Why would TNT HD not show a movie in real widescreen

[agtpunx40]

I was watching part of Starship Troopers the other night, and was wondering why they wouldn't show the movie in real widescreen on the TNT HD channel. They showed it in a stretched widescreen instead. Normally, they seem to show tv shows that were recorded in widescreen, newer Law and Order episodes for example, in regular widescreen, and older shows that were not recorded in widescreen in a streched widescreen. The commercials on the TNT HD and TNT channels are different sometimes (I checked just now) so they must broadcast the two channels separately. So my question is, why would they choose to broadcast a movie in a stretched widescreen, instead of it's natural aspect ratio when it already fits the format of the station? Why would they go through the extra effort to convert it to pan and scan and then stretch it back out? The resolution was pretty good, definatly better than SD. On another side note I had forgotten how entertaining this movie is. Highly recommended if you're in the mood for something fun.

[kexodusc]

I think the bigger quesion is why TNT decides to fill a 2 hour movie with 48 minutes of commercials..

Good question though...That's weird, my guess is they're upconverting the same film from the SD channel, and use the stretch technique make it "HD compatitble"...Kind of dumb though, I don't think there's a single HDTV made that doesn't have stretch modes that would do this arguably better than TNT could, and to each viewer's personal satisfaction.

[edtyct]

Kexo, you're right. TNT still shows a lot of upconverted SD programming on their HD station, stretched on the periphery to fill a 16x9 screen. The reason that TNT doesn't leave the stretch modes to viewer discretion seems to be that it would rather create the illusion of operating in true HD all of the time than to concede conspicuously that SD is still the source for some of its broadcasts. I should also add that most viewers wouldn't have the option to eliminate pillar-or letterbox bars on upconverted broadcasts if an HD station decided to show them in their original aspect ratio.

Ed

[EdwardGein]

Don't know about your movies and new TNT series are OK in HD but old shows that they show on TNT HD are distorted and are abysmal and I try not to watch these as I value my eyes. You would think these billion dollar bozos wouldn't try to inflict this garbage with the American public. But apparently most of the US is too stupid to notice or care about this. There are alot of stupid people in this country and people like you and I are victims because of them.

[agtpunx40]

they really should just allow the viewer to choose to stretch stuff if they want, but since they must have the movie in a widescreen format, and should have it in HD format, why wouldn't they just show it that way. I understand why they stretch old stuff, to trick uninformed people into thinking that it's all widescreen, but why stretch stuff they don't have to? Why would you go through extra effort to make it look worse?

[edtyct]

Certain films are framed for 4:3, as well as widescreen, when shot to accommodate future TV viewing. I don't know whether Starship Troopers was. If not, any existing pan and scan version might well have been the default to accommodate TNT's larger audience, which presumably still watches 4:3 in SD. In such cases, it's probably cheaper and easier for TNT's HD channel to play second fiddle to SD's demands. Also, if TNT sent the film to its HD channel in 16:9 but in a pan and scan 4:3 window with black bars on the sides, most HD viewers would not be able to eliminate the black bars. To see what I mean, check out your local HD newscast. If it's in HD with a 4:3 window, you can't tweak it any further.

Ed

[MCF]

TNT HD sucks...is it just me with my Time Warner Cable in Houston, but do others see the flicker on TNT HD...I do not see it on any other channel (SD or HD) except TNT HD...like the screen is flickering between a darker and light setting real quick...tried to watch Jurassic Park III that I recorded from TNT HD and it SUCKED...not just the movie. After ten minutes, I let my wife change it to recorded Real World if that gives you an idea of how sh*tty the quality was.....

[edtyct]

I just took a quick look at TNT HD through Comcast cable. No problems w/flicker that I can see.

[EdwardGein]

Didn't notice a flicker- maybe because I won't watch anything on TNT HD on my Time Warner service except for new shows but most of the old shows on it are not right and get me nauceous after a minute.

Also if you're on Time Warner I assume you ar e renting an HD HVR from them- make sure you have Scientific Atlanta 8300 not 8000 from them because the 8000 does not get true 5.2 sound but the 8300 does and you can't make external DVDR's & Video tapes from the 8000 but you can from the 8300. I think the 8300 holds more stuff too.

[MCF]

how do you make external copies?

[EdwardGein]

how do you make external copies?

Just like a VCR On the external "out 2" video & audio outputs in the back just put your RCA cables in & connect them to your VCR or DVD recorder. This will not work for the 8000.

[recoveryone]

Well from my point of view, I would be glad just to have more of my channels in HD format. I only get CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, ESPN and PBS in HD and Adelphia has no plans at this point to expand to more channels. I was very disapponted this year in that the NBA playoffs were shown more on TNT than ESPN or ABC. And with cable getting more and more sports contracts (Monday night Football) I'm affraid I may have to fork out the cash and upgrade to sat HD to get more channels in HD or at least true digital. Adelphia plugs thier digital package as the best thing since slice bread, but most of the channels that are digital are spin off channels of regular SD programs: MTV 2, MTV hits...... Discovery channels spin off and some odd other channels I never watch.

[EdwardGein]

I don't have any problems with not getting unless I pay extra ESPN HD on Time Warner but I do have a problem with not getting UPN in HD (are they discriminating against us brothers?) or the WB & apparently they're not doing that on Adelphia either. Strange.

[recoveryone]

I don't have any problems with not getting unless I pay extra ESPN HD on Time Warner but I do have a problem with not getting UPN in HD (are they discriminating against us brothers?) or the WB & apparently they're not doing that on Adelphia either. Strange. I pay $1.50 a month for ESPN HD, but your right about WB and UPN or even KCAL for all us southen California ppl. They all send out a HD signal but the cable compaines combine what they think is a wide appeal package and tell you thats all they can get at this time.:( For me the real problem is that I live where the mountains block all the broadcast signals from L.A. so sat or cable is my only options. I have to put a antana up on the roof just to get the radio stations to come in.

[EdwardGein]

For Time Warner here in LA, ESPN HD is part of HD Net- you got to pay for HD Net to get ESPN HD and its more than $1.50 for HD Net. What is your carrier?

[recoveryone]

For Time Warner here in LA, ESPN HD is part of HD Net- you got to pay for HD Net to get ESPN HD and its more than $1.50 for HD Net. What is your carrier?
I have Adelphia out here in San Bernardino ( North end) right along the 215 fwy north. The San Gaberal Moutains in Cucamonga block all signals to my area. the HD package cost me $10.00 a month and a extra $1.50 for the ESPN, I get CBS,NBC,ABC, FOX and PBS. I would love to get TNT (for basket ball season) Scfi, WB (Ktla) UPN (Kcop) in HD and upgrade the sound to atleast digital stereo to MTV, BET and VH1. Its so funny how all my spanish station are in stereo, but many of the channels I normally watch are still in mono.:(

[EdwardGein]

Wow you don't get digital sound, I'm surprised on that.

The basic LA Time Warner HD package has CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, TNT, Discovery, PBS (?), on HD plus Showtime & HBO in HD if your getting them (as well as other premium channels you pay for). The price on these is not very expensive but it does not include WB & UPN. You can also get an HD DVR for about $10 more a month. I also pay for the digital package which gives me hundreds of channels including In Demand. I wish I could get Sci Fi in HD, same for F/X. The only thing I'll pay for and add when it becomes available is the Howard Stern TV show.

[sam9]

was wondering why they wouldn't show the movie in real widescreen on the TNT HD channel. They showed it in a stretched widescreen instead. Normally,

Probably they have the same mental block that early DVD producers had about screen size. It's not so bad now, but I still find it's a good idea when renting an older release to watch out for "full screen" (what a BS term!). I've meet some people from places like LucasFilm and Pixar who opine that when you get up to the studio or network management (ultimate decision making) level you routinely find people so clueless that the make Dilbert's "Pointy Haired Boss" seem absolutly brilliant by comparrison.

[recoveryone]

:rolleyes:
Wow you don't get digital sound, I'm surprised on that.

The basic LA Time Warner HD package has CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, TNT, Discovery, PBS (?), on HD plus Showtime & HBO in HD if your getting them (as well as other premium channels you pay for). The price on these is not very expensive but it does not include WB & UPN. You can also get an HD DVR for about $10 more a month. I also pay for the digital package which gives me hundreds of channels including In Demand. I wish I could get Sci Fi in HD, same for F/X. The only thing I'll pay for and add when it becomes available is the Howard Stern TV show.
Like I said its funny how all the lower band channels are a mix bag of quality picture and sound, but all the higher ones (digital package) are digital sound and nice pictures. Showtime is having a free preview thing going on and its full HD and 5.1, but I never been a big fan of the so called premium channel stuff (showing odd never heard of movies or old ones with one or two good ones to wet your taste buds) I'm sitting here watching Buena Vista ( its about Cuban Music) The pic is awesome and the sound is very very nice (hearing the Latin sound in 5.1) can't understand a word being said (reading subtitles lol)
seeing all the folks like us (Ed) make you want to move there. Just need bring my own stuff :D still very poor condition there. ok back to the subject....... I get on demand also and may use it for the NFL games this year, I feel that it may be better than paying almost $200 for the NFL ticket deal. I was the first in my area to get the HD hooked up (beta tester). It just upsets me to no end to see how the cable companies charge so much (I'm paying 75 a month) and not delivering the level of quality product to its customers. And not like we have much of a choice (you only get one cable company to pick or go with sat) in your area, I never heard of any 2 companies( cable) that had to compete for customers.:(

[EdwardGein]

It could be worse- you be living in England- when I lived there 15 years ago cable TV was a joke super expensive & you hardly got anything. I think its improved slightly there & I think they're finally getting HD TV. It sounds like for what you're paying your best getting Direct or Dish TV if you can get it there.

All in all I'm very satisfied with Time Warner here in LA as they provide Roadrunner broadband service as well too me other than they for some idiotic reason don't inform their customers of their newest products which is stabbing them in the foot. I found out about the HD DVR's and the katest models available only through people on this board. 75% of the people at Time Warner when you call don't know about the products and services available. The best deal is the HD DVR rentals which are about $10 a month. They're pretty reliable on installation times.

I get Showtime & HBO for the new shows not the movies.

I think there was a law enacted, again it slipped through because the Americam people didn't notice at the time, that you can't have competing cable companies in the same area.

[recoveryone]

It could be worse- you be living in England- when I lived there 15 years ago cable TV was a joke super expensive & you hardly got anything. I think its improved slightly there & I think they're finally getting HD TV. It sounds like for what you're paying your best getting Direct or Dish TV if you can get it there.

All in all I'm very satisfied with Time Warner here in LA as they provide Roadrunner broadband service as well too me other than they for some idiotic reason don't inform their customers of their newest products which is stabbing them in the foot. I found out about the HD DVR's and the katest models available only through people on this board. 75% of the people at Time Warner when you call don't know about the products and services available. The best deal is the HD DVR rentals which are about $10 a month. They're pretty reliable on installation times.

I get Showtime & HBO for the new shows not the movies.

I think there was a law enacted, again it slipped through because the Americam people didn't notice at the time, that you can't have competing cable companies in the same area.
Sat would cost me about 1k -1500 to have each room in the house and add the HD. All the utilties and cable compaines pull that fast one BS on price hikes and other restrictions so they can keep thier monoploy on us.

[paul_pci]

It could be worse- you be living in England- when I lived there 15 years ago cable TV was a joke super expensive & you hardly got anything. I think its improved slightly there & I think they're finally getting HD TV. It sounds like for what you're paying your best getting Direct or Dish TV if you can get it there.

All in all I'm very satisfied with Time Warner here in LA as they provide Roadrunner broadband service as well too me other than they for some idiotic reason don't inform their customers of their newest products which is stabbing them in the foot. I found out about the HD DVR's and the katest models available only through people on this board. 75% of the people at Time Warner when you call don't know about the products and services available. The best deal is the HD DVR rentals which are about $10 a month. They're pretty reliable on installation times.

I get Showtime & HBO for the new shows not the movies.

I think there was a law enacted, again it slipped through because the Americam people didn't notice at the time, that you can't have competing cable companies in the same area.


I bet you've been watching Cathouse!

[EdwardGein]

You might want to ask some people on the board about this who have satellite as I think its no more expensive then cable. A few years ago I got basic satellite for a small sum of money just to get NFL Ticket. Installation was free with the dish I got at Best Buy.

Someone was posting how they're giving new customers a great deal and screwing old ones.
I'd investigate this further if I was you and ask someone on the Board about this.

[recoveryone]

the cost is in the HD dish setup and equipment. I see the ads all the time for free install up to 4-5 rooms, but you have to call Direct TV/Dish ppl for the HD setup and that is not on the promo install. and thats where they get you on the cash.

[EdwardGein]

the cost is in the HD dish setup and equipment. I see the ads all the time for free install up to 4-5 rooms, but you have to call Direct TV/Dish ppl for the HD setup and that is not on the promo install. and thats where they get you on the cash.

That sucks! I still would double check this with people on the board as it souds ridiculous.
You might want to ask Topspeed:


topspeed's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: California
Posts: 1,632

DirectTV adding 155 HD channels!
Hey guys,

I just found out that DirectTV is launching over 1000(!) new channels, of which 155 will be in HD. Their release date is slated as "late Summer, '05," which we all know means probably 1st Qtr '06. Still, this is a huge boost in programming considering DishNetwork only offers 15 or so HD channels including the Voom package. According to Dish, their scheduled increase in HD programming (slated for 1st Qtr, '06) is an additional 10 channels by comparison.

Bye-Bye Dish, hello DirectTV!

I found this out when Dish truly ticked me off by trying to charge me $858 to install their HD-DVR instead of the $250 they offer new subscribers. That's right, if you an existing subcriber, you know...the kind that's been sending checks to Dish every month for years, you get bent over for an additional $600 over some Joe Blow that just walked off the street! Does anyone else have a problem with this? Conversely, DirectTV is offering their $499 HD-DVR (incl. $100 rebate), 4 addn'l free receivers, a $99 DVR (with a $100 rebate; yes, they pay you a dollar.), a free dvd player, and free install. For those of you in the cheap seats, that's 1 HD receiver, 4 SD receivers, 2 DVR's, 1 DVD player, and a partridge in a pear tree for $499.

Oh

Hell

Yeah!