Aspect Ratio Shortcut Question

[rbmcgee]

I have an H20-100.

I have a need to toggle aspect ratios (4x3 vs. 16x9) depending on whether I'm watching on my 4x3 TV or my 16x9 projector. Obviously, the easier this is to do, the better it is for me.

Follow me here...

I've discovered a shortcut for this activity. [left arrow], choose aspect ratio, [OK], [clear]. This works perfectly and is a big help, HOWEVER,

Once the receiver has been turned off and then turned back on again, this shortcut no longer works. In order to get this shortcut to work again, I must first dig through the menus all the way to the aspect ratio ratio screen and change it. Once I've changed it "the long way", the shortcut works (ie, to change it back).

Am I missing something????

My trigger finger would appreciate any help.

[Steve]

It's working because the H21 left-arrow is acting like the BACK button, which will return you to your most recently-used menu. Once the H21 powers off, that "memory" is lost.

I think you'll find that even if you don't power-off the H21, if you do something else in the meantime, like check the GUIDE, the left arrow will now take you back to the GUIDE, instead of the aspect ratio menu.

/steve

[rbmcgee]

Thanks Steve,

That is truly bad news for me. Is there any aspect ratio toggle shortcut that I'm not aware of?

[Steve]

You might want to try setting up the H21 for the projector, and then using "CROP" mode using the remote's FORMAT button when you're watching 4:3, and set it back to "Stretch" or "Original Aspect Ratio" when you're watching the projector. May not work perfectly, but well enough to suit your needs. /steve

[rbmcgee]

Thanks for the suggestion but it looks like I'll be digging through the menu.

[Shades228]

Thanks for the suggestion but it looks like I'll be digging through the menu.

Programmable remote might be your best solution that supports macro's.

[rudeney]

Even a programmable remote likely won’t help because it would have to know what format was last selected in order to have a button that always selected the desired format. The ideal solution would be for D* to give use numeric shortcuts. For example, pressing FORMAT - 1 would select stretch, FORMAT – 2 would select crop, etc. In fact, this would be great to have in the menus as well and I believe that is on the official “wish list”. Maybe a similar implementation for the format option needs to be added, too.

[rbmcgee]

Actually, the way it is currently set up allows for a discrete selection, which, as you mentioned, is essential.

I would think this would be a bigger issue for directv as I'm not the only one who has a 4x3 display and a 16x9 display hooked to a single machine.

Here's hoping it rises on the wish list.