Some of the international, especially from the more advanced nations like Japan or in Europe, actually do now send an HD feed, sometimes ONLY in HD because of the cost of also sending an SD feed. NHK World is in HD (it even has a bug in the top left reading "NHK World HD") and our local public TV station (no longer part of PBS) airs it in HD on the main channel, while they have to "crop" the HD aspect ratio on the SD multiplex channel, just like what you are seeing. This happens on a number of internationals that our local public TV station airs, even from Megahertz World, thee was one show that had subtitles that BARELY fit and sometimes the letters ran beyond the 4:3 aspect ratio.
Dish provides Japan TV, which is part of NHK, but I can't remember if TV Japan is being sent providers in HD.
Ironically, BBC World is NOT in HD, but it is sent in the UK standard def widescreen format. However, BBC America HD, for some bizarre reason--although Warner Home Video has done similar to UK shows released in the US on DVD--actually ZOOMS in on the widescreen provided resulting in an exaggerated or larger 4:3 appearance with black bars on the side.
So, in other words, what you've described is the France 24 is, indeed, being sent in HD, but Dish is sending it to us in SD. I know there are probably bandwidth issues at 118.7, but I do think it is time to provide at least the few HD feeds from certain internationals. The vast majority will continue to send SD. Many international households do have HD service for English language packages anyway, particularly those of Japan and Europe, so there are those who would immediately benefit from a few HD international channels .
