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The Graveyard - Products No Longer Supported => D-Link Multimedia and USB => DSM-520 => Topic started by: pealringer on July 20, 2008, 04:46:18 PM

Title: JPGs distorted on HD TV
Post by: pealringer on July 20, 2008, 04:46:18 PM

I have a bunch of digital images taken in 16x9 format (3264x1832). When I view them through either Media Server (or directly from a USB stick) the images are letterboxed to 16x7 i.e. vertically compressed. I can force a full 16x9 image by distorting the original images to 16x11.6. Not exactly optimal.

Media Lounge splash screen and menus are full screen, 16x9. I think I have tried every combination of choices in setup, but darned if I can get the aspect ratio right for JPGs.

System is :-
Panasonic TH-42PX50U
  HDMI connection
DSM-520 with firmware 1.06
  Linksys Wireless G
Media Server v 1.10

Any help/insight will be welcome.
Title: Re: JPGs distorted on HD TV
Post by: mikehd on July 31, 2008, 07:14:19 AM
I too am having the distortion problem with 2592x1944 jpegs on my 1080i Mitsubishi HDTV (old school rear projection). I have the video output set to 1080i in the DSM-520.

None of the options scale it correctly. All seem distorted either horizontally or vertically.

Seems like firmware 1.07 needs to include a fix for this to correctly scale photos to the TV.
Title: Re: JPGs distorted on HD TV
Post by: ECF on July 31, 2008, 11:12:51 AM
Do you have the means to test these images using a component video connection in 1080i to see if you have the same results.  We are currently looking into some issues with the images support and HDMI output. Also do you have this same issue on images that are not in such a high resolution?
Title: Re: JPGs distorted on HD TV
Post by: mikehd on July 31, 2008, 01:30:15 PM
I am connected via component in 1080i. I did a test of resizing the photos to be 1440x1080. These should appear with black columns on either side to fill out to 1920, but they wouldn't even display.

I'll take a photo at 640x480 and see how it displays, but other photos at lower rez I have appear stretched horizontally.
Title: Re: JPGs distorted on HD TV
Post by: pealringer on August 04, 2008, 08:55:20 AM

Glad I am not alone. I will try to systematically test a series of images at different resolutions and aspect ratios through HDMI and component. Perhaps this evening, if not then later this week.

I am sure this can be fixed. I have faith.
Title: Re: JPGs distorted on HD TV
Post by: pealringer on August 04, 2008, 06:16:29 PM
  original    jpeg            Component   HDMI   Time to load
Pixels             Aspect    Image   Aspect ratio   Image   Aspect ratio   
                     ratio       size           ratio
3264 x 1832   1.8   32 x 14       2.3   32 x 14   2.3   12 sec
1920 x 1078   1.8   32 x 14         2.3   32 x 14   2.3   8 sec
855 x 617     1.4     15 x 8   1.8   20 x 11   1.8   6 sec
3264 x 2357   1.4   32 x 18     1.8   32 x 18   1.8   19 sec
1920 x 1386   1.4   32 x 18   1.8   32 x 18   1.8   10 sec
1386 x 988     1.4    23 x 13   1.8   32 x 18   1.8   8 sec


Setup in DSM 520

   Component   16:9   1080i
   HDMI      16:9   Auto
Title: Re: JPGs distorted on HD TV
Post by: pealringer on August 04, 2008, 06:27:49 PM
Sorry the post escaped before I had finished formatting.

     Original jpeg        Component                HDMI        Time
Pixels             Aspect    Image   Aspect   Image   Aspect     to   
                       ratio                  ratio                   ratio      load
3264 x 1832   1.8   32 x 14      2.3       32 x 14   2.3   12 sec
1920 x 1078   1.8   32 x 14      2.3       32 x 14   2.3    8 sec
855 x 617     1.4    15 x 8        1.8      20 x 11     1.8      6 sec
3264 x 2357   1.4   32 x 18      1.8       32 x 18   1.8   19 sec
1920 x 1386   1.4   32 x 18      1.8        32 x 18    1.8   10 sec
1386 x 988     1.4    23 x 13    1.8         32 x 18     1.8      8 sec


Setup in DSM 520
   Component   16:9   1080i
   HDMI          16:9    Auto

Full screen on my HDTV is 32 x 18 inches. Distorting the originals from ratio 1.8 to ratio 1.4 gives properly scaled picture. These test were run from a USB stick, so the slow load times can not be blamed on a network. I have previously found the same distortion issues throughthe network using both Media Server and Tversity. So the problem lies in the firmware of the DSM 520.
Title: Re: JPGs distorted on HD TV
Post by: ECF on August 05, 2008, 11:55:38 AM
Its hard to tell from you post but it seems it displays differently using the Video output HDMI and Component. Does the image appear distorted using component as well, like stretch out as you explain or everyone looks fat or wide?
Title: Re: JPGs distorted on HD TV
Post by: pealringer on August 05, 2008, 02:30:41 PM

ECF:

I am not sure what you find hard. A jpeg with an aspect ratio of 1.8 (3264x1832) should have the same aspect ratio on my screen (32"x18);  it does not. On my HDTV it appears letterboxed with an aspect ratio of 2.3 (32"x14") and this is true using HDMI or component connections. Yes, such distortion makes everyone look fat and wide; it also turns circles into ellipses and squares into rectangles exactly as would be expected when the aspect ratio is changed from 1.8 to 2.3.

The results are exactly the same for component and HDMI connections, except for the 855x617 jpeg. This image shows the same aspect ratio distortion with either connection, but he image sizes are different.

The extraordinarily long load times are also of concern. These make any "slide show" interminably slow, no matter what the starting resolutions.

I also noted, subjectively that the resolution on screen seemed rather less than I expected with HDMI. Resolution using component connection seemed better. The limitation to "AUTO" resolution under HDMI makes comparison difficult; I can not think of an easy way to identify the resolution of the HDMI signal being sent to the HDTV set.

While I am quite willing to help sort out this problem, shouldn't it be D-Link's job now that the problem has been identified and confirmed?
Title: Re: JPGs distorted on HD TV
Post by: ECF on August 07, 2008, 11:13:30 AM
Yes. We are currently looking into this thank your for you details.
Title: Re: JPGs distorted on HD TV
Post by: pealringer on August 08, 2008, 02:20:06 PM

ECF:

Great. I look forward to the solution. If I can help in any way please let me know. Right now my DSM-520 is effectively a brick since my need is to view jpegs in HD.
Title: Re: JPGs distorted on HD TV
Post by: pealringer on September 25, 2008, 06:49:07 PM
Well it has been about two months and I see that Halm has also had a problem which is "being worked on". I wonder when we might expect a firmware update? My DSM-520 continues to do yeoman service as a doorstop, I would like to have it function as intended to serve my jpegs in high resolution to my HDTV.

This year perhaps!!
Title: Re: JPGs distorted on HD TV
Post by: pealringer on November 13, 2008, 03:45:10 PM

We are now about four months since this topic was posted, but much longer since it was first identified. Can we expect a firmware update in the near future addressing the problem, or has the DSM-750 now taken center stage. I have long passed the point of anger, but I would be happy to know whether I should just toss the 520 and save for a new box. Though I must say that, based on this experience, any new box to replace the 520 would be most unlikely to be from D-Link.
Title: Re: JPGs distorted on HD TV
Post by: ECF on November 24, 2008, 04:03:44 PM
I know there will be a firmware update for this device however I do not have any dates at this time.
Title: Re: JPGs distorted on HD TV
Post by: ablevy on November 25, 2008, 01:00:32 PM
One of Dlinks big issues is not letting customers try out betas and find the bugs.  Infrant and later Netgear have used their forums to support and assist in debugging their betas.  Not only does it lead to loyal customers, but it leads to increased sales.  Another alternative for DLink would be to support their threads in the AVS forum.  In any case, the DSM-520 has given me good service and PlayON has given this box a second life.  If you worked the firmware issue harder, at $150 this box would be a great competitor for the Roku.  I think it could well extend it's life for another year. 

Alan
Title: Re: JPGs distorted on HD TV
Post by: dicrouthamel on November 25, 2008, 02:53:06 PM
We are now about four months since this topic was posted, but much longer since it was first identified. Can we expect a firmware update in the near future addressing the problem, or has the DSM-750 now taken center stage. I have long passed the point of anger, but I would be happy to know whether I should just toss the 520 and save for a new box. Though I must say that, based on this experience, any new box to replace the 520 would be most unlikely to be from D-Link.

I sold my 520 on Ebay.  Do it now while you can still get decent money for it :)

I'm looking for a Media Center Extender, but haven't decided on a particular product yet.
Title: Re: JPGs distorted on HD TV
Post by: jroseboom on January 11, 2009, 04:51:31 PM
I too wrote about this problem many months ago.  The problem does not seem to exist on 4:3 displays - only on the wide screens.  And yes, it continues to be disturbing that issues that are brought up that should have absolutely been caught in QC testing take many months if not years to correct.