Why it's OK to have HD channels that show hardly any HD

[psychicmind]

SORRY - you cannot take away 15 - 24/7 HD 5.1 DD channels and replace them with start-up HD channels like A&E who took over one year to produce its first HD program. A&E is the worst HD up-convert there is - unwatchable in it's stretch-o-vision sins.

That's why it is NOT OK.

 

[Wererat]

Where can I find a guide that tells us which programs on these new HD channels are actually in HD? Assuming that I will only watch an HD channel if the show is in HD, how can I know ahead of time? Dish's guide isn't (and probably never will be) that granular, so maybe there's something online? And I don't want to have to go to Disney.com (and aetv.com and scifi.com and usanetwork.com and tnt.tv etc.) to find out...

TitanTV's listings give that detail.

 

[M Sparks]

What's worse, IMO, is the channels that USED to show a lot of HD, but now (since their HD and SD schedules became the same) show all kinds of stretched content. Food Network comes to mind. IIRC, some of the stuff I am now seeing in stretch-o-vision was originally broadcast in HD. WTF is up with THAT?

BEYOND annoying...

I'm annoyed with Scripps too, though I wouldn't have a problem if they would stop using Stretch-O-Vision.

I have not seen any cases where actual HD programs aren't being shown in HD. To be fair, the All-HD versions of Food and HGTV were incredibly limited in programming. But the other night I had Food Network on all evening while I was doing some work around the house, and everything was in HD.

Ideally, this is what I want out of these new psuedo HD channels...

1)Show HD whenever possible
2)Don't screw with the aspect ratio when HD is NOT available. And preferably, don't add distracting logos on the side.

Even though the HD is limited, ABC/Disney and NBC/Universal are getting it right. I know I can tune into Sci-Fi HD or Disney Channel and I will always see the best picture available.

Does anyone know what Viacom is doing? Comedy Central HD...even with no actual HD...might tip my household to the HD only pack. (Though I would miss Joel McHale )

 

[Tyralak]

I'm wondering when the companies that advertise with each of these stations will start complaining? Nothing worse than seeing a makeup commercial where the well-paid model looks like Stretch Armstrong.

After all, a company wouldn't want their commercial shown with no audio, or in black and white. Why are they letting them get away with showing it in a wrong format.

Maybe they don't film them in HD. There ARE some HD commercials shown on those channels.

 

[Fredinva]

That law is for OTA not cable. That particular date has no relevance to when cable cahhanne;s go HD>

NOT Exactly!!!

That change over date next February is for DIGITAL, not necessarily HD.

fred

 

[psychicmind]

Don't screw with the aspect ratio when HD is NOT available. And preferably, don't add distracting logos on the side.

TOTALLY!

A&E HD is unwatchable, so is TNT stretch-o-vision (very stupid way to go HD)

The Discovery Channels have an interesting up-conversion with a minor top/bottom crop. That works for me OK.

Sci-Fi is one of the best, keeping all original SD in 3:4 (which looks better) and adding the "HD" to their logo when a program is actually HD.

I can't understand why A&E, TNT and the others would choose stretch-o-vision.