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TCM HD altering 1.33 films??? (1 Viewer)

Jim*Tod

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I have noticed lately that TCM HD has been cropping films shot in the old 1.33 ratio. This morning's showing of 42ND STREET is an example. Not sure whether contacting TCM will help, but has anyone else noticed this?
 

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TonyD

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I've never noticed.
Anyone that can post a shot of the bluray to compare out there?
 

Tony Bensley

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I have noticed lately that TCM HD has been cropping films shot in the old 1.33 ratio. This morning's showing of 42ND STREET is an example. Not sure whether contacting TCM will help, but has anyone else noticed this?
In what way is this cropped, Jim? I ask because I can clearly see the usual sidebars for the 1.33 aspect ratio. Perhaps by cropped, you mean the original film image itself is cropped on all four sides and then zoomed in?

CHEERS! :)
 

Jim*Tod

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It is subtle but it is cropped a bit. This is the blu ray.
 

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t2smith

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Older movies were actually shot in 1.37 and cropped to 1.33 when shown on TV. Blu-rays usually show them in their original 1.37. If you look at the screenshots carefully, you can see that the Blu-ray is slightly wider. Using the pictures on the wall behind the TV, the left side of the movie on TCMHD lines up with the left of the lady's wrist and the right stops before the edge of the picture of the lady on the right. On the Blu-ray, the left side goes further left past the lady's wrist and the right side goes almost to the edge of the picture of the lady on the right.
 

Jim*Tod

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OK... glad to have that cleared up. I know TCM sometimes shows 2.35 at 1.75, etc and has even shown SINGIN' IN THE RAIN at 1.75. It is kinda the last bastion of getting things right on cable for vintage films. I am happy to be proved wrong. Thanks.
 

t2smith

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You are welcome. It is annoying when cable channels crop movies. If HBO has a movie I want to see, I usually still rent the Blu-ray from Redbox or Family Video so I can see it in the correct aspect ratio.

It almost seems like cable channels are incapable of broadcasting in 1.37 because I've seen almost every different aspect ratio broadcast on TV except 1.37, which I've only seen on Blu-ray.
 

Tony Bensley

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You are welcome. It is annoying when cable channels crop movies. If HBO has a movie I want to see, I usually still rent the Blu-ray from Redbox or Family Video so I can see it in the correct aspect ratio.

It almost seems like cable channels are incapable of broadcasting in 1.37 because I've seen almost every different aspect ratio broadcast on TV except 1.37, which I've only seen on Blu-ray.
Likely a broadcast leftover from the old days of overscanning for CRT Televisions. Is it more convenient for stations to just leave the Aspect Ratio at 1.33 for pre widescreen era films, perhaps?

Of course, there are still some CRT Televisions in circulation!

CHEERS! :)
 

Garysb

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No matter what station broadcast it,HDNET, TCM etc, "The Way We Were" is always broadcast at 1.85 or 1:77 full screen instead of it original Aspect Radio of 2:35 . Only way to see it at 2:35 is on DVD or the out of print Twilight Time Blu Ray. I assume this was a choice of Sony/Columbia .
 

Rob Willey

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This thread is giving me a sense of nostalgia for the OAR rants when I started on HTF. :)
 

RolandL

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OK... glad to have that cleared up. I know TCM sometimes shows 2.35 at 1.75, etc and has even shown SINGIN' IN THE RAIN at 1.75. It is kinda the last bastion of getting things right on cable for vintage films. I am happy to be proved wrong. Thanks.

Yeah the only good thing is we use to miss about half the 2.35 image on our old 1.33 TV sets. Now with 1.77 we are missing about 25%.
 

Stan

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You are welcome. It is annoying when cable channels crop movies. If HBO has a movie I want to see, I usually still rent the Blu-ray from Redbox or Family Video so I can see it in the correct aspect ratio.

It almost seems like cable channels are incapable of broadcasting in 1.37 because I've seen almost every different aspect ratio broadcast on TV except 1.37, which I've only seen on Blu-ray.
HBO is actually one of the better channels. You never know when it's going to happen, but occasionally they slip in a 2.35 film, black bars top and bottom, but you get the full picture.

I always thought we could trust TCM, but obviously not.
 

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