Turner Classic Movies (TCM) in HDTV! - Page 2

If it's from an inside source, then this means we're being leaked the news ahead of the announcement and this is indeed exciting!

We've dubbed onto DVD an extensive collection of films from Turner Classic Movies. The old black and white prints are quite nice and clean but I can already see myself re-recording at least those in color (downconvered 1080i recordings are still much sharper and more colorful than standard definition).

Because of it's high standards, am sure TCM will retain the 4x3 aspect ratios of those pre-cinemascope era films which means black bars on the left and right of our 16x9 screens unless uniformly stretched by the viewer (we prefer the wide-zoom feature which cannot be used on 1080i content). Still, glad to have that problem to deal with.

They could not stretch it....yet it still not be OAR though.

Great news !!!

After IFC, BET (who recently stopped stretching) and others I trust no one until I see a week or two of programming with no stretching. Let's not forget that TCM is a Warner property. They have a mixed record with CNN vs. TNT. NBA TV is mixed on one channel. Hopefully, Dish decides to add this channel soon.

You are correct. Anything is possible. But rather than wild speculation, why not just wait until the channel appears and then you'll know for sure.

Contrary to what others believe and enjoy, wild speculation just isn't an enjoyable pastime.

Does you insider know anything about Fios's plans?

Yes, we all agree. You're whining.

Not speculation....tybee said he talked to "sources"....so was trying to find out if he knows if they will be doing OAR.

Edit: Now Priv Ryan is OAR....good sign.

Ken, this is great news! Turner Classic Movies HD has been my most wanted channel for a number of years.

The only dilemma I face is that I dropped Time Warner Cable for pure over the air HD back in October. I realized that I was paying entirely too much for only a few HD channels that I couldn't get for free over the air. TWC dropped HDnet and HDnet Movies and it seemed like I never would feel tempted to go back to cable or satellite.

Now less than a month after TWC's unfortunate decision to drop HDnet Movies, I find out that some cable and satellite providers will offer TCM HD. Do I wait for the new HD DirecTivo and TCM on D*; hope that TWC adds back HDnet Movies and adds TCM HD; or pray that TCM offers a streaming version of their HD channel for something reasonable like $10 - $12 per month so I can just add this one channel that I really want to see without buying a bunch of channels that I don't want?

Either way, it's a good dilemma to wonder how best to add TCM HD to my viewing choices.

TCM HD and TruTV HD were seen in the wild on C-Band several weeks ago they are now encrypted for distribution. Nice to see them signing contracts now.

This is the best news since the parting of the Red Sea.

And now you can see that parting in HD!

wow, I may have to bite the bullet and upgrade from premiere to extreme hd finally. fios better carry this pronto if they're going to add crap like pets.tv

Since TCM currently retains the original aspect ratio for most films would there be a reason why they wouldn't continue the practice with the HD feed in lieu of cropping them to fit a 16x9 screen (like HBO-HD, etc.)? I recall just a few widescreen films shown only in 16x9 (one being"Voyage of the Damned" but that originally premiered in 4x3 and at least changed to 16x9).

Unless you were Pharoah.

-or-

"Other than that, Mrs. Pharoah, how did you enjoy your evening?"

I am SERIOUSLY ready for some classics, like, oh I don't know, the Ten Commandments, on TCM-HD!!!! Good suggestion, Shaded!

This is humorous, they are showing Ben Hur right now, and it is super widescreen.....

Asking whether TCM will show movies in their OAR is like asking whether ESPN will show highlights or whether MTV will have a new reality series starring Flavor Flav.

Some things are just a given.

Which number # on my DTV

256

I am SERIOUSLY ready for some classics, like, oh I don't know, the Ten Commandments, on TCM-HD!!!!

I think the powers that be are missing a big opportunity with all of the VistaVision films- certainly with all of the good ones- by restoring and playing up their release in HD. They are for all practical purposes 70mm films. I guess the original camera negatives may not be up to snuff.

Yes, yes, The Ten Commandments by all means. I believe they did a restoration and brief release of it to theaters in the wake of the Lawrence of Arabia restoration in the early nineties, but I think there was some quibbling about the OAR or something. Also, the stereo tracks to it are missing, except for a reel or two (I believe you can hear it for yourself on the DVD- in the middle of the film the surrounds open up for a brief period).

I watched a little of Roman Holiday Saturday night, and it looked a little smooth. Let's hope TCM's presentation of these old films doesn't open up a can of worms concerning grain reduction and other bad behavior.

Also, if TCM HD really takes off, it could really put the kebosh on the industry releasing Hi-Def disc versions of the old catalogue.

we'll have to see how many movies are actually shown in HD...tbs and tnt still show too much crap in zoomed distorted SD.

Yippiefreakindoodaa!

In ten years of viewing TCM, the only non-OAR films that immediately come to mind are Nevada Smith and Storm Over the Nile. There are doubtlessly a few others, and if you want to get anal there might be some that end up 1:85 when they should be 1:1.78, that sort of thing.

Has the Ten Commandments ever been shown on TCM? I don't recall ever seeing the film aired on anything but ABC around Easter.

Do I detect a bit of sarcasm there?

They haven't missed the opportunity yet, but it's going slowly. Off the top of my head, I can think of one Vistavision film on Blu-ray so far. As a test case, it proves your point that the amount of detail is incredible. One would hope it also proves the point that there is a market for such efforts.


I think just the opposite has happened with DVD. TCM has generated interest in older catalog titles, and that has spawned a slew of releases on DVD that otherwise might not have happened.

Blu-ray will similarly benefit. There will be multiple outlets for restored HD versions of films, and broadcasts will just spur people to spend money to buy the Blu-ray version so that they have a higher quality, personal copy of a movie that might get shown once a year on TCM HD.

Or, at least, that's how I'll be approaching it -- just like how I own quite a few DVDs of movies that are in semi-regular rotation on TCM, right now.