Amstrad DRX550 picture shift - Sky

markelliott · 08-01-2007, 18:26

I've just bought a brand new Amstrad DRX-550 Sky Digibox, and just like the similar Thomson version, it's got this silly picture shift issue going on. The picture is not centred properly, it is drastically pushed over to the left regardless of whether the output is set to PAL or RGB.

I know RGB output pushes the picture to the left slightly, however, my Philips CRT TV has built-in automatic RGB shift correction. The TV is sorting out the shift caused by the RGB signal, but the picture is still dramatically shifted, which is being caused by the Amstrad. This problem must look even worse on TV's that don't have RGB shift correction.

As I have seen this problem on the Thomson DSI 4214, and now the Amstrad DRX-550, it would seem that these flow boxes have some kind of issue with the picture not being centred.

I remember seeing a similar problem on those old black Pace NTL cable boxes.

TechnoGarbage · 08-01-2007, 18:44

Not your tv then?

markelliott · 08-01-2007, 18:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by TechnoGarbage

Not your tv then?

Definately not, no.

People on this very forum have reported seeing this shift issue on the Thomson DSI 4214 just like I have. I have since replaced the Thomson box with the Amstrad DRX-550, which is similar, and I can confirm that it has this issue as well.

markelliott · 08-01-2007, 19:31

I have just taken a photo showing the problem. You can clearly see that the EPG banner is way off centre.

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/9...080107beb2.jpg

I must stress that this picture shift is 'not' being caused by the RGB signal, it is there regardless of whether the video output is set to PAL or RGB. My TV has auto RGB shift correction, this problem would look even worse on a TV without it, as the picture would be shifted even further to the left than it already is.

When you set the output to PAL the picture would normally be properly centred, as it isn't, therefore I conclude this as a box issue. The Thomson flow box has the same problem.

Just to point out that back in the summer, I had an old Panasonic Sky box connected to this TV, and the picture was properly centred.

muchty · 08-01-2007, 22:02

U like watching the radio channels then?

PK - the King · 08-01-2007, 22:07

Is it actually shifting the entire picture to the left (ie. cutting off a strip to the left of the broadcast picture) or is it just that the video overlay graphics doesn't centre the dialog boxes for the EPG correctly?

markelliott · 08-01-2007, 23:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by muchty

U like watching the radio channels then?

Don't be daft.

I only put that up so you could easily see the shift.

markelliott · 08-01-2007, 23:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by PK - the King

Is it actually shifting the entire picture to the left (ie. cutting off a strip to the left of the broadcast picture) or is it just that the video overlay graphics doesn't centre the dialog boxes for the EPG correctly?

Yes, it's shifting the entire picture to the left. The shift is there regardless of whether the output is set on PAL or RGB. Looks like this is a common fault with these flow boxes, as the Thomson model was the same, don't know about the Pace though. I used to have a old Panasonic box connected to the TV, and there was none of this shifting nonsense - the picture was perfectly centred.

east_boy_16 · 03-08-2008, 23:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by markelliott

Yes, it's shifting the entire picture to the left. The shift is there regardless of whether the output is set on PAL or RGB. Looks like this is a common fault with these flow boxes, as the Thomson model was the same, don't know about the Pace though. I used to have a old Panasonic box connected to the TV, and there was none of this shifting nonsense - the picture was perfectly centred.

Sorry to drag up this thread, but I have this problem of picture shift. Although it looks fine on the w/s tv downstairs.

I have the same box as the op and bought it off ebay too. Very strange and quite an annoyance this has happened, I thought it was my tv.

dragon2611 · 14-03-2009, 00:39

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but this is exactly what I get if I try and view my sky on my dvd-recorder (and my housemates tv card in his pc).

I think it's the thompson box I have, (well it was, not sure now as they changed it a couple weeks back when I had an engineer out to fix a loss of reception issue, didn't fix the faulty LNB mind so they had to come out again and do the job properly

)

Now I thought it was the dvd-recorder as it's just a cheap liteon thing, but when I started getting reception issues we tried a friends panasonic box and it didn't have the picture shift issue.

Looks fine on the tv directly btw. Tried RGB on/off.etc still get the same issue.

TBH I don't really record of the sky anyway especially with the picture issue but it would be nice to have it fixed

markelliott · 14-03-2009, 01:43

I'm actually glad you brought this old thread up. I now own a Pace DS445N which I bought in May last year, and it also suffers from exactly the same problem. I own a different TV now as well (LG LCD). So having had all three of the Sky flow design boxes, I can confirm that they all suffer from this picture shift issue. No matter what you try, the image won't be centred properly, it's how the boxes are.

I've seen this reported on the AVForums as well.

08-01-2007, 18:26	#1
markelliott Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Services: Freeview, Sky FTA/V, Sky TV 6 Mix + 10Mb Broadband & Talk, Vodafone. Posts: 3,192	Amstrad DRX550 picture shift I've just bought a brand new Amstrad DRX-550 Sky Digibox, and just like the similar Thomson version, it's got this silly picture shift issue going on. The picture is not centred properly, it is drastically pushed over to the left regardless of whether the output is set to PAL or RGB. I know RGB output pushes the picture to the left slightly, however, my Philips CRT TV has built-in automatic RGB shift correction. The TV is sorting out the shift caused by the RGB signal, but the picture is still dramatically shifted, which is being caused by the Amstrad. This problem must look even worse on TV's that don't have RGB shift correction. As I have seen this problem on the Thomson DSI 4214, and now the Amstrad DRX-550, it would seem that these flow boxes have some kind of issue with the picture not being centred. I remember seeing a similar problem on those old black Pace NTL cable boxes. Last edited by markelliott : 08-01-2007 at 18:27.

08-01-2007, 19:31	#4
markelliott Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Services: Freeview, Sky FTA/V, Sky TV 6 Mix + 10Mb Broadband & Talk, Vodafone. Posts: 3,192	I have just taken a photo showing the problem. You can clearly see that the EPG banner is way off centre. http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/9...080107beb2.jpg I must stress that this picture shift is 'not' being caused by the RGB signal, it is there regardless of whether the video output is set to PAL or RGB. My TV has auto RGB shift correction, this problem would look even worse on a TV without it, as the picture would be shifted even further to the left than it already is. When you set the output to PAL the picture would normally be properly centred, as it isn't, therefore I conclude this as a box issue. The Thomson flow box has the same problem. Just to point out that back in the summer, I had an old Panasonic Sky box connected to this TV, and the picture was properly centred. Last edited by markelliott : 08-01-2007 at 19:34.

08-01-2007, 18:44	#2
TechnoGarbage Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 819	Not your tv then?

08-01-2007, 22:02	#5
muchty Banned User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: SCHLONG ISLAND Services: sky+ PACE PVR3 ,8mb broadband,usrobotics wireless, Posts: 26	U like watching the radio channels then?

08-01-2007, 22:07	#6
PK - the King Forum Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dublin, ROI Services: Thomson DSI-8210CS Sky+, Pace DS430-N, UPC 20Mb/1.5Mb, Blueface VoIP Posts: 1,299	Is it actually shifting the entire picture to the left (ie. cutting off a strip to the left of the broadcast picture) or is it just that the video overlay graphics doesn't centre the dialog boxes for the EPG correctly?

14-03-2009, 00:39	#10
dragon2611 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 225	Sorry to dig up an old thread, but this is exactly what I get if I try and view my sky on my dvd-recorder (and my housemates tv card in his pc). I think it's the thompson box I have, (well it was, not sure now as they changed it a couple weeks back when I had an engineer out to fix a loss of reception issue, didn't fix the faulty LNB mind so they had to come out again and do the job properly ) Now I thought it was the dvd-recorder as it's just a cheap liteon thing, but when I started getting reception issues we tried a friends panasonic box and it didn't have the picture shift issue. Looks fine on the tv directly btw. Tried RGB on/off.etc still get the same issue. TBH I don't really record of the sky anyway especially with the picture issue but it would be nice to have it fixed

14-03-2009, 01:43	#11
markelliott Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Services: Freeview, Sky FTA/V, Sky TV 6 Mix + 10Mb Broadband & Talk, Vodafone. Posts: 3,192	I'm actually glad you brought this old thread up. I now own a Pace DS445N which I bought in May last year, and it also suffers from exactly the same problem. I own a different TV now as well (LG LCD). So having had all three of the Sky flow design boxes, I can confirm that they all suffer from this picture shift issue. No matter what you try, the image won't be centred properly, it's how the boxes are. I've seen this reported on the AVForums as well.