HDNet experimenting with classic TV shows converted to HD! (1 Viewer)

I got this message in my HDNet daily programming schedule email:

HDNet is testing the conversion of some classic TV episodes from 35mm film to HD and we want to get feedback from YOU, our viewers. Tune in this week to watch several episodes of Hogan's Heroes and Mission Impossible. How does the 35mm conversion look on your HDTV set? Should we add more classic
TV shows or not? Send an email to Mark Cuban with your thoughts.

It should be interesting to see how the video looks!

cool, thanks for the heads-up. How do you get on the daily schedule email? Is it on HDNet's web site somewhere?

good choice with MI but hogans' heroes?

You are correct Paul. Go to hd.net and the link is on the left!

Got it Jay, thanks
And, I disagree about Hogan's Heroes, I love that show and look forward to seeing it in HD !!

They cropped an old Shirley Temple movie, claiming that broadcasting OAR of 4:3 material looked 'too much like Standard Def'.

These shows will almost certainly be cropped from OAR.

Then it's time to let the Mr. HDTV Mark Cuban know that No OAR=NO WATCH!
As much as we'd like to see these shows in HD :frowning:

Like it or not, and for the record I don't, this is probably going to be the way it will be if HD ever truly replaces NTSC. According to some very reliable research I've read, a large percentage of widescreen television owners stretch a 4x3 picture to fit the 16x9 width whenever they watch regular TV. In other words, the same "JSP" adage applies: "I bought this big wide television and I want every inch of it filled with picture!" Note the occasional postings by members here complaining that some widescreen movies (2.35:1 and so on) don't fill their new 16x9 set.

I am aware of several efforts underway at the studios to transfer classic shot-on-film television shows to HD. In nearly every instance they are transferring them using "common top and side" with the occasional tilt down.

The concept of common top and side is that the head room framing is critical and should be maintained. Therefore, a 16x9 aperture is extracted from the top portion of the frame, cropping out the bottom portion of the frame. This works well for most medium and wide shots. For closeups and some wide shots, the aperture is tilted down slightly to properly frame the action.

As I said at the beginning, I don't agree with this approach, but I have done it in post for several programs. And it will be done by the studios with their classic television programs. Guaranteed.

-greg

Greg,

I know that Paramount did this with 'Cheers'. Frankly, none of this is a surprise to me. If widespread adoptance of 16:9 happens in the USA, it will likely lead to the demise of OAR for anything shot in academy ratio. And I think it may eventually result in a lot less OAR for 2.20:1, 2.40:1, and other wide film.

OAR acceptance may have peaked with DVD.

I will not watch any old TV show if it cropped to make a fake widescreen effect. HD or not, it's stupid and insulting.

It's just as bad as panning and scanning.

Paramount also has HD masters of Cheers in 4:3 according to that article tho

I agree with Steve. Not only that, but they'd be cut to pieces to sell more commercial times. We can get that in standard definition.

This is why studios should consider TV shows on DVD, and then whatever format supercedes it.