[leftkidney]

so has anyone seen this yet

http://boards.history.com/topic/Mode...19766&start=45


this is still a problem and there is nothing that The History Channel or A&E has done about it yet - not only that they havent even responded to the posts in the forums about this




I have noticed problems with The Histrory Channel - other than the stretching issue, there seems to be some kinda line across the center of the screen that is sorta blury or not looking correct - it is only with this channel and no other channels or Blu-Ray

 

[Ken H]

It's kind of old news, but still distressing that they distort SD images.

 

[nickdawg]

Don't even get me started on History HD. They're absolutely clueless when it comes to broadcasting HD. They actually stretch new programming that is shown in letterbox, and they still put the "History HD" bug over the stretched letterbox show!

And they seem to show the same shows wrong. I gave up on watching Monster Quest because one of the episodes I wanted to see was stretched letterbox EVERY time it was on!!!

 

[leftkidney]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken H /forum/post/15515165


It's kind of old news, but still distressing that they distort SD images.

its not about SD material


its about HD being stretched out

 

[leftkidney]



Quote:
Originally Posted by nickdawg /forum/post/15515189


Don't even get me started on History HD. They're absolutely clueless when it comes to broadcasting HD. They actually stretch new programming that is shown in letterbox, and they still put the "History HD" bug over the stretched letterbox show!

And they seem to show the same shows wrong. I gave up on watching Monster Quest because one of the episodes I wanted to see was stretched letterbox EVERY time it was on!!!

YEP thats what I am talking about


maybe since this forum is much better than most at getting the word out about things if a big enough stink is made about this maybe something could be done about it

 

[NetworkTV]



Quote:
Originally Posted by leftkidney /forum/post/15515392


its not about SD material


its about HD being stretched out

The stuff they are stretching is SD. Aside from 4:3 film material that has been remastered for HD, all HD content is 16:9 or wider, which means stretching would not be necessary.


Letterboxed doesn't mean HD. Even 4:3 material can be letterboxed. A 16:9 image inside a 4:3 frame is still SD and History will stretch it.

 

[nickdawg]



Quote:
Originally Posted by NetworkTV /forum/post/15515452


The stuff they are stretching is SD. Aside from 4:3 film material that has been remastered for HD, all HD content is 16:9 or wider, which means stretching would not be necessary.


Letterboxed doesn't mean HD. Even 4:3 material can be letterboxed. A 16:9 image inside a 4:3 frame is still SD and History will stretch it.

But the shows I've seen are sometimes:


New shows that have aired in 16:9 HD once, then are stretched letterbox when shown again.


Also, I've seen shows in stretched letterbox that I've never seen in full 16:9, I'll call it that since some may be SD and letterbox. And even if it is SD letterbox on the SD channel, it should be shown full screen 16:9 on the HD channel, like FOX's "digital widescreen". 16:9 content should either be windowbox or expanded to fit the 16:9 AR of the channel, but never stretched.

 

[Ken H]



Quote:
Originally Posted by leftkidney /forum/post/15515392


its not about SD material


its about HD being stretched out

There is no such thing as stretched out HD on History, or anywhere else for that matter.

 

[leftkidney]



Quote:
Originally Posted by NetworkTV /forum/post/15515452


The stuff they are stretching is SD. Aside from 4:3 film material that has been remastered for HD, all HD content is 16:9 or wider, which means stretching would not be necessary.


Letterboxed doesn't mean HD. Even 4:3 material can be letterboxed. A 16:9 image inside a 4:3 frame is still SD and History will stretch it.

OK OK OK its obvious you havent seen this



what you get is 1.78:1 stretched to about 1.85:1 and the History Channel logo is in the correct place partially in the letterboxed and partially not




Iwill post some screen shots when I get a chance

 

[Ken H]



Quote:
Originally Posted by leftkidney /forum/post/15520232


OK OK OK its obvious you havent seen this



what you get is 1.78:1 stretched to about 1.85:1 and the History Channel logo is in the correct place partially in the letterboxed and partially not




Iwill post some screen shots when I get a chance

Don't bother. I have History HD, I've seen it what you're describing, and what they are doing is stretching letterboxed SD, like has been explained. They are not stretching HD. They do air the same program in HD and then in SD, along with other crimes against common sense.

 

[leftkidney]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken H /forum/post/15520298


Don't bother. I have History HD, I've seen it what you're describing, and what they are doing is stretching letterboxed SD, like has been explained. They are not stretching HD. They do air the same program in HD and then in SD, along with other crimes against common sense.

NO! thats not what I am talking about - they do stretch SD letterboxed also but I am talking about stretching HD content


actually they dont really stretch HD content - they squish it down on the top and bottom so it looks like SD letterboxed stretched to 16x9 - BUT it is in HD for sure


it was done with the band of brothers over Christmas when it was showed - it was HD for sure (I know what SD and HD looks like) that was in HD but the top and bottom were squished closer together so it looked like when you watch a movie that isnt 16x9 but wider than 16x9


I confirmed this by switching to the SD history channel and using the wide mode on my TV so it looked the same as the one on the HD channel but it was obvious that it was SD and the other was HD




I am going to record a 6 hour block on the history channel and check it later, then take pics


again I am sure it is NOT SD letterboxed being stretched to 16x9 - rather its 16x9 being squashed on the top and bottom

 

[Ken H]



Quote:
Originally Posted by leftkidney /forum/post/15522034


it was done with the band of brothers over Christmas when it was showed - it was HD for sure (I know what SD and HD looks like) that was in HD but the top and bottom were squished closer together so it looked like when you watch a movie that isnt 16x9 but wider than 16x9

BOB was SD.

 

[NetworkTV]



Quote:
Originally Posted by leftkidney /forum/post/15522034


actually they dont really stretch HD content - they squish it down on the top and bottom so it looks like SD letterboxed stretched to 16x9 - BUT it is in HD for sure


it was done with the band of brothers over Christmas when it was showed - it was HD for sure (I know what SD and HD looks like) that was in HD but the top and bottom were squished closer together so it looked like when you watch a movie that isnt 16x9 but wider than 16x9

That's how it looks when you stretch letterboxed SD.


You say you do, but apparently you don't know what HD looks like. BOB was most definitely NOT HD on the History Channel. It looked like crap - and was stretched.


BOB has stunning picture quality, even on the DVDs. The History Channel airing wasn't anywhere in the same league.

 

[Ken H]



Quote:
Originally Posted by NetworkTV /forum/post/15522151



BOB has stunning picture quality, even on the DVDs. The History Channel airing wasn't anywhere in the same league.

Yes, I've still got it on D-VHS from the original HBO HD airing.

 

[NetworkTV]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken H /forum/post/15522197


Yes, I've still got it on D-VHS from the original HBO HD airing.

Oh, then you got it before HBO started bitstarving themselves...

 

[pronghorn/az]

I have seen the same thing. After Dish stopped carrying the VOOM channels most of the "replacement" HD channels were either SD with an HD logo on the bottom or it was stretched beyond watching.


Jeff

 

[Ken H]



Quote:
Originally Posted by NetworkTV /forum/post/15522288


Oh, then you got it before HBO started bitstarving themselves...

Yup.

 

[leftkidney]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken H /forum/post/15522113


BOB was SD.

pretty sure it was HD since they remastered it for BluRay recently


but even though I have seen HD letterboxed



really I know what I am talking about - I am not misunderstanding this


I have a Pioneer Pro-111FD and for sure I can tell what HD and SD look like - believe me they are doing this, I wil get a pic of what I am talking about - one from the HD and one from the SD channel



if I use my DVDO I can stretch and squish the picture as I see fit and fix this problem - I can tell it is HD not SD

 

[CKNA]



Quote:
Originally Posted by leftkidney /forum/post/15523167


pretty sure it was HD since they remastered it for BluRay recently


but even though I have seen HD letterboxed



really I know what I am talking about - I am not misunderstanding this


I have a Pioneer Pro-111FD and for sure I can tell what HD and SD look like - believe me they are doing this, I wil get a pic of what I am talking about - one from the HD and one from the SD channel



if I use my DVDO I can stretch and squish the picture as I see fit and fix this problem - I can tell it is HD not SD

BOB on History is SD. They do not have HD masters for it. Just becasue it was released on Blu-ray does not mean that A&E Networks bought HD masters. Besides since it was on HBO originally in HD masters exsit from the beginning. Obviosly A&E Networks feel that spending money for HD masters is not worth their money.

 

[juancmjr]

Too bad they used the SD source for BoB. Not only that, it wasn't even in 5.1. It obviously lessens the impact of the program. Loathsome effort on HistoryHD's part.


I like UFO Hunters on History HD but am disappointed with the letterboxed repeats of shows like Monster Quest when the original airings were 16x9 HD.