Tv-out Troubles

[johnz1]

I love the idea of TV-out on the 2X. Unfortunately, I'm not real happy in the results I've gotten with it. Here are a couple of my problems that I haven't been able to find solutions to:

- On every TV I've used it on, the 2X does not correctly fit with the TV screen. The image cuts off about 10% off of each side so that it looks like it's zoomed in. But this doesn't happen with everything. I know that PicoDrive and GPFCE fit perfectly on the screen (and look very good btw), but other apps like Beat2X and CraigAmp get cut off. On the gp2x wiki, it mentions that the resolution doesnt quite match NTSC (to avoid interlace effects?), is this the cause of the problem?

- No matter what I try, the 2X speakers are always on. I hate this. When TV-output is selected, the 2X speakers should be turned off. Why would you ever want to use these speakers if the unit is hooked up to a TV? I've tried the Speaker-Toggle app, but that doesnt seem to solve the problem (there's no sound from the TV-out or the 2x speakers). Is there any way to limit audio output to strictly to the EXT port (& TV-out)?



Thank you very much for listening, and sorry for the negative attitude. It's just that I'm kind of frustrated by all this. This is so close to being an unbeatable feature, but these two problems are really annoying. Personally, I know I'd use TV-Out a lot more if these two problems were corrected.

Thanks for any help

 

[TheFr00n]

First of all, have you tried the TV-out fixer? It's somewhere in the file archive.

I think the speaker issue was fixed in a firmware update at some point. Regardless, I get around this by getting my TV sound out of the headphone jack. Sorted.

 

[nubie]

The image cuts off about 10% off of each side so that it looks like it's zoomed in.

Are you 100% sure of that?

I ask because all TV's have an overscan setting, I adjusted mine off (there is a hidden service menu in most all RCA and GE tv's, do a google for RCA "service menu" and you will find instructions).

You can set a TV like you can a computer monitor, but the menu is usually a cryptic set of numbers, it isn't difficult when you get used to it though.

An easier way to check would be to use a capture card or a VGA box because they usually show the overscanned portion of the screen.

To put it in perspective, I centered the picture on my 20" magnavox (the blue THX box on DVD's was cut off on one side), but didn't set the overscan, the picture is so large and cut off on the edges that objects on the screen are the same size as on my 27" RCA that i set as you would a PC screen (with the edges of the picture on the edges of the visible screen).

Video games are sometimes a smaller resolution than full TV res, and are also Designed for a TV set, the other programs you were running where made for a LCD that has Zero overscan by its design.

Just FYI, I know many people don't care (or know) about having their equipment adjusted properly. I hate it when I see a TV oversanned by 15%, shifted to the side 10% and straight lines go across like this ~, and they can't see it :wacko: :blink: .

Just a quick note, try some other devices and note the overscan. Such as video game consoles. They compensate for the overscan by not putting menus or text where you couldn't see them, but they are the exact same way.

It might be hard to believe at first, but give it a try and believe that all those TV's are adjusted that way BY DESIGN. Check Wikipedia for Overscan and find out for yourself.


Either adjust your TV's (or have a TV serviceman do so) or get used to it.

I find it funny that the TV censor's seem to use the overscan too, whith my overscan off I have seen some nipples on broadcast TV (in the USA that is "not allowed" supposedly).

Strangely enough LCD TV's have built-in overscanning on purpose, BAD manufacturor's BAD. Boo!

 

[Shadowsithe]

I'm running 2.1.1 and I can say with confidence the speaker thing is still an issue, but I use fancy pants headphones which trump my lame TV speakers so I don't really miss out.

 

[johnz1]

I'm also using the latest firmware (2.1.1) and the speaker problem is still there. This needs to be fixed in an update, its very annoying

As far as the video problem, I'm testing a bunch of games & apps for which ones look right and which ones look like they're zoomed in.

 

[gnyffel]

You can fix the sound problem by using the headphone port instead of the tvout one for sound. That is, plugging the headphone port into the tv.

 

[Voyageur]

For now, speaker-toggle just changes the "Main" sound level. Running smixer on the gp2x reports the usual set of volume settings available, so it *may* be possible to change the speakers volume without changing the line-out setting (or whatever is used for tv-out).

Someone with a telnet set up to the console could try to find these settings... I can't do it since I wait for the pretty BoB (probably with a new gp2x, I gave up hope on repairing the headphones one more time ).

 

[jbrodack]

ive used tv out on tvs without any special overscan setting and certain things are still cut off in some applications and games. some center perfectly though.