Please explain why 'AMC' channel is non-HD

[Tarheel_]

I've really started to like their selection of movies on this channel, but having a 110" screen makes the video about impossible to watch.

Two questions:

- why does a 100% movies channel not go HD?

- when Directv displays 'HD' next to the program, what does it mean? Is it upconverted or true HD? Sure looks good.


Mad....'First Blood' is currently on and dang i'm not watching it as if it's 1982.

[Rich-n-Texas]

I have FiOS and some of the cable channels actually have two separate channel numbers/locations. One is the Standard Definition broadcast channel and the other is the Hi Def broadcast channel. Not sure about AMC because I don't watch Black & White movies. And the fact that they ARE B & W might tell you something as well.

[kevlarus]

I've really started to like their selection of movies on this channel, but having a 110" screen makes the video about impossible to watch.

Two questions:

- why does a 100% movies channel not go HD?

- when Directv displays 'HD' next to the program, what does it mean? Is it upconverted or true HD? Sure looks good.


Mad....'First Blood' is currently on and dang i'm not watching it as if it's 1982.

I have AMC HD here. But it's not all B&W content. Right now, they're playing Tigerland (2000), then the Bruce Lee Story (1993).

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

I've really started to like their selection of movies on this channel, but having a 110" screen makes the video about impossible to watch.

Two questions:

- why does a 100% movies channel not go HD?

They probably are, but not picked up by your satellite of cable company.

- when Directv displays 'HD' next to the program, what does it mean? Is it upconverted or true HD? Sure looks good.

This question is impossible to know without access to the masters they use for broadcast. It is likely some programming is HD, and some could be unconverted as well.

Mad....'First Blood' is currently on and dang i'm not watching it as if it's 1982.

Elaborate on this. It does not look good? It looks too good for a 1982 movie? Bad?

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

I have FiOS and some of the cable channels actually have two separate channel numbers/locations. One is the Standard Definition broadcast channel and the other is the Hi Def broadcast channel. Not sure about AMC because I don't watch Black & White movies. And the fact that they ARE B & W might tell you something as well.

Black and white movies can look really good in HD. The only thing that is missing is color, but every other viewing perimeter is greatly enhanced.

[pixelthis]

I have FiOS and some of the cable channels actually have two separate channel numbers/locations. One is the Standard Definition broadcast channel and the other is the Hi Def broadcast channel. Not sure about AMC because I don't watch Black & White movies. And the fact that they ARE B & W might tell you something as well.

And the fact that you don't appreciatte B&W movies speaks vollumes as well.
Psycho, Citizen Kane, CASABLANCA, some of the finest movies ever made have been made in B&W, AND I hate to agree with Talky on anything, but they do look great in HD.

[Rich-n-Texas]

I apologize for the inaccuracies in my previous post...

[Worf101]

I get AMC in HD but I rarely watch it for the following reasons:

1. Inferior content to Turner Classic Movies.
2. Constant repetition of the same tired flicks day in and day out.
3. Commercials out the ying yang. I don't want a feckin' snuggie!!!!
4. Edited content for language.
5. No Robert Osbourne.

Worf

[kevlarus]

I apologize for the inaccuracies in my previous post...

And so you should ! I mean, it was so inaccurate you made Sir Terrible Two and Pixiedust agree on something.

Does the world now end or what ?

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

And so you should ! I mean, it was so inaccurate you made Sir Terrible Two and Pixiedust agree on something.

Does the world now end or what ?

It doesn't end, but I sure want to vomit

[Rich-n-Texas]

And so you should ! I mean, it was so inaccurate you made Sir Terrible Two and Pixiedust agree on something.

Does the world now end or what ?

LOL! Yeah, I was going to mention that but I felt it would detract from the impact of my statement.

[dean_martin]

I get AMC in HD but I rarely watch it for the following reasons:

1. Inferior content to Turner Classic Movies.
2. Constant repetition of the same tired flicks day in and day out.
3. Commercials out the ying yang. I don't want a feckin' snuggie!!!!
4. Edited content for language.
5. No Robert Osbourne.

Worf

Worf, you're gonna be glad you get AMC in HD when Mad Men cranks back up later this summer. I have DISH which doesn't carry AMC in HD yet. I don't know if it's a regional thing or if it's like that for all DISH users. I need to re-watch season 3 on dvd quickly.

But I agree generally. I rarely watch AMC.

[Woochifer]

I- why does a 100% movies channel not go HD?

AS others have noted, AMC is available as a dedicated HD channel. Directv just hasn't picked it up yet. Directv added or will add 30 new HD channels beginning in May -- 14 new HD channels just went online yesterday. AMC is not on the list.

If you want the HD feed for AMC, write to Directv and demand it. They got more satellite capacity online now, but have still fallen behind Dish with many of the national HD channels (some would argue that it's because Dish compresses the signal more).

- when Directv displays 'HD' next to the program, what does it mean? Is it upconverted or true HD? Sure looks good.

If it has the HD logo in the channel guide, then that means the program originates in true HD resolution. If it does not have that logo on an HD channel, then it is likely upconverted and rescaled. Keep in mind that broadcasters are upconverting and rescaling that SD content using professional grade video equipment, so it should look comparable at least to a good DVD. The HD feed also looks good because you're comparing it with Directv's SD channels, which look crappy because they use inferior MPEG-2 compression and the feed was already downscaled.

And as I'm sure you've noticed, different channels take very different approaches to how they rescale non-HD content on their HD channels. Some channels do black pillarboxing, while others use a patterned pillarbox, while other channels like the A&E family (A&E, History, HGTV, Food Network, etc.) do the annoying stretch-o-vision.

[Tarheel_]

AS others have noted, AMC is available as a dedicated HD channel. Directv just hasn't picked it up yet. Directv added or will add 30 new HD channels beginning in May -- 14 new HD channels just went online yesterday. AMC is not on the list.

If you want the HD feed for AMC, write to Directv and demand it. They got more satellite capacity online now, but have still fallen behind Dish with many of the national HD channels (some would argue that it's because Dish compresses the signal more).



If it has the HD logo in the channel guide, then that means the program originates in true HD resolution. If it does not have that logo on an HD channel, then it is likely upconverted and rescaled. Keep in mind that broadcasters are upconverting and rescaling that SD content using professional grade video equipment, so it should look comparable at least to a good DVD. The HD feed also looks good because you're comparing it with Directv's SD channels, which look crappy because they use inferior MPEG-2 compression and the feed was already downscaled.

And as I'm sure you've noticed, different channels take very different approaches to how they rescale non-HD content on their HD channels. Some channels do black pillarboxing, while others use a patterned pillarbox, while other channels like the A&E family (A&E, History, HGTV, Food Network, etc.) do the annoying stretch-o-vision.

Great information...exactly what i was looking for. I do have Directv and will send an email asking for AMC HD.

[Worf101]

Worf, you're gonna be glad you get AMC in HD when Mad Men cranks back up later this summer. I have DISH which doesn't carry AMC in HD yet. I don't know if it's a regional thing or if it's like that for all DISH users. I need to re-watch season 3 on dvd quickly.

But I agree generally. I rarely watch AMC.

How could I forget my fave show. Well it's been so effin' long since last season I guess I kinda forgot all about THE show. Thanks for remindng me. I feel kindsa silly.

Worf

[pixelthis]

LOL! Yeah, I was going to mention that but I felt it would detract from the impact of my statement.

Well, you've made some real boners in the past, but this takes the cake.
Although on retrospection, it was just a demonstration of a lack of class
and depth more than anything else.
Why AMC is in trouble, I guess, trying to appeal to a nation of this type,
Who "dont watch" B&W movies, when the best rated movie ever is Black and white.
Not gonna tell ya, gonna leave you in your ignorance, now go play with your power rangers.

[Woochifer]

Great information...exactly what i was looking for. I do have Directv and will send an email asking for AMC HD.

Also, keep in mind that the HD logo is not always an accurate indicator. Just yesterday, I saw Heat playing on TNT. It was very obviously an upscaled stretch-o-vision job, yet the channel guide said it was HD. On the flip side, my local RSNs had a couple of baseball games on -- both of them clearly in HD, yet the channel guide did not have the HD logo showing.

[pixelthis]

Also, keep in mind that the HD logo is not always an accurate indicator. Just yesterday, I saw Heat playing on TNT. It was very obviously an upscaled stretch-o-vision job, yet the channel guide said it was HD. On the flip side, my local RSNs had a couple of baseball games on -- both of them clearly in HD, yet the channel guide did not have the HD logo showing.

I cant understand why TNT does this.
Their regular programming(leverage) and quite a few movies(WAR OF the worlds)
look amazing, its really the luck of the draw.
Most of the streachovision stuff is older, I dont think they do that with their newer stuff.
You need to watch leverage, BTW, its really good.

[kevlarus]

I cant understand why TNT does this.
Their regular programming(leverage) and quite a few movies(WAR OF the worlds)
look amazing, its really the luck of the draw.
Most of the streachovision stuff is older, I dont think they do that with their newer stuff.
You need to watch leverage, BTW, its really good.

I suspect it's due to whatever format the channel happens to have those movies/shows in. This is clear with some of the real old Law & Order episodes (TNT?), or ST:TNG (Next Generation) that's currently being run on BBC America. Looked at it once, definitely using down-rezed source and not HD, on their HD channel. I could tell the difference in a snap.