Any Canadian Andromeda fans on here? (1 Viewer)

[Rob_V]

I was going to post this to the board on andromedatv.com but when I saw a reply to a similar thread that said something along the lines of "They shrink it and add those stupid black bars" I decided that was not a crowd I wanted to deal with ...

I am ENTIRELY fed up with Global airing Andromeda in Full-Frame format this year when the producers explicitly decided they wanted it to air in widescreen this season, and Global is the only station that caries Andromeda that isn't airing it in letterboxed widescreen.

I haven't been watching it on Global myself, opting instead to catch it on Fox-W (Rogers Digital Timeshifting) or WGN when I can, so I can set my Tosh 57HX81 to zoom mode and properly enjoy the 16x9 presentation.

I was thinking a while back of actually starting a petition online (petitiononline.com) and collecting a pile of signatures to bring to Global's attention the fact that there are a lot of people with 16x9 sets that would enjoy the show in the 16x9 format, but never got around to it.

Would anyone be interested in such a thing? Would anyone sign? I don't want to do it if it's only going to be my signature on there, but if there are enough other people that actually care, I'll happily go ahead a put the time into getting it going.

I noticed Rogers is playing with an HD-Glob, (currently on 912 or something, inaccessible by regular HD-subscribers) but I'm seriously doubting Global will air a 16x9 version on HD-Global, and a Full-Frame version on plain-old Global, so I'm thinking a petition might actually be worth the time.

Thoughts?

 

[DwightK]

I watch on WGN. Tonight actually.

Not in Canada but hey, atleast someone else watches my favorite show.

 

[Rob_V]

Heh, I know the feeling. I think I'm the only person I know that watches it. I'm surprised it's still on the air.

*Knocks on wood*

I think it's better than Babylon 5 was, and Babylon 5 was an awesome show. I think a lot of people were just thrown by Kevin Sorbo (seeing only Hercules when they see him,) the bad acting in the first season, and the sub-par special effects in a lot of episodes and just didn't give it much of a chance after watching only a couple episodes.

 

[Jamie Doucette]

I watch it too!!! But I've only seen one full episode this season since I'm pretty busy.

I didn't realize it was now being filmed in a 16x9 ratio. I'll sign it for ya.

It is nice to know other people do watch it.

 

[Jason Seaver]

I think a lot of people were just thrown by Kevin Sorbo (seeing only Hercules when they see him,) the bad acting in the first season, and the sub-par special effects in a lot of episodes and just didn't give it much of a chance after watching only a couple episodes.

Gave it two years, and then ditched it after the third-season premiere confirmed my fears that the creator being forced out would suck all the life out of it. Now I'm sort of waiting for the end because Robert Wolfe said he would reveal what he intended to do with it after the series went off the air.

 

[CaptDS9E]

I watch Andromeda and enjoy it but its not close to Babylon 5. Andromeda Seasons 1 and 2 were good, 3 was pretty bad, but this season they are getting things back on track

capt

 

[Tony Whalen]

I think real letters are far more effective than Internet-based petitions.

That being said, while I'm a big sci-fi fan, I lost it with this show after the first season. It just didn't hold my attention for some reason. I just tuned in again recently, discovered that Tyr is gone, and Trance isn't purple anymore, and that a New Commonwealth has been formed. That and Rev Bem was gone. I was TOTALLY lost.

 

[johnbr]

The show has been made in 16/9 from day one.The reel crime is it is not surround.:frowning:

 

[Eric F]

I just bought the S1 box and it looks really good, 1.78:1- one of the best transfers I've seen of a TV show, by far.

Only place it's lacking is the sound is only DD 2.0, but the surround mix is so well done, you'ld hardly notice. When they're in certain places in the ship, there's a distinct echo. Nicely done.

Well worth $40. I can't wait for the next 3 seasons.

 

[brentl]

OK, My best friends wife is mid level at Global in Toronto. I'll email her and see if she can find out the reason they do that and if it can be changed.

I don't think she worry to hard if she can't find the answer that we want but it's a question that should be watched.

Brent

 

[Jeff Jacobson]

Gave it two years, and then ditched it after the third-season premiere confirmed my fears that the creator being forced out would suck all the life out of it. Now I'm sort of waiting for the end because Robert Wolfe said he would reveal what he intended to do with it after the series went off the air.

Who forced him out?

 

[Jason Seaver]

Captain Hercules and the folks at Tribune. They complained, I kid you not, that his scripts were "too smart", that he'd created too intricate a world, with too many big sci-fi ideas, and the like. They wanted a more "turn up, tune in" show. The weird thing is, I never got the impression that Andromeda's first year and a half was tough to get into - they were pretty good about explaining any macrostory/background as necessary within the episode, and there was seldom any need to remember previous episodes. They got by without an annoying clip package at the start of the hour, at any rate.

 

[Rob_V]

bump.

 

[brentl]

Sorry folks but I still haven't heard from my friend yet. I was out with her husband last night and forgot to ask.

I may see her on Sunday.

B

 

[Jeff Jacobson]

So who's doing the panning and scanning? Do the TV stations have a choice between two different versions, or is this "Global" station just doing it themselves?

I'm just wondering, if "the producers explicitly decided they wanted it to air in widescreen this season", why would they offer a p&s version (if that's what happened)?

 

[Rob_V]

Global has a hand in the production of the show. If they don't do the p&s themselves, I'm sure the only reason they are provided with a p&s version is because of their involvement in the production of the show.

Here's the blurb from the site about them deciding to run it it widescreen this season:


Andromeda in letterbox!

This season, Andromeda will be broadcast in "letterbox" format. What does this mean to you, our loyal viewer?

(basic explination of widescreen that can be skipped)

Andromeda is filmed in a widescreen format, much like many of the movies you see in the theater. In this format, the image size is a rectangle whose width is roughly twice its height (similar to a photograph you would create with the "panoramic" setting on your camera).

Most television sets don't have the rectangular screen shape described above. That leaves two options for showing widescreen programs on TV:

A) To make sure the entire television set is filled with the filmed image, the producers must "zoom in," meaning that some of the imagery on the sides gets cut off (see image below). This is usually referred to as "Full Screen" or "Pan & Scan" formatting.

B) If the producers wish for the entire widescreen image to be shown on the television set, they must fit the rectangular-shaped film image into the nearly-square television screen. This is generally known as "Letterbox" format (see image below).

(end of basic explination of widescreen that can be skipped)

For Season Four of Andromeda, the show's producers have decided to display each episode in "letterbox" format. As you can see in the sample images above, you will see more of the Andromeda universe in each shot than you've ever seen on the air before.

 

[Eric F]

It wouldn't surprise me if Sorbo had a hand in the dumbing down of the show. On the DVD extras he comes off as a complete moron.

 

[Jeff Jacobson]

It would surprise me if Sorbo had a hand in the dumbing down of the show. On the DVD extras he comes off as a complete moron.

Did you mean it wouldn't surprise you?

 

[Rob_V]

Bump.

Any news from Global?

 

[Rob_V]

Re-bump ...