Stange HBOHD Action

[Neil]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Today I watched the Abyss on HBOHD. I have a 16:9 TV and I was expecting to
see a quality widescreen movie, but they showed a 4:3 "full screen" version
instead! In addition, the resolution of the image was not as good as it
should have been. As you may already know, this movie was originally
produced in a widescreen 2.35:1 format.

It almost appears that HBOHD had a tape of the movie in 4:3 that was used
for NTSC broadcasts which they then upconverted.

What would possess HBOHD to do this? Even if they had used the widescreen
DVD of this movie as the source for the broadcast it would have looked
better.

Neil
Salem, MA USA

 

[Panic]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

"Neil" <ThisIsNotARealAddress@xyzabc1234.com> wrote in message
news:6Gajd.5897$5K2.5652@attbi_s03...
> Today I watched the Abyss on HBOHD. I have a 16:9 TV and I was expecting
to
> see a quality widescreen movie, but they showed a 4:3 "full screen"
version
> instead! In addition, the resolution of the image was not as good as it
> should have been. As you may already know, this movie was originally
> produced in a widescreen 2.35:1 format.
>
> It almost appears that HBOHD had a tape of the movie in 4:3 that was used
> for NTSC broadcasts which they then upconverted.
>
> What would possess HBOHD to do this? Even if they had used the widescreen
> DVD of this movie as the source for the broadcast it would have looked
> better.
>
> Neil
> Salem, MA USA
>
>

I love the Abyss, so when I saw it listed on HBO HD I was happy, but it
wasn't in HD, so then I was pissed, then I got over that and was sad. So
many emotions.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

>"Neil" <ThisIsNotARealAddress@xyzabc1234.com> wrote in message
>news:6Gajd.5897$5K2.5652@attbi_s03...
>> As you may already know, this movie was originally
>> produced in a widescreen 2.35:1 format.

Careful: James Cameron is one of the few directors who shoots on
Super35 with both 4:3 and widescreen aspect ratios in mind, and who
sometimes even prefers the 4:3 version (much to the consternation of
people like me who fight the good fight for widescreen)! There is a
chance you were actually seeing *more* than what was shown in the
theatres.

But, knowing HBO, you weren't. HBO is to HD movies what McDonald's is
to hamburgers.