The WIDE aspect picture label is used to differentiate between the automatic 16:9 picture aspect selection mode and the manually selected 16:9 picture mode. The manual mode is given the 16:9 label.
Provided the set is in the automatic picture aspect selection mode, the picture will go into WIDE mode if pin 8 of the SCARTsocket is switched to the correct 16:9 switching voltage. Note, the WIDE mode shows the same picture aspect as the manual 16:9 mode but is selected automatically by either pin 8 or the WSS(wide screen switching) signal that can be encoded into the viewed CVBS/Y (luma) input signal. If the set does not automatically go into the 16:9 WIDE mode then the user should switch to 16:9 manually to give the same picture as the automatic WIDE mode would provide.
A WSS signal can switch the set into WIDE MODE through the front SVHS socket (i.e. no pin 8 SCART line is connected) or if an SVHS to SCART socket adaptor into AV2. However, the presence of the WSS signal is completely dependent on the way the DVD/video playback material has been authored and will not always be encoded with the WSS flag. If not present, the set will stay in the auto mode and will automatically change picture size by vertical expansion if black bars are detected at top and bottom of the picture (21:9 material). The picture height changes are achieved through simple height expansion and not through true picture interpolation as used on the EURO5/7 sets. This causes the picture to have a coarse line structure.
Cobweb, April 2005
