Passion+ Scintillating Blacks!!

[DaveJJ]

Hi!

I recently bought a Passion+ STB and was impressed, So much so, that I bought another. However, (isn't there always!) the second box has a flatter, lower contrast picture so I increased that contrast level a bit and the black areas, particularly the smaller ones started to scintillate (hope it's the right word) or flash. I've tried different modes (cartoon, movie etc) but prefer the manual settings I configured in my first STB. With these same settings the picture is not as good and contrast levels which give a generally acceptable picture cause severe scintillation.

I sent the box back as the technician agreed that there was probably something wrong. However, (again) going back to the first STB I notice that if I increase the contrast a bit (a little more than I would like) I get the same scintillation occuring. Is this a feature of the Passion+ STB or could it be a problem with my sat dish? Signal levels show as generally 80-85% and quality 90-95%.

BTW, the problem is worse on Chan 5 which I find tends to garish colours for their studio transmissions even on terrestial.

I haven't updated the F/W yet (still v1.1.8) and wondered whether that could improve the picture.

DaveJJ

 

[juclarie]

are you using hdmi on both boxes to the same tv?

 

[DaveJJ]

Hi Juclarie,

Yes. When I noticed the effect with the second STB it was connected to HDMI2. I then connected the first STB to HDMI3 input to make the comparison. After I sent the second STB back I reconnected my first STB back to HDMI2. It was then I noticed that I could reproduce the scintillation but at a higher contrast setting. I have since connected the first box back to HDMI3 and got the same effect, so it's not specific to one particular TV input.

DaveJJ

 

[juclarie]

are you adjusting the contrast on your tv? if so, i cannot reproduce the effect you are describing (using c5 as a test channel). btw have you had any probs with hdd recording?

 

[DaveJJ]

Hi!

Not adjusted the TV contrast, just the settings in the STBs. We've been watching this evening with the original (first) STB and with the settings we chose just after receiving the box I notice some evidence of scintillation in the black for the subtititles and credits. But the TV settings are the same as we have had from day dot with the TV (Samsung LE32somethingorother). Never noticed this with anything else.

We have had a Skybox (old Grundig) on SCART, Tvonics PVR on Aerial and phono-RGB, and EMTEC MovieCube on HDMI1. No bother with anything at all.

I simply changed the Passion+ STB TV settings from a preset to manual and used the following

1st STB 2nd STB
Tint 17 17
Sat'n -2 -2
Brightness -9 -9
Contrast -3 -1

The black levels were poor with second STB and there was scintillation. Raising Contrast to +1 gave severe scintillation similar the 1st STB at Contrast +3.

I don't know what the next step is but it seems (not unreasonably) that the basic settings box to box are slightly different.

 

[DaveJJ]

BTW, no problems so far with recording. Tried 2 different HHDs on rear USB and a small HDD (Acer MP330 MP3 player) and 8GB memory stick on front USB. No problems.

 

[juclarie]

I simply changed the Passion+ STB TV settings from a preset to manual and used the following

1st STB 2nd STB
Tint 17 17
Sat'n -2 -2
Brightness -9 -9
Contrast -3 -1

yup, that's really about what my box does aswell. but contrast levels look ok if i make the adjustment on the tv rather than on the box. tv is a samsung lcd 40" somethingoranother...

 

[DaveJJ]

Hi,

Like you say, altering settings in the TV works ok. Changing the STB settings is ok to tweak things so that changing from one STB to another keeps a sensibly constant picture quality. Looks like I was a bit hasty returning the second box. It'll be interesting to see what the have done to it or whether a replacement is sent!

Thanks for the help

DaveJJ