Sci-Fi Channel in HD

Scott-S · 03-27-2008, 10:07 AM

I just found out that my cable system is adding the HD version of the Sci-Fi channel next week. Should I be happy, or is it going to be like A&E etc. and just be stretched copies of shows?

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Paul Padilla · 03-27-2008, 10:29 AM

I'm sure it's going to be a little stretch and a little real HD.

What cable system...and where, Scott?

Scott-S · 03-27-2008, 10:54 AM

I am on Comcast in the Salt Lake City area.

David Norman · 03-27-2008, 11:50 AM

I've never seen Sci-Fi stretch material. Most of its 4:3 material is shown that way and that's the majority of what they have available though most the newer series have been shown Full HD -- SG Atlantis and surely Season 4 of BSG.

Jason Seaver · 03-27-2008, 12:14 PM

Unlike a lot of the other stations, the NBC/Universal channels seem to be pretty good about not stretching. What they aren't necessarily good about is actually getting HD sources; I'm always amused when I flip it on and Enterprise is running with black on all four sides, for instance.

Garrett Adams · 03-27-2008, 05:57 PM

I'm also getting it starting next week.

Ernest · 03-28-2008, 08:22 AM

Those of us with DirecTV have had SCI-FI HD for several months and for me it has been the biggest disappointment of all the HD programs. I gave up after they continually displayed programming window-boxed, thick black bars on all four sides. The reality was my 55" HD TV was reduced to a 32" TV showing SD quality video from SCI-FI.

The definition for HD, as set forth by the DVD forum, is video broadcast in 720P or higher with an aspect ratio of 16 x 9. 16 x 9 was picked as a compromise between 4 x 3 and movies shot in a variety of formats. The reasoning was 4 x 3 would be stretched to fill the screen and 2:35 or larger would show small black bars on the top and bottom. And that is exactly how DVD's are manufactured.

Unfortunately, this process did not carryover to TV programming and we are now stuck with 4 x 3 displayed with black pillar bars. So now we go a step further and SCI-FI displays letter-box, 4 x 3, with pillar bars. It makes no sense and the programming is completely un-viewable.

The TV programmers are not following the forum rules and all we can do about it, is do as I do and not watch any of the pillar bar, window-boxing programming.

Joseph DeMartino · 03-28-2008, 09:48 AM

I don't know if it is Sci-Fi or if Comcast in my area is actually sending the SD feed to their designated HD channel, but I also get standard stuff in 4:3 and widescreen material letterboxed within the pillarboxed 4:3 window. I have yet to see anything on the channel show up as 16:9. Not worth watching. If I want to watch SF in SD I just tune into the SD channel.

Regards,

Joe

TravisR · 03-28-2008, 02:27 PM

Considering that Universal HD plays Battlestar Galactica properly, I'll be surprised if it isn't presented correctly on Sci-Fi HD too. And if they don't, I'll just watch it on Universal HD.

David Norman · 03-28-2008, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joseph DeMartino

I don't know if it is Sci-Fi or if Comcast in my area is actually sending the SD feed to their designated HD channel, but I also get standard stuff in 4:3 and widescreen material letterboxed within the pillarboxed 4:3 window. I have yet to see anything on the channel show up as 16:9. Not worth watching. If I want to watch SF in SD I just tune into the SD channel.

Regards,

Joe

SCI Fi shows HD shows properly on DirecTV -- Every Enterprise or SG Atlantis I've seen is 16:9 so if they are windowboxed on your system then Comcast is at fault.

Right now -- 5pm EDT SG Atlantis is full 16:9 HD (not windowboxed) while the XFiles from 4-5 pm EDT was a properly pillarboxed 4:3.

And to mess with everybody -- 6-7pm Stargate (2001) was 4:3 pillarbox while 7-8pm SG1 (2005) was 16:9 windowboxed.

Ric Easton · 03-28-2008, 08:00 PM

I want my Sci-fi HD! With Battlestar Galactica displayed correctly of course!

I do have Universal HD, but how long before they start showing season 4 of BG?

Joseph DeMartino · 03-28-2008, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Every Enterprise or SG Atlantis I've seen is 16:9 so if they are windowboxed on your system then Comcast is at fault.

Why am I not surprised?

Joe

TravisR · 03-28-2008, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric Easton

I do have Universal HD, but how long before they start showing season 4 of BG?

I assumed that they'd run the same week as they did on Sci-Fi (since that's what they're doing with the recap specials this week) but I checked the schedule and it looks like no BSG episodes are on Universal HD in April at all. I guess Sci-Fi wants to be the only game in town. I guess I have to pin my hopes on the Sci-Fi HD channel coming through.