Has any one heard anything about Sci-Fi channel going HD. It's time they got off their butts. A lot of there content is 16:9 so one would assume a lot of it is HD. But I guess since they are cable and Sat. they really don't have to ever go to HD unless they get pressure from viewers to do so or another channel of Sci-Fi content comes around that is HD.

Voom has a monster channel in HD. That might spur Sci-Fi to go HD.

dunno but whoever offers it first will get my buisness for scifi fridays alone.... im there with you, scifi is my most wanted channel right now since it seems universal is going to screw around with battlestar. And we all know stargate atlantis is shot in HD and shown in HD up in canada.

AkaStp ...happy :) (guess the header does get changes when I edit, sorry)

Jagouar,

I agree, that 3 hours is the best 3 hours of TV all week ...IMO.

NBC Universal isn't smart enought to offer an HD version of Sci-fi Network. It could be one of the most killer applications for HD on any providers service. NBC-Universal would like to stop broadcasting in HD if they could because they don't like the cost and they don't like not having the broadcast flag. Microshaft which I think still owns part of MSNBC is trying to get their VC-9 compression scheme off the ground for HD. They aren't even smart enough to make an HD version of MSNBC and compressing it in VC-9 to show the world what it can do. Total and Complete Dumb ASSES. Their ignorance is painful.
Even if they did, Comcast wouldn't carry it because they still think HDTVs are only in a few thousand house holds.

Comcast wouldn't carry it because they still think HDTVs are only in a few thousand house holds.

"As Super Bowl frenzy reaches a fever pitch, Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK), announced it has now deployed more than one million high-definition television (HDTV)-capable Digital Cable set-top boxes in customers' homes, adding more than 800,000 of them in 2004 alone. "

http://www.cmcsk.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=147565&p=irol-newsArticle&t=Regular&id=669619&

Misleading thread title. How about adding a "?"

I agree. Sounds like an announcement the way it is.

NBC Universal isn't smart enought to offer an HD version of Sci-fi Network. It could be one of the most killer applications for HD on any providers service. NBC-Universal would like to stop broadcasting in HD if they could because they don't like the cost and they don't like not having the broadcast flag. Microshaft which I think still owns part of MSNBC is trying to get their VC-9 compression scheme off the ground for HD. They aren't even smart enough to make an HD version of MSNBC and compressing it in VC-9 to show the world what it can do. Total and Complete Dumb ASSES. Their ignorance is painful.
Even if they did, Comcast wouldn't carry it because they still think HDTVs are only in a few thousand house holds.
Obviously these are opinions and not facts.

A fact: George Thompson of NBC,and an AVS member, has repeatedly stated that all NBC/UNI properties are being looked at for HD versions. Now, being "looked at" doesn't mean anything is confirmed, but if you consider that SciFi and USA have some of the highest rated cable programs in the business, and that they are both subscription networks being cable/sat only, I'll bet at least SciFi will be a shoo-in for HD.

I started a thread asking this very question awhile back and GT's answer is in the thread. Try a search for SciFi.

I'd like to see Sci Fi in HD...particularly since their SD cable channel always looks crummy, even for SD, on my cable system. Does that suggest a problem with SciFi's outgoing signal, or is it more likely a local cable problem? I mean the black levels are basically gray, and there is horribly low contrast. Watching the battle scenes in Battlestar Galactica is like watching indistinct gray smudges exploding against a darker gray background. (And my blacks are fine on most other channels, DVD, and HD).

No known info on SciFi going HD.

I'd like to see Sci Fi in HD...particularly since their SD cable channel always looks crummy, even for SD, on my cable system. Does that suggest a problem with SciFi's outgoing signal, or is it more likely a local cable problem? I mean the black levels are basically gray, and there is horribly low contrast. Watching the battle scenes in Battlestar Galactica is like watching indistinct gray smudges exploding against a darker gray background. (And my blacks are fine on most other channels, DVD, and HD).

SciFi has always looked horrible to me. I just hope that if they do finally offer an HD channel they will get rid of there horrid logo. It would also be nice if they didnt interrupt the end of programs to advertise future programs. I am amazed they aren't forced to show the "credits" in a manor that allows humans to read them.

I'd buy whatever I had to to see SciFi Friday in HD. Not holding my breath though...

-Greg

Like sports, Sci-Fi in HD is something that would really take, especially for those, who enjoy the action and the whole genre, but NBC, since it bought Universal, is going for what it can get out of it and doesn't seem to understand the HD draw to this channel.

Sci-Fi and USA come out of a different Jersey location than the rest of the NBCUNI cable channels. Since they are a relatively new build it will take a lot of justification to move them to the CNBC campus up the river in the near future. It has been mentioned and I know they are thinking about it. Just don't know when.
GT

I thought UniversalHD was created as a compromise for the cable and satellite companies, who were arguing about bandwidth space. Wasn't universal-hd to contain HD programming from USANetwork and SciFi Network, as well as any other NBC owned cable networks ?

yeah but showing stuff (battlestar) months behind the live showings on scifi is beyond stupid. If they showed BSG even an hour behind the premiere on scifi it would be fine but the whole season is shown before it shows up on universal. And even when they can show stuff its just select programming from scifi/use and only stuff nbc owns.

Example is stargate:atlantis..... its a mgm show so it airs on scifi but cant air on uni-hd because its not an nbc owned show. But its shot and aired in canada in HD.

No, showing it on UHD an hour after Sci-Fi would be beyond stupid. Why have the channel responsible for the development, production and marketing of a show lose any appreciable amount of its audience. Particularly when a percentage of that same audience will turn around and rewatch the show on a sister channel 3 months later? Double dip your advertising etc., etc.

Why not simulcast the Sci-Fi Friday night lineup, including the commercials that run on Sci-FI, on UHD? Right not I'm not seeing any real advertisements on UHD, usually just promo's for other NBC programming. That way they can maybe pick up some more viewers (the one's that say they don't want to watch SD versions) and create demand for more MSO's to pick up the UHD channel.

I don't think SciFi i HD will be the killer app that everyone thinks it has the potential of becoming. Most of the channel lineup is filler garbage, and heavily edited movies. Outside of a couple of standout shows, and re-runs of classics(Buck Rogers, Twilight Zone, and others that they don't show anymore) - I rarely watch the channel.

A HD channel with unedited movies and some more thought put into their program lineup? THAT would be a killer app. But just a HD version of the same old SciFi channel really won't be a selling point for just about any company. At least outside of a very small niche.

Has there been any more news about SciFi going HD????????????????????

Has there been any more news about SciFi going HD????????????????????

This may be nothing but if you look at th Universal-HD schedule for dec 31 they list everthing as SCIFIHD. Would be cool if they convert this channel to SCiFI hd and actually simulcast some the there shows which are already shot in HD.

This may be nothing but if you look at th Universal-HD schedule for dec 31 they list everthing as SCIFIHD. Would be cool if they convert this channel to SCiFI hd and actually simulcast some the there shows which are already shot in HD.

On January 1st, they're going to start showing the first batch of 2nd season eps. every sunday nite, beginning with "Shattered".

Wonder how much their planning has to do with not wanting to preceed the DVD release for the first part of season 2?

Since I missed a few of the last batch, I'm looking forward to catching up.

-bruce

On January 1st, they're going to start showing the first batch of 2nd season eps. every sunday nite, beginning with "Shattered".


I knew they would do this. How did I know? Because my provider, TWC, stubbonly refuses to add UHD to it's lineup, that's how. :mad:

Brighthouse cable doesn't carry UHD either.

On January 1st, they're going to start showing the first batch of 2nd season eps. every sunday nite, beginning with "Shattered".

Wonder how much their planning has to do with not wanting to preceed the DVD release for the first part of season 2?

Since I missed a few of the last batch, I'm looking forward to catching up.

-bruce
The problem is that they are starting to run the first half of Season 2 on UHD only 5 days before the first episode of the second half of Season 2 airs on SciFi. If you are watching it on SciFi to stay current, I would Netflix the the first half next Tuesday and forgo the UHD broadcasts, unless the HD aspect is something you want. Or, wait until the second half of Season 2 comes to UHD, whenever that may be. They sure don't make it easy for us HD fans...us course we are talking about NBC/Universal which one journalist referred to as "less of a TV network and more of a psychological experiment".. :D

The Triangle was the first thing sci-fi has done in a long time that did not suck. What did suck was the PQ on a 133" screen...it looked like a dirty screen door...I would settle for "good" SD.....HD aint gonna happen IMO anytime soon.....sci-fi is analog on my nj subrban cablevision system

Has there been any more news about SciFi going HD????????????????????No.

No.

Man of few words. :D

The Triangle was the first thing sci-fi has done in a long time that did not suck. What did suck was the PQ on a 133" screen...it looked like a dirty screen door...I would settle for "good" SD.....HD aint gonna happen IMO anytime soon.....sci-fi is analog on my nj subrban cablevision system

Agree about the Triangle PQ - horrible - wanted to Windex my screen the whole time I was watching. Don't agree with your first sentence, unless you are disregarding their original series'.

Ditto on The Triangle, I thought it was just me, it did look really bad. So bad that now I'm wondering what Battlestar Galactica is going to look like come Jan-it wasn't bad at all really during the first half of Season Two, even being scaled up to 16x9.

I think that was a deliberate effect for The Triangle - some kind of Amber filter or something. You know how you dip paper in tea to give it that antique look? It looked like someone did that to the film. :)

Hopefully, that effect won't become popular with other productions.

Since subscribing to D*'s MD (mid-def) channels I'm finding it harder and harder to watch SciFi because of the abysmal SD PQ. I went out of my way to avoid watching The Triangle on SciFi in the hopes it will show up on UHD. That's assuming it was produced by Universal which I have no idea about.

So much of the promotion for The Triangle centered around the sfx but what good are awsome effects if it's delivered in a way that simulates glaucoma.

I still watch SciFi Fridays during first runs but I steer clear of SciFi during repeats and most of the rest of the time nowadays. It wasn't always the case. I used to leave it there all day. SciFi was my goto when nothing else looked good. Sort of like a screensaver except where the logo is concerned.

I've seen SG Atlantis as HD torrents. I may have to get my Atlantis fix that way until something is done about it. It's ironic how television has been reduced to little more than streaming video and to get quality video I have to get it online.

Totally agree. Sci-Fi needs to stop messing about with 16:9 and go HDTV. The last thing I watched there
was Dune, which was a crime against that film (the made for TV version).

I don't watch Sci-Fi, my kid does. HDTV would change that.

I knew they would do this. How did I know? Because my provider, TWC, stubbonly refuses to add UHD to it's lineup, that's how. :mad:

TWC here has it on channel 945. You guys probably won't have it until your conversion to SDV. We are now waiting on CinemaxHD as TWC already has an agreement with them.

The Triangle was the first thing sci-fi has done in a long time that did not suck. What did suck was the PQ on a 133" screen...it looked like a dirty screen door...I would settle for "good" SD.....HD aint gonna happen IMO anytime soon.....sci-fi is analog on my nj subrban cablevision system

Well if it's any consolation, PQ sucked on a digital system too (DirecTV SD). To make things worse, the center channel dialog leaked profusely into the left and right fronts. It wasn't my system or *D, because the commercials sounded fine. It was only the program that had the problem.

Enterprise on UPN was nice. UPN needs to get a new good SCI-FI show.

Stargate-SG1 was in HD on showtime a few times.

Showtime also showed "Odyssey-5" in HD.

Stargate: Atlanstis is shown in HD on a Canadian station.

The Lexx (on SciFi) was shot in HD in the last season, but never shown that way (as far as I know)

Anyone know if Firefly was done in film or HD?
(it is my new favorite show while BSG is on hiatus and Enterprise is gone)

NBC is probably trying to figure out how to get their main network in HD with a reliable feed first.

And god knows there is no reason to put another lowbitrate NBC Universal on the air.

Look at how they have overloaded AMC 11 Transponder 24 and you begin to figure out what the real problem is.

http://www.lyngsat.com/amc11.html

I've seen SG Atlantis as HD torrents. I may have to get my Atlantis fix that way until something is done about it. It's ironic how television has been reduced to little more than streaming video and to get quality video I have to get it online.

With upconverting video streaming boxes (e.g. Buffalo Linktheater) it is easy to watch the downloaded shows in fully quality on your HDTV. I agree that it is a real shame that in order to see quality broadcasts we would have to watch a signal uploaded to the internet by somone in another country... Perhaps the networks will notice this trend and try to provide somthing worthy of being watched. I doubt it though since people who know how to do this are a minority of their viewers.

-Greg

TWC here has it on channel 945. You guys probably won't have it until your conversion to SDV. We are now waiting on CinemaxHD as TWC already has an agreement with them.

SDV? Simulcast Digital Video? I know we're moving to Simulcasting the analog SD's as Digital SD's, not sure how long it's going to take. With that said though I don't know how adding an HD channel would prevent the addition of more HD channels.

CCourtney

Stargate-SG1 was in HD on showtime a few times.

The first 3 seasons, I believe, were widescreen upconverted on Showtime. Looked very good, close to HD quality. Couldn't stomach the massive downgrade in picture quality when it went to Sci-Fi and quit watching it.

Anyone know if Firefly was done in film or HD?
(it is my new favorite show while BSG is on hiatus and Enterprise is gone)

Firefly was shot on film and presented in widescreen 480p SD by FOX. Looked damn good, too - DVD quality. Can't be converted to HD at this point because all the vfx would have to be re-created at the higher resolution; ain't nobody going to pay for that. The DVD looks very good, though.

SDV? Simulcast Digital Video? I know we're moving to Simulcasting the analog SD's as Digital SD's, not sure how long it's going to take. With that said though I don't know how adding an HD channel would prevent the addition of more HD channels.

CCourtney

SDV stands for Switched Digital Video. Simulcasting is sort-of part of SDV but essentially they put channels on a ethernet switch so that an individual channel is not constantly being broadcasted....which eats up bandwidth. We have about 15-20 channels on the switch here.

Adding any channel requires bandwidth. TWC does not play the "HD-Lite" game. They will not add additional HD channels if they cannot provide it 19.2Mb of bandwidth.

TWC is expected to do a national rollout of SDV in '06. You will know you have it when you have their other new feature called "Start Over".

The first 3 seasons, I believe, were widescreen upconverted on Showtime. Looked very good, close to HD quality. Couldn't stomach the massive downgrade in picture quality when it went to Sci-Fi and quit watching it.

It is my understanding that few episodes of SG-1 were actually done in real HD, not just upconverted.

Thanks for the info on Firefly, by the way.

The Triangle...What did suck was the PQ on a 133" screen...it looked like a dirty screen door...I would settle for "good" SD.....HD aint gonna happen IMO anytime soon.....sci-fi is analog on my nj subrban cablevision system

Glad it wasn't just me or my cable co. Not only were the black levels up at around 30% gray, I was also seeing bad compression artifacts and some kind of time echo "Bruce Lee arms" trailing effect on every movement. (CRT here, so no excuse for either.) It was especially noticeable when the guy fell out of his shower and they panned up the tile on the wall. The grout turned into a sea of fading white lines.

I thought I noticed a little of this on a repeat of SG-1 the other night, so I hope it's not a new trend.

HD would be quite an antidote.

Glad it wasn't just me or my cable co. Not only were the black levels up at around 30% gray, I was also seeing bad compression artifacts and some kind of time echo "Bruce Lee arms" trailing effect on every movement. (CRT here, so no excuse for either.) It was especially noticeable when the guy fell out of his shower and they panned up the tile on the wall. The grout turned into a sea of fading white lines.

I thought I noticed a little of this on a repeat of SG-1 the other night, so I hope it's not a new trend.

HD would be quite an antidote.


No, its not just you. I saw the same crappy picture quality and blamed it on my cable service. Must have not been them after all.

I thought I noticed a little of this on a repeat of SG-1 the other night, so I hope it's not a new trend.


I hope it isn't either with BG coming in a few weeks.

I haven't watched any SciFi since The Triangle....how's the rest of the programming look lately?

It is my understanding that few episodes of SG-1 were actually done in real HD, not just upconverted.

Nope, sorry. But those Showtime upconverts were gorgeous.

Thanks for the info on Firefly, by the way.

Always glad to help a fellow browncoat. :)

Question guys.

Does the SciFi channel programming originate in digital and then cable companies convert it to analog or does it start off in analog?

When I had Voom satellite, SciFi channel came in as digital. Audio was better than that monochannel analog signal from Brighthouse cable, but the picture was worst. Couldn't figure out how much was due to Voom.

My thinking on this is if the programming is originated in digital, it might be an easier step to just move it into the digital tier of channels. This is provided that its a better quality digital. I love HD, but lets face it. Some high quality digital SD looks pretty good.

With upconverting video streaming boxes (e.g. Buffalo Linktheater) it is easy to watch the downloaded shows in fully quality on your HDTV. I agree that it is a real shame that in order to see quality broadcasts we would have to watch a signal uploaded to the internet by somone in another country... Perhaps the networks will notice this trend and try to provide somthing worthy of being watched. I doubt it though since people who know how to do this are a minority of their viewers.

-Greg

I'm using an AveLinkPlayer2 for upconverting DVD's and viewing HD content I download and store on my pc or write to DVD/CD. SD content is superior as well.

I'm kinda glad I completely missed Star Trek Enterprise when it was still running. I have D* and they don't carry UPN and they would have just screwed it up anyway.

I've been having marathon viewings of the show with great PQ and in order.

Question guys.

Does the SciFi channel programming originate in digital and then cable companies convert it to analog or does it start off in analog?

When I had Voom satellite, SciFi channel came in as digital. Audio was better than that monochannel analog signal from Brighthouse cable, but the picture was worst. Couldn't figure out how much was due to Voom.

My thinking on this is if the programming is originated in digital, it might be an easier step to just move it into the digital tier of channels. This is provided that its a better quality digital. I love HD, but lets face it. Some high quality digital SD looks pretty good.

Scifi originates as analog. It's converted and compressed by cable/pizza dish companys.

Scifi originates as analog. It's converted and compressed by cable/pizza dish companys.
I don't believe it is. I recall a few months back in a trade e-letter than SciFi, and I think it was USA, were converting to full digital-only transmission and that carriers needed to make sure they had some specified equipment to make sure they would still receive the signal.

In any case since SciFi is delivered to the carriers by sat it would have to be in digital form before they get it. Any down-converting to analog is done by the cable companies as it is not sent in analog form from NBC/UNI anymore to the best of my knowledge.

http://www.lyngsat.com/g1r.html

You're right. The east coast and west coast feeds are on G1 transponder 24 Digicipher 2 encoded, so this channel is in digital format, but it's also still in analog on G5 transponder 18.

I guess a few of you answered my post with your comments here starting with member Number_6. (please see my post)
It seems other people are having PQ signal for SciFi channel. My local office kind of points to the really expensive flat screen in the office (probably direct feed from the dish) and sez "It was a good picture when it left here".
It just seems that they are shifting to a low rez digital signal for some reason.
Did they change sats?
Are they coming out with something expensive we have to buy to see SciFi Friday?

http://www.lyngsat.com/g1r.html

You're right. The east coast and west coast feeds are on G1 transponder 24 Digicipher 2 encoded, so this channel is in digital format, but it's also still in analog on G5 transponder 18.
I can't remember where it was, maybe Multichannel News, but there was banner directed at the MSOs about a change, you clicked on the banner and it took you to what appeared to be a internal or vendor type NBC/Universal login screen. It had something to the effect of after such and such a date these channels would no longer be available, be sure to get your whatever, blah, blah..

Originally Posted by HDHTPC
>>> It is my understanding that few episodes of SG-1 were actually done in real HD, not just upconverted.

Nope, sorry. But those Showtime upconverts were gorgeous.



Yep, sorry:
http://www.csc.ca/news/default.asp?aID=897

It seems the UK will get feeds of U.S. shows (SG-1 and Atlantis included) before we do :eek: How does that make any sense?

Search digitalspy for article "Sky Outlines Programmes in HD Lineup"

That's happen for years.

Both shows have been shown out of Canada long before the US - and Stargate Atlantis is up to S02E15 which isnt listed to air in the US for several months - and certainly not in HD as it is in Canada.

SCI-FI Needs to be in HD

As mentioned earlier most of their shows are in 16:9 aspect ratio...one my m8500 i have it down to a decent size and ration so that it looks somewhat acceptable to the eye...but man their end result sucks....i m guessing charter is the one messing it up...since the source recordings are probably done right!

We need to get them to notice...

And yes i would love to see battlestar in HD on friday nights


Martin

Yeah, Sci-Fi really needs HD. It would make my friday nights that much better.

The day I learn that Sci-Fi will be available in HD where I live, I will:

1. Buy a new HDTV
2. Pay for whatever service I need to get Sci-Fi HD.

Well as comcast says "its all about how much we have to pay for it" welll they charge more than anyone why can't they pay for it.

And now we have two ESPN HD channels which only show actual HD content 5% of the day. That's where our money is going, apparently, since we still have no other new HD channels.

I realized last week that I don't even watch my 11 whole Comcast HD channels lately, except for Letterman and Conan. INHD2 has been weak, and even Discovery HD hasn't had much new (how many motorcycle and makeover shows am I supposed to "discover," anyway?). Now I know why Comcast HD is only $5 per month...

Just announced.....

Directv announced they were going to have SCIFI HD this year


* A&E
* National Geographic
* Bravo
* NFL Network
* Cartoon Network
* SciFi Channel
* CNN
* Speed
* Food Network
* TBS
* FX
* The History Channel
* HGTV
* The Weather Channel
* MTV
* USA Network

Brighthouse cable doesn't carry UHD either.

They do here in the Orlando area.

-- Martin

They do here in the Orlando area.

-- Martin

That was from December 2005.

Brighthouse in my area does carry it now in one of the premium packages.

Any speculation on how much of the Sci-Fi's channel's programming will be in HD vs SD???

* A&E
* National Geographic
* Bravo
* NFL Network
* Cartoon Network
* SciFi Channel
* CNN
* Speed
* Food Network
* TBS
* FX
* The History Channel
* HGTV
* The Weather Channel
* MTV
* USA Network

Wow, that HD lineup blows away Comcast here in Fremont, CA (and their promise of "more" for years now). We're too far from the phone C.O. for good DSL or I'd drop Comcast like a rock.

Just announced.....

Directv announced they were going to have SCIFI HD this year


* SciFi Channel


I saw that too. Couldn't find a press release on SciFi's website saying it was adding a new HD channel. D* already has UHD right? Just wondering if it could be a mistake or not.

I read half this thread before realizing it was from 18 months ago. :)

I have no interest in HD picture quality because of my vision. But a channel that showed sci-fi movies and programs unedited (as someone up-topic mentioned) would be something that I'd likely subscribe to if the price was right and I could get it without subscribing to a bunch of other unwanted HD channels. The fact that the movies would be widescreen would be an additional plus. I hate watching movies on commercial channels. Not because of the commercial breaks (which I can always edit out of the recording before watching), but because of the excessive editing and because they are fullscreen.

Hopefully if they do start a HD version of Sci-Fi they won't just do it for the picture. But will show more movies and old TV shows unedited, even if it means having non-1/2 hour timeslots.

BTW, couldn't any Sci-Fi show that is on film (such as the original Twilight Zone) be made Hi-Def? I know that once or twice a year the Sci-Fi channel has a Twilight Zone marathon where they show some episodes unedited in a 36 (I think) minute timeslot rather than 30 minutes. I would think they could do the same thing with an HD version.

And what about Star Trek?

WOW, I can't wait till I can get The Weather Channel in HD ...What a waste of bandwidth...IMO! :D

BTW, couldn't any Sci-Fi show that is on film (such as the original Twilight Zone) be made Hi-Def? I know that once or twice a year the Sci-Fi channel has a Twilight Zone marathon where they show some episodes unedited in a 36 (I think) minute timeslot rather than 30 minutes. I would think they could do the same thing with an HD version.Sure, TZ has more than enough resolution to be telecined onto HD, but I suspect its OAR would probably be 4:3, like ST:TOS. Would still look good, though.

WOW, I can't wait till I can get The Weather Channel in HD ...What a waste of bandwidth...IMO! :D


I'll take any channel in HD over SD. But especially the Weather channel. Not a waste of bandwidth at all. It's much easier to see the graphics in HD than in SD. My local CBS affiliate has the local news in HD and the weather graphics are very clean and easy to see unlike the other local stations which are still SD.

BTW, couldn't any Sci-Fi show that is on film (such as the original Twilight Zone) be made Hi-Def? I know that once or twice a year the Sci-Fi channel has a Twilight Zone marathon where they show some episodes unedited in a 36 (I think) minute timeslot rather than 30 minutes. I would think they could do the same thing with an HD version.

And what about Star Trek?

I'm not sure how the older shows were shot and if they can be made HD. I know a lot of the newer stuff on Sci-Fi is re-running on UHD and looks a 1000 times better there in wide screen HD. I think it's almost not worth watching the first run on crappy Sci-Fi and watching it in re-run on UHD, the shows are often only a few weeks behind the original showing.

hear in houston sci-fi on comcast has the worst picture i have seen in a long time.

I think it's almost not worth watching the first run on crappy Sci-Fi and watching it in re-run on UHD...
Agreed!
One thing for sure- if SciFi went HD, I would watch more of it than I do now.
Granted most of the "made for SciFi" movies are pretty crappy- but if aired in HD I'd at least sit through the first 1/2 hour (and maybe get hooked and watch the remainder if the SFX were interesting)- but with the standard sub-standard SciFi picture quality I can't stomach most of the rubbish they run.

DTV has it SCI-Fi in HD right now.

DTV has it SCI-Fi in HD right now.
Wow!
Hopefully it will propagate to the cable providers soon.

DTV has it SCI-Fi in HD right now.

What about Dish Network?

DTV has it SCI-Fi in HD right now.
But can anyone confirm and list any true HD program content broadcast on the channel yet? How about Stargate Atlantis and Eureka?

Sci-Fi HD went active TODAY on D*. I don't believe they've shown any HD programming yet since all they've had on ALL DAY were reruns of Beastmaster and Ghost Hunters. Likely the first available HD programming will be Friday, and thus the first test of Sci-Fi HD.

Watched SG:Atlantis in HD for the first time last night on my 120" screen. Was awesome!

that would get me subscribe to the premium package just for SF channel in HD :eek:. would luv BSG's final season+SGA in HD no problem. i don't care for any of the other series.

Wow!
Hopefully it will propagate to the cable providers soon.

I'm very pleased to see scifi in hd - this is now my favorite channel - my comments:
- nice to see the picture take up the full screen instead of black bars and pillars all the way around (using the zoom mode on SD makes it unwatchable)
- the picture is a big improvement over SD but is still very soft compared to best HD picture


Greg

I just attempted to contact Comcast regarding sci-fi in HD and the online chat guy "angelino" told me that he would have to direct me to my local Comcast office regarding this issue. Nice way of side-stepping the issue.

I sent my local office an e-mail, but I'm sure I'll either get no response or a canned message at best.

I'm confused. Given that, once the national contract is signed, the introduction of new channels is controlled strictly and exclusively at the LOCAL level, how is what "angelino" said to you "side-stepping"? Rather, it seems that "angelino" referred you precisely to the folks who may actually have the information you're looking for.

With regard to getting a reply from your local office: Generally, Comcast does not provide customers with individual notice of upcoming channels, but rather publicizes new channels to ALL customers at the same time, through specific mechanisms (messages in the cable box, notations on the bills, etc.)

I hope Time Warner eventually carries the HD feed.

"Tin Man" looked interesting but the grainy look to the non-digital channel I can get now is a real downer...

- nice to see the picture take up the full screen instead of black bars and pillars all the way around (using the zoom mode on SD makes it unwatchable)


Is SciFi HD simply a "simulcast" of the regular SciFi channel programming?

IMHO, the best example is HGTV. Their HGTV-HD channel is not a "simulcast" of their SD channel, and their HD channel only shows programming available in 16:9. At first, that meant a lot of repeats (very few of their shows were shot in 16:9). But how, as their library of 16:9 shows increases, there is less and less repeats.

The worse example is TBS. I really hate it when they take a 16:9 original program, crop it down to 4:3 for their regular SD channel, ... then stretch the cropped 4:3 back into 16:9, instead of going back and using the original 16:9 program for their HD channel.

Sci Fi HD is a simulcast.

its sad that dish can carry sci-fi in hd but comcast can not or is not interested
i guess when their customer base starts looking at alternatives it might get their
attention.

You are mistaken. Comcast is carrying Sci Fi in HD. Your local cable system may not carry it yet (nor does mine) but Comcast itself does carry it and as soon as local systems have space and engineers to make the arrangement, those local cable systems will have it.

One thing you are correct about: Until many more people switch to satellite solely because of Sci Fi HD, the fact that our local cable systems don't provide it isn't a significant issue for the cable system. They're going to continue to aim to provide new HD channels (we've had 10 new HD channels added in the last year) in what their best information shows is the order in which their customers are most interested in the channel being offered.

hi bicker,

boy there's a lot of New Englanders on these boards, have we held a meet before?

aaanyways, my Boston Comcast doesn't carry SF in HD as well. :(

Any way to find out when Sci-Fi HD is coming to different markets? I'm in Salt Lake City and wouldn't mind knowing. Not that there's going to be much to watch these days.

-James

Generally, there is no practical way to find out when any specific channel is being added, at least not more than 30 days prior, when in some communities the cable company will post notices, in bills and/or in the local newspapers. As far as I know, there is no master schedule, but rather each local area has its own schedule, very much subject to change based on other work that they may encounter, and very much proprietary information.

My girlfriend, who lives in Waltham, MA, said yesterday that she now has Sci Fi in HD (Comcast).

I didn't have it yesterday (in San Mateo, CA).

In Eastern MA, Comcast has added Sci Fi HD, Animal Planet HD and CSN NE HD, over the past couple of weeks.

hrm, that means i should have it in boston =P. BTW we should have a MEET! +P

i just subscribed to the SF in HD package last night. i'm incredibly disappointed that repeats are broadcast in 4:3 SD. i haven't watched anytime primetime material yet, but i assume those are true HD broadcasts

Just got a message on my DVR last night. Sci-Fi is going HD in the Salt Lake market April 2nd on Comcast. Just in time for the Battlestar Galactica 4th season Premiere. Good timing.

Living in 4th largest city in the U.S. still no SCI-FI on Comcast.

Living in 4th largest city in the U.S. still no SCI-FI on Comcast.

Well you are in Bush territory after all lol. j/k. Seriously, that sucks.

We're all in Bush territory, at least for now -- eh?

We're all in Bush territory, at least for now -- eh?

Hopefully, not for long. I'll take Obama or McCain in that order, but never lying about being under fire Hilllary.

;)

Strange: I'd take Clinton over McCain, and McCain over Obama, but what does this have to do with Sci Fi? :confused:

Cox San Diego just added Sci-Fi HD...just in time for BSG's premiere, farewell season, episode. Best series on tv just got better now that it's showing in HD!

We saw the season premiere last night. Incredible difference. This is one show that is very much improved by being HD instead of SD!

For those keeping score, the 3:1 muxing didn't have any significant negative impact on our viewing experience. :up:

We saw the season premiere last night. Incredible difference. This is one show that is very much improved by being HD instead of SD!

For those keeping score, the 3:1 muxing didn't have any significant negative impact on our viewing experience. :up:

I don't know what you guys use for TV's, but even though it was better than SD, it still had noticeable compression. I would only call it tolerable.

-James

I don't know what you guys use for TV's, but even though it was better than SD, it still had noticeable compression. I would only call it tolerable.

-James

What provider do you have? I watched via DirecTV and only saw one brief instance of artifacting. The show itself is dark and grainy, if you caught the beginning of Stargate:Atlantis following BG you can see the difference, S:A has a much cleaner/sharper look to it.

I don't know what you guys use for TV's, but even though it was better than SD, it still had noticeable compression. I would only call it tolerable.Samsung DLP. Excellent picture quality (though they do have maintenance problems). I'm sorry you have such video problems.

Samsung DLP. Excellent picture quality (though they do have maintenance problems). I'm sorry you have such video problems.

I don't have a video problem, I have a provider problem. Comcast.

Someone told me BSG was intentionally grainy. I think it's way overkill, and with Comcast recompressing stations, only makes it look worse. As I understand it, cleaner picture is easier to compress.

I'll say that the premiere looked slightly better than the 2 HD episodes before it.

-James

Yes, Comcast has definitely been doing something to improve the PQ since they started the 3:1 muxing. As I indicated, I didn't notice any "provider" problems with this most recent episode.

The graininess is part of the artistry, I suppose. It really makes the video look poorly in SD. In HD, it is much much better.

Yes, Comcast has definitely been doing something to improve the PQ since they started the 3:1 muxing. As I indicated, I didn't notice any "provider" problems with this most recent episode.

The graininess is part of the artistry, I suppose. It really makes the video look poorly in SD. In HD, it is much much better.

I like grain just fine, I just think they really go overboard with it.

Cold Case is another one that goes a bit overboard with graininess...