DS Forums

 
 

Channels Showing Full Widescreen Films


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 21-08-2010, 13:28
pad_ehh
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,766
Yes, like most channels that show mostly 1.85:1 content they will show the opening credits in 2.35:1 as text may be cut off if they don't, but once they are out of the way the image is zoomed in to fill the screen. Jersey Girl was on BBC 1 a few weeks ago and this happened, although they left it a bit later than the end of the opening credits before they actually zoomed in to 1.85:1.
pad_ehh is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 21-08-2010, 18:11
DVDfever
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 15,852
Yes, like most channels that show mostly 1.85:1 content they will show the opening credits in 2.35:1 as text may be cut off if they don't, but once they are out of the way the image is zoomed in to fill the screen. Jersey Girl was on BBC 1 a few weeks ago and this happened, although they left it a bit later than the end of the opening credits before they actually zoomed in to 1.85:1.
Ta for the replies. That's odd it wasn't even on BBC HD in 2.35:1. How can it still be HD if it's a half-assed version? That's the kind of thing ITV usually do.

I forgot to check Seabiscuit shown earlier on BBC1. Anyone know about that one too, out of interest?

On the credits side of things, ITV often windowbox all credits to around 14:9, but retaining their original ratio, and then put the image back to the edge of the screen (for 2.35:1 films this will also be the point where they crop it to 16:9 if they're going to do so). I think anyone dumb enough to use the 14:9 setting on their digibox gets everything they deserve.
DVDfever is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 21-08-2010, 18:37
d'@ve
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Darn Sarf
Posts: 28,728
I want the full image at the correct aspect ratio, ideally taking up as much screen as possible without cutting any picture off. I don't mind black bars at the top and bottom, or on the sides when watching 4:3 content on a wide screen
One point that seems to have been overlooked in this discussion is that by letterboxing cinemascope films, broadcasters are lowering the vertical resolution (from 1080 to around 810 for 2.37:1 or thereabouts HD; from 576 to around 432 for SD).

It's a circle that cannot be squared - one thing is traded off for the other. Personally, I'd rather have the full resolution (which means they'd have to broadcast with sides cropped, hopefully properly pan-scanned). I like HD better than half-HD but it's purely down to personal taste. There is no perfect solution to this problem.
d'@ve is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 21-08-2010, 19:34
DVDfever
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 15,852
One point that seems to have been overlooked in this discussion is that by letterboxing cinemascope films, broadcasters are lowering the vertical resolution (from 1080 to around 810 for 2.37:1 or thereabouts HD; from 576 to around 432 for SD).

It's a circle that cannot be squared - one thing is traded off for the other. Personally, I'd rather have the full resolution (which means they'd have to broadcast with sides cropped, hopefully properly pan-scanned). I like HD better than half-HD but it's purely down to personal taste. There is no perfect solution to this problem.
So you'd rather have a bastardised version of a film rather than what the director intended? There's no point in watching half a film in HD - you can't polish a turd. You clearly can't be a film lover.
DVDfever is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 21-08-2010, 22:04
leviramsey
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 601
So you'd rather have a bastardised version of a film rather than what the director intended? There's no point in watching half a film in HD - you can't polish a turd. You clearly can't be a film lover.
If you care about what the director intended, you wouldn't be watching it on TV (regardles of source, including DVD) since film is higher resolution and shows detail that's not present on video.
leviramsey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 07:42
mossy2103
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 68,698
I forgot to check Seabiscuit shown earlier on BBC1. Anyone know about that one too, out of interest?.
16:9 on BBC HD
mossy2103 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 13:57
DVDfever
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 15,852
If you care about what the director intended, you wouldn't be watching it on TV (regardles of source, including DVD) since film is higher resolution and shows detail that's not present on video.
Oh, that old chestnut. Let me see how many cinemas are showing Snake Eyes at the moment, hmm? Oh, about none.
DVDfever is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 13:58
DVDfever
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 15,852
Thanks. Makes me even more glad I haven't bothered getting an HD digibox if that's how they treat things.
DVDfever is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 15:04
d'@ve
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Darn Sarf
Posts: 28,728
So you'd rather have a bastardised version of a film rather than what the director intended? There's no point in watching half a film in HD - you can't polish a turd. You clearly can't be a film lover.
Lke all TV, I can take it or leave it. I like watching some films, but like the majority of TV viewers, I am not a film freak. Does that make my opinions invalid?

By the way, watching it on a 'tiny' TV screen at home at low resolution (compared to the original) is not what most directors of big budget films intended. It's not all about seeing right to the edges.
d'@ve is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 15:11
VirginMediaPhil
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: North West England
Posts: 1,982
It's no so much stretched 4:3 on a 16:9 TV I hate - it's seeing a 16:9 picture squished into 4:3 I hate the most.
VirginMediaPhil is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 16:00
DVDfever
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 15,852
It's not all about seeing right to the edges.
I would say that's the No.1 priority for a film. Certainly is with me.
DVDfever is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 16:23
mossy2103
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 68,698
Thanks. Makes me even more glad I haven't bothered getting an HD digibox if that's how they treat things.
Oddly enough, I have witnessed some other films on BBC HD as being 2.35:1 (although I only got Freeview HD in July) - Crimson Tide was one.
mossy2103 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 16:26
RussellIan
Guest
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 11,503
It's unbelievable that so many people still don't get the irreducibly simple fact that half the film is missing without 'black bars'. To listen to them whinge on, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the black bars are 'put there' purely 'for fun' on the part of the broadcasters.
RussellIan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 16:26
El Guapo
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: South East
Posts: 4,638
whats the point in "forcing" the nation to go out and buy a widescreen tv, and then filling half the screen space with black bars!!!????
Not sure you have understood really.
El Guapo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 16:32
jzee
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,460
ITV1 HD just started with 2.35:1 for opening credits of Spy Who Loved Me then switched to noticebly less sharp 16:9.
jzee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 16:42
RussellIan
Guest
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 11,503
If Living TV could show the 1982 abomination Curse Of The Pink Panther earlier today in 2.35:1, ITV have simply no excuse.
RussellIan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 18:48
DVDfever
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 15,852
Oddly enough, I have witnessed some other films on BBC HD as being 2.35:1 (although I only got Freeview HD in July) - Crimson Tide was one.
Yep, BBC1 (non-HD) was showing that one in 2.35:1 too. Makes me wonder, given the situation with Snake Eyes and Seabiscuit, if BBC HD, for films, are just simulcasting what's on BBC1, whereas they used to be different. If they are just simulcasting, perhaps this is some sort of a test for the proposed BBC1 HD?

Either way, if I was a BBC HD viewer I'd be pissed off at being short changed.
DVDfever is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 19:11
d'@ve
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Darn Sarf
Posts: 28,728
ITV1 HD just started with 2.35:1 for opening credits of Spy Who Loved Me then switched to noticebly less sharp 16:9.
If they'd done it properly, it would then have shown more detail (in the main action areas) to the viewer. There's no accounting for technical incompetence.
d'@ve is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 19:21
jzee
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,460
If they'd done it properly, it would then have shown more detail (in the main action areas) to the viewer. There's no accounting for technical incompetence.
I don't know whether it is ITV (or Technicolor?) who zoom in real time as it is broadcast, or whether they receive the HD print pre zoomed, in the latter case theoretically it would be possible to scan the film at a higher resolution and then produce 1920x1080 P&S, but whether they really do that I don't know. Live and Let Die, which was broadcast in OAR was noticeably sharper than TSWLM today- see my screenshots here.
jzee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 20:43
terryranosaurus
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 723
I think anyone dumb enough to use the 14:9 setting on their digibox gets everything they deserve.
There are no digiboxes with a 14:9 setting.
The options are 4:3 or 16:9.

So you'd rather have a bastardised version of a film rather than what the director intended? There's no point in watching half a film in HD - you can't polish a turd. You clearly can't be a film lover.
And anyone who watches movies in full on ITV clearly isn't a movie lover either

It's no so much stretched 4:3 on a 16:9 TV I hate - it's seeing a 16:9 picture squished into 4:3 I hate the most.
A practice thats not happened for many years except on tv displays owned by people unable to set up their equipment properly
terryranosaurus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 21:13
BrianWescombe
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 969
So you'd rather have a bastardised version of a film rather than what the director intended? There's no point in watching half a film in HD - you can't polish a turd. You clearly can't be a film lover.
Agreed
BrianWescombe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 21:18
jzee
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,460
A practice thats not happened for many years except on tv displays owned by people unable to set up their equipment properly
Actually it still happens on the CBS (formerly Zone) channels, and on Cinemoi.
jzee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 21:43
d'@ve
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Darn Sarf
Posts: 28,728
So you'd rather have a bastardised version of a film rather than what the director intended? There's no point in watching half a film in HD - you can't polish a turd. You clearly can't be a film lover.
I think some of us are getting a leeeetle bit elitist now. Not exactly something that I'd normally associate with watching a film on the small screen.
d'@ve is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 21:52
VirginMediaPhil
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: North West England
Posts: 1,982
There are no digiboxes with a 14:9 setting.
The options are 4:3 or 16:9.
Er, yes there are. In fact I have one (a Philips), used it today, for a 4:3 TV in my loft. It's called 'Compromise' and it's the option I use because I don't like the way centre cut-out cuts off the graphics and some parts of the picture.

I think some of us are getting a leeeetle bit elitist now. Not exactly something that I'd normally associate with watching a film on the small screen.
I agree, I don't mind if the film is in 16:9 or it's original size.
VirginMediaPhil is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-08-2010, 22:19
terryranosaurus
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 723
Actually it still happens on the CBS (formerly Zone) channels, and on Cinemoi.
Thats broadcasting 16:9 programmes with 16:9 flag missing , something they did on Star Trek TOS for at least the first few episodes.
Channels do not broadcast 16:9 material intentionally squashed into a 4:3 box like they used to when showing the widescreen credits of a film for example
terryranosaurus is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply



Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 23:14.