Release info for the Torchwood season 1 box seems to be trickling out... at least regarding an SD release. Anybody have any word on a matching HD set? I'm curious if it might be day-and-date and about pricing, extras, etc.

I haven't seen the series yet (been waiting for HD discs), but I'm a big-time Whovian and it'll be at least a rental for me.

I doubt if there is enough of a market to warrant putting it out on HD.
J

I doubt if there is enough of a market to warrant putting it out on HD.
J

This is the worst series iv seen in a long time, i made it through 2 episodes before hitting the eject...

This is the worst series iv seen in a long time, i made it through 2 episodes before hitting the eject...
I haven't seen it. Its only available on BBC America here.
J

This is the worst series iv seen in a long time, i made it through 2 episodes before hitting the eject...


I like it. I watch it every week in HD on HDNet. They have broadcast 3 or 4 episodes so far.

This is the worst series iv seen in a long time, i made it through 2 episodes before hitting the eject...

Couldn't diasgree more. I have really enjoyed it so far and it looks and sounds great on HDNet on FiOS.

I like it. I watch it every week in HD on HDNet. They have broadcast 3 or 4 episodes so far.

Couldn't diasgree more. I have really enjoyed it so far and it looks and sounds great on HDNet on FiOS.
I'm not saying everyone won't like it :)
The last series i watched was 'The Unit' series 2. I ended up the only one watching it !

i made it through 2 episodes before hitting the eject...

Eject:eek:

You still watching on VHS :p

I too would buy this, I just hope they don't charge the outragus doctor who prices.

I too would buy this, I just hope they don't charge the outragus doctor who prices.

That's what I'm so curious about. We know what the Who DVD prices are like... but the HD DVD prices?

I would love to see an HD release of this, but I doubt they will do more than the SD version here.

Good thing for region-free, eh?

I can't find the link for this right now, but Steve Manfred on the Outpost Gallifrey forums (Big, BIG Doctor Who forum) said there was no North American Torchwood High Def release planned right now. He always has news for R1 releases of everything Doctor Who related weeks before official press releases, and I trust him as a source 100%.

That being said, BBC is releasing Robin Hood on HD DVD/Blu-Ray next month in the UK... I wouldn't be surprised if sometime next year they don't do the same for Torchwood, in which case it can always be imported.

That being said, BBC is releasing Robin Hood on HD DVD/Blu-Ray next month in the UK... I wouldn't be surprised if sometime next year they don't do the same for Torchwood, in which case it can always be imported.
+1 for no region encoding... would also love to see Spaced on HD DVD :D
I've never seen any Dr Who, but been enjoying Torchwood on HDNet... only thing nagging me is the distinct look of the show. My eyes want to think its the frame rate like PAL, but it should be shot on film or HD video since its in HD. Anyone know what i'm talking about?

+1 for no region encoding... would also love to see Spaced on HD DVD :D
I've never seen any Dr Who, but been enjoying Torchwood on HDNet... only thing nagging me is the distinct look of the show. My eyes want to think its the frame rate like PAL, but it should be shot on film or HD video since its in HD. Anyone know what i'm talking about?


yeah, cant put my finger on it. It looks sterile instead of filmic. Could be budget related but i couldnt watch this show as i was always drawn away from the plot by the sterile image.

I like it. I watch it every week in HD on HDNet. They have broadcast 3 or 4 episodes so far.

My wife and I agree.

yeah, cant put my finger on it. It looks sterile instead of filmic. Could be budget related but i couldnt watch this show as i was always drawn away from the plot by the sterile image.

I read that it's shot on HD video w/o the heavy filters and camera tricks that American producers use to coddle the actor's egos.

There's an entire thread on "Torchwood" in the HDTV programming section.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=882935

Personally, I would love to buy this on HD-DVD.

Release info for the Torchwood season 1 box seems to be trickling out... at least regarding an SD release. Anybody have any word on a matching HD set? I'm curious if it might be day-and-date and about pricing, extras, etc.

I haven't seen the series yet (been waiting for HD discs), but I'm a big-time Whovian and it'll be at least a rental for me.


I can't find the link for this right now, but Steve Manfred on the Outpost Gallifrey forums (Big, BIG Doctor Who forum) said there was no North American Torchwood High Def release planned right now. He always has news for R1 releases of everything Doctor Who related weeks before official press releases, and I trust him as a source 100%.

That being said, BBC is releasing Robin Hood on HD DVD/Blu-Ray next month in the UK... I wouldn't be surprised if sometime next year they don't do the same for Torchwood, in which case it can always be imported.

The US market is going to be small. Although it is the biggest hit to date on BBC America. Since it is filmed in HD they probably had thoughts of the home video market and not just HD broadcast. But it will be out in the UK long before they release it here. I'm surprised the new Robin Hood is getting the HD release and not torchwood, I thought Torchwood had a bigger audience(?).

If they do release it on HD in the UK it will probably be next year before series 2 starts or when series 2 is released on home video. I doubt whenever we get an America release that the rental stores will stock it on HD.
Funny side note, I remember reading something about netfilx rental error, where disk 2 of Dr who series 2 had a scene cut in from a horror film, because of some mistake on the NEtflix disk only.
memory is a bit hazy but that is the gist of it, it may have been different series, but I'm pretty sure it was netflix..

Funny side note, I remember reading something about netfilx rental error, where disk 2 of Dr who series 2 had a scene cut in from a horror film, because of some mistake on the NEtflix disk only.
memory is a bit hazy but that is the gist of it, it may have been different series, but I'm pretty sure it was netflix..

Yup... The first disc of Doctor Who Series 2 on Netflix had one layer correct, but the second layer was actually the second layer of "Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning"... Whoops!

Yup... The first disc of Doctor Who Series 2 on Netflix had one layer correct, but the second layer was actually the second layer of "Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning"... Whoops!
I've wondered about that? How does that happen? Does Netflix press their own disk or are disks press expressly for them?

If you have Comcast On Demand, while you wait for the HD DVD season one, you can view the first five episodes of "Torchwood" on the BBC America section, OR watch newly run U.S. episodes Saturday nights at 9:00p.m.Now if they would only put up "Keeping Up Appearances".

I read that it's shot on HD video w/o the heavy filters and camera tricks that American producers use to coddle the actor's egos.

There's an entire thread on "Torchwood" in the HDTV programming section.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=882935

Personally, I would love to buy this on HD-DVD.

Actually midway through the season the production changed cameras as they were not happy with the results the first cameras produced. Apparently the sterile look everyone seems to be noticing. Later episodes seem to have a softer look once they switch over to the different camera setups.

I'm really curious how the second season will look, which I assume HD Net will start airing shortly after the season begins airing on the UK in January.

+1 for no region encoding... would also love to see Spaced on HD DVD :D


Sadly Spaced was shot 16:9 SD I believe...


I've never seen any Dr Who, but been enjoying Torchwood on HDNet... only thing nagging me is the distinct look of the show. My eyes want to think its the frame rate like PAL, but it should be shot on film or HD video since its in HD. Anyone know what i'm talking about?

Torchwood is shot using HD Video cameras in 25p (like some US SciFi shows that shoot 24p video instead of film) - in fact the BBC shoot nearly all their HD drama using 25p video. (Bleak House was shot on 25p HD video using Sony cameras) Torchwood started out on Panasonic cameras, which they weren't happy with, and they switched to Sony cameras after the first block of shooting I believe.

However the whole season has a very distinctive look, though it isn't consistent, with some sequences having a strange "smeary" motion blur effect. This caused much comment from (the informed sections of) both SD and HD audiences in the UK when the series first ran in the UK.

The best suggestion as to the cause is the use of a 1/25th rather than 1/50th shutter during shooting incerased the motion blur significantly. (Most 24/25p video shot to look like film emulates the shuttering used by film cameras, which is usually a 180 degree shutter, meaning that each film frame is only exposed for 1/48th or 1/50th second of its 1/24th or 1/24th second duration, emphasising the slightly staccato "film effect" of 24Hz sampling)

The show wasn't graded to death either - it has quite a clean, realistic look most of the time - and the skin tones of us pasty-faced Brits haven't been overly warmed up.

Considering their Flagship show, Dr. Who is not available in any HD format. I hardly doubt they might come out with Torchwood in HD DVD or Blu Ray anytime soon.

Jorge

I'm surprised the new Robin Hood is getting the HD release and not torchwood, I thought Torchwood had a bigger audience(?)

No - Robin Hood had a massively larger audience.

Robin Hood airs on the BBCs main terrestrial network, BBC One, before Strictly Come Dancing and gets BBC One level ratings. It is broadcast in a similar slot to Doctor Who, though doesn't get quite as high ratings as that!

Torchwood originally aired on the minority, digital only, BBC Three network, and though it got record breaking audiences for this network, it didn't get anywhere near the audience of Robin Hood (which aired on BBC One to both analogue and digital audiences)

Torchwood was then repeated on the BBCs second main terrestrial network, BBC Two (also available with BBC One on analogue) and got good repeat ratings, but again they weren't Robin Hood level.

The new season of Torchwood currently in production was commissioned by BBC Two, and will thus premiere on a network available to all viewers, not just those with digital, so should get decent ratings. However it won't be in a family-viewing Saturday teatime slot - which are usually the home of high audiences.

Of course if you are asking which is the better show...

Considering their Flagship show, Dr. Who is not available in any HD format. I hardly doubt they might come out with Torchwood in HD DVD or Blu Ray anytime soon.

Jorge

The fault in that argument is that Doctor Who is made in SD. Torchwood in HD. Are you suggesting that Torcwhood wouldn't be released in HD until production of Doctor Who switched (we're hopeful that the specials being proposed for the "year off" in 2009 will herald a switch to HD production)

I think it's terrific. Watch it on HDNet in HD...new episodes Mondays, repeated several times throughout the week. They show it on HDNet two weeks behind BBC America.

-E