Guys, not sure if this is a problem or not as it has always been like this.

I bought my TV about year ago and have used PAP quite a few times.

When using PAP, I get 2 images as expected but they only fill half the screen in total, so that there is a black bar at the top & bottom. If that makes sense?

I noticed the other day though when in the local bookie's that they were using PAP (different TV brand & model) and it filled the screen, so just wondered if maybe TV's are different with PAP? Do some fill the screen? Do some just do half.

Like I said, when I got the TV has always been like this so just thought it was fine until I went in the bookies.

Either way, I am not taking the TV back has nothing else is a problem and its not a daily thing using PAP.

If you think about it for a second it makes perfect sense to have bars top and bottom.

If you put two 4:3 ratio pictures side by side this equates to one 8:3 picture. Or 24:9. So fairly obviously it is not going to fit full screen on a 16:9 display. So you either scale the images down to fit horizontally and then leave a gap above and below or crop the edges of both pictures so they fit vertically full screen

To get two equal sized pictures side by side on a 16:9 screen would mean they would be 8:9 each. Which is 2/3rds the width of a 4:3 (12:9) image. So quite a lot of cropping going on!

The only other way would be to put both images at full width side by side then stretch them vertically to fill the screen. Which I think you would notice.....

Cheers, that explains it nicely.
I am quiet techie, but didn't know that was the reason.


Thread Closed

My PIP places two images side-by-side with bars at the top and bottom - so you're not alone and it's not a problem.

Thread re-open.

The ony way to get correct aspect ratio for PIP or PAP, is to have two smaller images with black space or overlay the second picture as a smaller image over a full screen image. The latter is used by both my freeview pvrs.

Just had another look at the PIP on my set, in fact it has multiple settings.

Press PIP and the screen has a small image in the bottom left, this can be moved around the screen.

Press PIP again and it places two identical size images on screen with bars top/bottom.

Press PIP again and they both go full screen.

Press it again and the main input takes over 4/5ths of the screen with multiple small screens on the left showing different inputs.

That's a very avanced facility but technically it's Picture And Picture (combining the inputs from more than 1 device). PIP is normally combining the outputs of two tuners in one box and outputting as a composite image that can be displayed on any display.

Never used it that much, but it certainly covers all the bases.

I have always known it as PIP, the main programme displayed on screen at the same time where one or more programmes are displayed in another window or windows. Plus the button on the remote says PIP.

Isn't PAP more commonly known as PBP (picture by picture) - where the pictures are side by side?

I suppose the feature on my TV is a mixture of both formats - it can do the main programme and small window(s) and the side-by-side format.

That sounds like a nice Setup. I use the PIP mode more, as I have a CCTV connected in my room and sometimes it more easy to just have it on in top corner, unless I am watchinga Movie