progressive scan TV of the same size is very big and I can't do it right now...If I had been aware that not having a progressive scan TV meant interlacing I would have waited till I could afford one.

I thought that having a decomb filter meant that it would remove lines like that. Apparently that is not so. I've written a letter to Panasonic to see what they have to say on the matter. No reply yet.

Thanks for taking an interest and responding.

[SeeMoreDigital]

Thanks for confirming the make and model number. I've been wondering for a while what digital processing techniques are being used in NTSC (60Hz) TV's. In Europe we have 100Hz digital processing, which effectively doubles the scan rate at which an image is created.

As you may have already read. Im not a big fan of 100Hz

So it would appear from the brief spec I peeled off the internet that your 4:3 TV has the following digital spec: -

Lines of Resolution 700
Digital Comb Filter Motion-Adaptive 3-Line
Edge Correction Horizontal/Vertical Edge Correction
Digital Velocity Modulated Scan Yes (Selectable)

After reading this I would say that the effects you're seeing is down to the 'Digital Comb Filter Motion-Adaptive 3-Line' function. Some years ago I played around with both analog and digital 'line doublers'. Some of these units provided excellent results, however a good unit costs around 4 times the price of TV! So I can't imagine that incorporating 'Motion-Adaptive 3-Line scanning' in a mid band priced TV is going to be that effective, under every viewing condition. Infact such digital trickery (in my opinion) can make a good input image look worse!

Sorry to be so upfront!

I also don't agree that large screens should be progressive scan. The problem with todays TV's is that all the modern, stylish and cute looking boxes also are manufactured with all manner of digital processing effects. The TV's look great as a piece of furniture but the pictures they produce are crap!

Next time you're out TV shopping I suggest you take your problem DVD's with you and get the sales person to spin them in a DVD player that's hooked up to a TV that has no digital processing. Or go round to somebodies house who's got a TV that is at least 4-5 years old.

I've got a 10 year old multi standard 21" Sony TV and the picture is 'razor' sharp with both NTSC and PAL DVD's. Even my 5 year old 32" widescreen Hitachi TV does not suffer from the problems you mention!

I don't know what else to suggest to you, as all I can do is quote from my experience and the experiences of my co-workers and customers!

Sorry mate... ditch the digital... Cheers