MX4002 link aspect ratio problems

21 replies

I've been trying to use MasterLink for the first time, and seem to be *almost* there. My problem is incorrect aspect ratio when displaying widescreen data from the Avant on the MX4002.

The Video Master is an Avant RF VCR, with DVD1 attached to the AV port, and a Humax 9200 Digital Terrestrial box (DTV) attached to the Decoder port (and STB-C). All aspect ratios seem OK (i.e., DVD and SAT give widescreen image)

The MX4002 has no external devices, and is connected direct to the Avant by a MasterLink cable and a UHF lead.

From the MX4002, using a Beo4 contol, I can select LINK-TV, SAT, V.TAPE or DVD from the Avant. DVD and SAT give tall skinny images. LINK-TV and V.TAPE images look OK, since they are fullscreen data displayed on a fullscreen TV.

The problem is that the Letterbox image from DVD and SAT is not converted to display correctly on a 4x3 screen of the MX4002.

Can anyone tell me what should happen here? Is the Avant supposed to create a Zoomed image from the 16x9 images for transmission to the MX4002, or is the MX4002 supposed to switch to Letterbox mode, so giving black bars at top and bottom? How do I make it happen? The FORMAT option on the Beo4 seems to have no effect on the MX4002.

Any ideas?

Mark

Location: UK

I find it odd that no one has yet responded to this post.

All video masters seem to be widescreen, the MX4002 was specifically designed to work with MasterLink and therefore with video masters, yet I can find no way to change the picture on the MX4002 to a letterbox or zoomed format.

This can't be right - I can't believe that B&O specifically designed the MX4002 to display distorted images (tall skinny people).

Mark

Location: UK

Well, I think it is just one of those unexplainable things... as far as I know, the MX4002 (and all the other Unity/Unity2 chassis TVs as well) are indeed unable to switch the aspect ratio: they are 4:3 only.

Also, the Avant has no scaling hardware, it can only alter the aspect ratio of its own display. Therefore, 16:9 material should be letterboxed at the source to a 4:3 frame for the MX4002... which will be a crappy format to display on the native 16:9 Avant.

I don't think there is any completely acceptable solution for this 🙁

Hi Mark,

The 4002 will not show a 16:9 image correctly (I believe the MX4200 will do this). You could change the picture output settings in your Humax and DVD1 to display 4:3 or 14:9 letterbox then the 4002 will be OK, but the Avant picture would then be compromised so experiment and see which you can live with.

David

This is truly amazing!

I bought my MX4002 specifically to allow the Avant sources to be viewed from the kitchen. As it happens, I bought it via ebay, as a private sale. If it had come from a dealer I would have returned it as unsuitable for the purpose for which it is intended.

Sadly, then, it means that MasterLink is only suitable for audio, or for people who have both the money and the space to put widescreen TVs around the house.

Are you sure it's not just a matter of a firmware upgrade for the MX4002?

The only other solution I can see would be to ditch the MX4002, buy a small third-party widescreen TV and interface it to the Avant using a BeoLink Active [not sure if this would work without speakers attached].

Mark

Location: UK

I think the MX4002 was developed at a time when all the videomasters were 4:3.

Yes, the later MX4200 can handle a widescreen format, but displays it at the top of the screen with a thick black band underneath! This model has the modular chassis from the Beovision 1 and a flat 4:3 Panasonic 21inch tube.

Neil.   

I wish we had a guide to these capabilities and issues somewhere. I do hate it when only learning of these issues after planning and making an installation.

Are you saying that the BeoVision 1 does work correctly when connected to an Avant? If so, I guess I need to dispose of the MX4002 and replace it with a BeoVision 1.

Mark

Location: UK

I have a linked BV1 and it works well. But you need a late version that have ML capable of option 6

deaddruid wrote:

Are you saying that the BeoVision 1 does work correctly when connected to an Avant? If so, I guess I need to dispose of the MX4002 and replace it with a BeoVision 1.

 

BeoCenter 1 / BeoVision 1 ; BeoVision MX 4200 and BeoVision MX 8000 are based on the same type of chassis.

They all offer "Format 1" to add a "blank black bar" at the bottom of the sreen to "resize" 16:9 signals.

All the above mentioned TVs will handle a 16:9 signal properly.

BeoVison 1-L and 1-ML had the ML-board fitted as a standard feature -
BeoCenter1, MX 8000 and MX 4200 might have only the ML-socket but will need an ML-Upgrade Kit (board)
!! this may differ from market to market. 

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