Turner Classic Movies (TCM) in HDTV! - Page 38

Not as much as it used to be.

Two examples that used to apply were "The African Queen" and "The Window", which weren't available (at least not in the US) on home video in any form until recently.

Lately, though, not only is much of the content available on DVD and even Blu-ray, it's often available in real HD through other channels, like HDNet movies.

HDNet movies is a cool channel, but it plays about 1/1000 of the classic films that TCM does, and after you've had it for a year or two, the same ones again and again. How many other channels play silent movies, foreign flicks, old comedy shorts, etc, etc.? Whether you can search for them somewhere and find a DVD, alot of people would never discover them in the first place if they weren't offered by TCM on TV. I'll take my upconverts of the films that aren't shown elsewhere, and be happy that they've haven't sold themselves out like the other 95% of TV networks have from their original visions.

What does TCM offer that's not available on DVD or VHS?

An incredible amount, actually.

The question is, is what it offers that is not on optical media of any interest to you? It shows a great deal of Turner's old catalogue, old MGM and Warners and RKO B movies. I have been catching up on all manner of titles I have never heard of in hopes of finding overlooked gems. Sadly, the pickings are usually rather slim. There are good reasons so much of the old catalogue is forgotten.

But if you like old Hollywood movies there's a lot to see, and lots of the shorts are fabulous.

I'm pretty sure that if your someone who is willing to watch silent movies, you're likely someone who seeks them out. While you and I might like them, it's a hard sell for many. The same goes for foreign movies - in particular, foreign language ones. There are many who only want their movies in color, in English and filling their screen.

My point is, though, unlike a few years ago when you could find plenty of stuff on TCM that you couldn't see anywhere else, that's not really true anymore. As a result, not having the channel doesn't prevent you from watching the stuff, even if you might have to actively seek it out.

No Fios in my area, probably one reason cable is so expensive. Satellite sounds cheaper but I've read that with one or both Sat. companies TCM will no longer be in the basic tier either

I collect DVDs and every month I find movies on TCM that I can't get anywhere else. I just copy them to DVD and add them to the collection.

Bingo. I had to laugh at the responses of the posters who actually think EVERYTHING that is shown on TCM is available on disc or tape. If I had to guess, I'd say more than 50% of what they show is not available anywhere else.

I'd agree that 50% unavailable on DVD is in the ball park. I record more from TCM than any other channel, and always check to see if it is available on DVD, as part of my decision on whether to keep it or not. Most of what I save, I'd estimate 30-50 films a month, are NOT available on DVD, nor are many that I'm not interested in. Now that WB and others are releasing things on -R DVDs, there is more available than there used to be, but still, much that TCM shows is NOT available on DVD.

2 years ago...I was on analog signal and Comcast was moving TCM and 5 other channels to digital only, of which 3 including TCM our family watched. Checked with Comcast on upgrading $$, decided then to switch to another provider....

Went with Dish Network. Although we were happy with the very stable signal with Comcast, we went the whole nine yards...HD Duo-DVR. Been happy with Dish, was even more happy that TCM went HD, in spite of the lack of HD content. I have seen better sound and sharper resolution in the content, comparing to previous DVD recording's, when I had SD analog signal. I hope to see TCM-HD be true HD content someday.........

So Comcast's decision in my case poked me into making changes in my viewing experience

Steve

^^^^ I'm thinking the reason more people aren't complaining about this in this thread is because anyone getting TCM HD(which is what this thread is titled) already subscribe to a package that would continue to get TCM HD. It's the people in the digital starter packages who currently get TCM SD that may lose TCM.
Several relatives are in this boat and aren't too happy about the prospect of losing TCM SD. They pay upwards of $80/month and TCM SD was one of their most watched channels. Myself getting TCM SD via a MDTA(in a multi dwelling unit) I'm just not sure what will happen to TCM SD after 1/5/11 but I fear it will disappear

I'm pleased to announce that Cox cable in New Orleans area has picked up TCM HD, a channel I've been beging the for fot about 2 years. I only found it yesterday. But from what I've seen, it looks awesum.

Don H.

Thanks for your report! As a result of your post, I just checked my program guide again, for the umpteenth time, but this time saw to my delight that Cox OKC now carries TCM HD on channel 797.

Yeah, I recognize that most of what TCM shows in "HD" is really just DVD quality images upconverted to 1080i. Still, to my eyes at least the HD feed looks better than the version shown on the SD channel. Also the audio is 5.1, ostensibly at least. What can I say? I'm a glass half full guy.

most = all

But still it looks better, especially widescreen films, which now fill your screen horizontally.

I agree on all counts. The TCM lineup between now and the end of the month is wonderful, so I have already watched The Man who Came to Dinner (1942) and Ben Hur (1925) on the recently available, to me that is, TCM HD. My frustration with TCM HD arises from its not showing great old films like Fanny and Alexander (1982) and Ben Hur (1959) in HD. Both are available on Blu-ray so TCM should be able to show them in HD but for whatever reason it's not happening. I recorded Fanny and Alexander last night and confirmed this morning that it is just upconverted DVD instead of HD. Too bad but there it is. Anyway, I am grateful for what I'm getting. Even with a resolution of 480p upconverted to 1080p, these wonderful old films look very good. Thus, I am going to stifle myself and not obsess over what might have been.

Confirmed? I guess you didn't believe any of us in this thread, huh?


I think you mean 1080i. Other than some PPV, there is nothing broadcast in 1080p.

A 1080p TV upconverts signals to 1080p.

Sure, it also converts 480i to 1080p. But the point of this thread is that TCM is converting 480i to 1080i, which while far from HD, looks better than the SD version of TCM.

Relax, I wasn't contradicting anyone, merely reporting what I observed. See the difference.



Like you said.


If TCM is using a DVD transfer for its HD transmission, then 480p resolution, not 480i, is being upconverted to 1080p. The 480i limitation should apply only to an SD transmission because the native resolution of a DVD transfer is 480p.

It is highly unlikely that TCM is using DVDs as a source. The network is supplied with tapes by the company from which it licenses its films.

I doubt seriously that TCM is using 480i videotape. That technology is now obsolete and I can't imagine that TCM would still be using it. Unfortunately, though, both of us are speculating so we really don't know what TCM is using.

You are right that neither of us knows for certain, and I have not been able to find TCM's current delivery requirements on the web. But digital Betacam is the format frequently used in the industry for delivery of non-HD product (i.e.480i), which is still quite common. Of course, most TX is now from digital files.

I can tell you all there is a very simple non-technical reason no network would air from a consumer DVD.

LICENSING

The studios have strict distribution channels and a DVD would never be allowed for broadcast. Now it is quite possible a digital tape copy of the same master tape used to author the DVD is used. But still, the quality of this master tape copy will be higher than a DVD.

I spend even more time on the TCM forums than I do here, and this has been a frequent item for speculation. Then, someone found and posted quotes from TCM management. Indeed, they do now receive the "films" as digital files, which they transfer to their servers. In that, you are certainly correct. But, I am skeptical that they are yet getting anything in true HD. Otherwise, why don't they show it in HD, on TCMHD?

Dude, I was joking with you. Did you not notice the after the post?

I watched more of my recording from TCM HD of Fanny and Alexander last night. I am coming around to the notion what it wasn't even upconverted DVD quality. It looked like upconverted 480i, to my eyes at least. Anyway, like so many other posters here, I was disappointed by TCM HD's PQ.


That was why I added my smiley, too. Not to worry, I didn't really think your post was offensive.