Stargate on Showtime HD not really HD (Comcast in DC)

[Guest]

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

On the Showtime HD channel in Washington DC on 1/22 @ 8pm (SHOHD on
Comcast, channel 238 & 339) they showed the movie Stargate, but it was
clearly not an hi-def video source.

Judging by the low quality of the images and the smoothed over jagged
steps on the diagonal details, I'm guessing it was a DVD source with a
line doubler.

Did anybody else see this in DC? If so, would you be interested in
filing a complaint with Comcast (asking for our money back for the
night) and also filing a complaint with The DC Office of Cable
Television and Telecommunications ( http/octt.dc.gov/ )

Ben in DC
PublicMailbox at benslade dot.com
(append 030516 to the subj to bypass spam filters)
Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in
society. Mark Twain

 

[Guest]

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

Benjamin Slade wrote:
> On the Showtime HD channel in Washington DC on 1/22 @ 8pm (SHOHD on
> Comcast, channel 238 & 339) they showed the movie Stargate, but it was
> clearly not an hi-def video source.
>
> Judging by the low quality of the images and the smoothed over jagged
> steps on the diagonal details, I'm guessing it was a DVD source with a
> line doubler.
>
> Did anybody else see this in DC? If so, would you be interested in
> filing a complaint with Comcast (asking for our money back for the
> night) and also filing a complaint with The DC Office of Cable
> Television and Telecommunications ( http/octt.dc.gov/ )
>
> Ben in DC

Yes, the picture quality of the recent Stargate movie showings on
SHOHD are terrible. Lots of shimmering edges and text; in general the
worst movie quality I have seen on SHO HD since I got a HD TV a month
ago. From what I have read, it is an upconvert from an old lousy SD
transfer of Stargate. A lot of Showtime HD movies are upconverts, this
one is just one of the worse of the lot. OTOH, the recent SHOHD
broadcasts of The Shawshank Redemption was true HD and had excellent
picture quality.

But why would you complain to Comcast? They are just broadcasting
Showtime. And filing a complaint with the DC govt cable office would
likely be a waste of time. Picture quality of HD channels is not high on
their priority list. I would complain to Showtime instead. Won't do much
good in the short run, but if enough people complain, maybe they will
get a newer HD transfer before the next time Stargate is put back into
the rotation. I think I will go to the website and do that.

Alan F

 

[Guest]

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

"Benjamin Slade" <PublicMailbox@benslade.com> wrote in message
news:MBEId.6507$J6.1407@trnddc02...
> On the Showtime HD channel in Washington DC on 1/22 @ 8pm (SHOHD on
> Comcast, channel 238 & 339) they showed the movie Stargate, but it was
> clearly not an hi-def video source.
>
> Judging by the low quality of the images and the smoothed over jagged
> steps on the diagonal details, I'm guessing it was a DVD source with a
> line doubler.


Agreed - it was ugly.
Shame on SHO.

 

[Guest]

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

Alan Figgatt wrote:
> Yes, the picture quality of the recent Stargate movie showings on SHOHD
> are terrible. Lots of shimmering edges and text; in general the worst
> movie quality I have seen on SHO HD since I got a HD TV a month ago.
> From what I have read, it is an upconvert from an old lousy SD transfer
> of Stargate. A lot of Showtime HD movies are upconverts, this one is
> just one of the worse of the lot. OTOH, the recent SHOHD broadcasts of
> The Shawshank Redemption was true HD and had excellent picture quality.
>
> But why would you complain to Comcast? They are just broadcasting
> Showtime. And filing a complaint with the DC govt cable office would
> likely be a waste of time. Picture quality of HD channels is not high on
> their priority list. I would complain to Showtime instead. Won't do much
> good in the short run, but if enough people complain, maybe they will
> get a newer HD transfer before the next time Stargate is put back into
> the rotation. I think I will go to the website and do that.
>
> Alan F

I'll complain to Comcast because I'm paying them for the promised
service of six high definition channels.

Granted I don't think I'll get any results, but that's not my goal. My
goal is to cause a little trouble in Comcast corporate somewhere.

Ben in DC

 

[nobody]

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

Benjamin Slade <PublicMailbox@benslade.com> wrote in news:MBEId.6507
$J6.1407@trnddc02:

> On the Showtime HD channel in Washington DC on 1/22 @ 8pm (SHOHD on
> Comcast, channel 238 & 339) they showed the movie Stargate, but it was
> clearly not an hi-def video source.
>
> Judging by the low quality of the images and the smoothed over jagged
> steps on the diagonal details, I'm guessing it was a DVD source with a
> line doubler.
>
> Did anybody else see this in DC? If so, would you be interested in
> filing a complaint with Comcast (asking for our money back for the
> night) and also filing a complaint with The DC Office of Cable
> Television and Telecommunications ( http/octt.dc.gov/ )
>
> Ben in DC
> PublicMailbox at benslade dot.com
> (append 030516 to the subj to bypass spam filters)
> Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in
> society. Mark Twain
>


I saw Stargate on Show HD a few times this week and it didn't look too
great. It does have a lot of dark scenes, though.

Albany, NY here

 

[nobody]

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

Nobody <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote in news:Xns95EA79766A9Dnononononon@
140.99.99.130:

> I saw Stargate on Show HD a few times this week and it didn't look too
> great. It does have a lot of dark scenes, though.
>
> Albany, NY here
>


Which is Time Warner Cable, BTW

I thought it might be my new LCD which is fully tweaked yet...glad to see
others don't think it was that good.