[Craigslue]

Whats the deal with Showtime? Why do so many movies not fit the screen!

Has anybody complained about this or am I the only one who notices this? Who is at fault, Directv or Showtime? This is really getting old and pissing me off!

 

[kurros]

If you are talking about the thin black bars on the sides of widescreen movies (like the one that was just on), that is because they are "OAR Upconverts" and not true HD. I'm guessing it is either a source issue (maybe they are zooming 4x3 letterboxed movies) or something else. Either way it is Showtime's end (or their suppliers) and not DirecTV or your equipment.

 

[Craigslue]

I have my tv's overscan set about 3% and many times I get good sized

black bars on all 4 sides of the picture! The AR seems to be fine, the picture is just to small! Showtime is the only channel that I get black bars on all sides. There are a few shows on HDNET that I get small black bars on the side

 

[Matt_Stevens]

Do a search. All upconverted Showtime material is windowboxed.

 

[DaveFi]

Not all of them. Some of the better upconverts like Spy Kids are petty impressive.

 

[bfdtv]

Craig,


Do you have a 4:3 or a 16:9 HDTV set?

 

[Matt_Stevens]

A few recent upconverts are not windowboxed, yes. Those look very very good.

 

[Craigslue]

bfdtd


I have a Mits 73907 16:9 rptv.


So why are they windowboxed? Why is it that they are the only ones

who can't upconvert to fit the screen? Has anybody complained about

this?


I did a search of Showtime and didn't find anything about this.

 

[Matt_Stevens]

The place they used to do upconverts had a process that resulted in this. They now use another company, with an updated process. Plenty have complaind about the crappy upconverts.


Showtime is unable to get HD transfers in most cases, due to contract problems and also extreme costs. Thankfully Paramount and MGM are giving them all HD and many Disney films are in HD, plus some being upconverted..

 

[Bob Dycus]

Showtime shows lots of 4:3 upconverts with black bars on the side.


When they show true HD it is usually in OAR which puts black bars at the top and bottom.


So when you are watching Showtime, be ready for some black bars somewhere. At least they have an HD channel.

 

[Craigslue]

Having black bars on 2:35 AR movies doesn't bother me one bit, actually

I prefer the original AR! In fact I always bought letterboxed LD and not the 4:3 version in the good old days. he he. The occasinal 4:3 upconvert don't

bother me near as much as the Showtime upconvert that doesn't fit any tv

unless you have a huge amount of overscan.


I remember reading a while back that an executive, who and for what company I don't remember said it actually doesn't cost that much to transfer

film to HD.

 

[Bob Dycus]

I don't mind the bars in OAR either.


By the way, 4:3 upconverts look better than SD on my TV. They look high definition like.

 

[alpha21]

Can't wait for the day when people quit complaining about black bars, they are essential to viewing perfection!!!

 

[jacmyoung]

Quote:

Originally posted by alpha21 Can't wait for the day when people quit complaining about black bars, they are essential to viewing perfection!!!

Not windowbox bars, no.

 

[alpha21]

Quote:

Originally posted by jacmyoung Not windowbox bars, no.

you mean sidebars???

I don't really mind those, probably would still rather stretch though, I was talking about 2.35:1 bars, rather have them than 1.85:1 pan/scanned (HBO)