[rrg]

I haven't seen this mentioned on the Forum (I missed it if it has been). It looks like Showtime's HD schedule for April fails to list any of the new HD and widescreen programs that are airing for the first time this month. Essentially all the programs marked as HD or as widescreen upconverts have previously aired that way on Showtime.


I don't mean that there's no new HD content: I mean that they haven't bothered to note any of it in their online schedule, nor have other listings providers mentioned the new content.


All of the following (at least) have aired as HD or widescreen so far this month on Showtime, and none have been advertised as such:


Look Who's Talking


Big Night


Crossroads


Domestic Disturbance


Dolores Claiborne


Green Card


The Accused


Partners


Dead Man Walking


Afterglow


Stakeout


Cuba


The Favor


Hook


Flatliners


Once Bitten


Mr. Destiny


Focus


A River Runs Through It


Out of the Ashes


Sirens


Rumor of Angels


Children of the Corn: Revelation

 

[jamoka]

Thanks for the heads up. I just clicked over to Showtime and "Partners" is showing 16X9. I guess we'll have to check each one individually.


Joe

 

[rrg]

I suggest that we use this thread to point out mislabelled HD/widescreen programming this month on Showtime, at least until they correct the information on the Web site.


I'll update the list in the first message as we spot new ones.

 

[rvaidyan]

Yes, I noticed this too. Initially I was surprised when I printed out the Sho-HD guide and found MOST movies labeled 4x3 UPCONV. I wondered why there were so few HD movies this month.


This weekend I noticed at least a few of these 4x3 UPCONV were actually shown 16x9 HDTV.


CROSSROADS was definitely 16x9 HD (don't recall OAR status of this movie).

 

[rrg]

The Showtime monthly PDF guide is very unreliable in this regard, and has been for a long time. I pay no attention to it.


The daily online schedules, on the other hand, have typically contained very reliable information--until now.

 

[jamoka]

Dead Man Walking in widescreen tonight.


Joe

 

[rrg]

"Afterglow" is also in widescreen.

 

[jamoka]

"Stakeout" and "Cuba" were a couple of nice surprises. Showtime HD is actually having a pretty good month.


Joe

 

[rrg]

Well, that's annoying. This morning's showing of "Cuba" was the only appearance of that movie on the Showtime HD schedule, at least through the end of May.


"Stakeout" has several more airings on Showtime, though that movie has aired previously in HD on HBO.

 

[tonyb100]

That is ironic they are showning more hd but you can't find out a head of time when it is on.

 

[jrichards]

Add Flatliners to the list of HD OAR.

 

[jamoka]

Flatliners looks good.


D Claiborne looked like an upconvert to me, but it's hard to tell anymore.


Cuba looks good and has an atypically high average AV bitrate of ~15Mb/sec.


Joe

 

[rrg]

A couple more from yesterday: "The Favor" (three more chances to get it this month) and "Hook" (one more chance, on Apr. 20th).


The closing credit sequence from "Dolores Claiborne" looks so bad (visible shimmering) that I would agree that it looks like an upconvert.

 

[jamoka]

Thanks. I didn't bother to check "Hook" because it's been 4:3 before.


Joe

 

[rrg]

"Once Bitten", running now, is another.


Two more chances to get it this month, both on Mon. Apr. 28th.

 

[tmitchmd]

"Startup.com", listed as HD, was a 4x3 upconvert!

 

[jamoka]

Mr Destiny widescreen.

 

[PVR]

Todd - I think startup.com was filmed on DV cam (SD) so even the film at the theaters was an "upconvert..." It was a super low budget independent film.

 

[jamoka]

Alright. "Focus" is HD.


"Afterglow" looks like an upconvert.


Have to mention "Last Man Standing" - 4:3 upconv, but Vincent Price at his peak.


"A river Runs Through It" is up next. I hope this one's HD too.


Joe

 

[rrg]

"Startup.com" has aired previously in HD (so advertised, at least) on Showtime; I have a recording from last November. So it might be worth checking out the remaining airings this month (Apr. 14th, 24th, 30th).


"Mr. Destiny" has aired previously in HD on HBO. Additional Showtime airings this month are on the 20th, 23rd, 24th, and the 29th.


"Focus" will have additional Showtime airings on the 21st, 26th, and 29th.