New HD Channels?

[Grandpa J]

The original Star Trek was digitally remastered prior to its run on the SciFi channel in 1998. The new DVD's were made from these masters. It's not as good as HD, but it's lot better than some of the older transfers I've seen.

Mario

Not to Hi Jack this into a ST thing, Mario is correct digital (improved) masters were made but film was not shot in 16:9 so you get what you get. Paramount started "protecting" for 16:9 as well as regular 4:3 all important shows about 1998. Note later years of Jag were shot in letter box format.

 

[SimpleSimon]

The NAB bought enough congress-critters (also known as money-grubbers) to have the date pushed back AGAIN.

 

[CDH]

What ever happened to the 2006 Deadline for all channels to be HDTV?

I don't believe there is any deadline for channels to be HDTV. I think the deadline that you're talking about is for OTA channels to be broadcast digitally (which could still be SD).

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong?

CDH.

 

[mdonnelly]

I don't believe there is any deadline for channels to be HDTV. I think the deadline that you're talking about is for OTA channels to be broadcast digitally (which could still be SD).

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong?

CDH.

Totally correct. That would have been like mandating all programs must be in color. And the date was pushed out to 2009 earlier this year, as I remember.

 

[waltinvt]

Now would be a good time to contact congress

Totally correct. That would have been like mandating all programs must be in color. And the date was pushed out to 2009 earlier this year, as I remember.

The "date" hasn't been "pushed" to anywhere yet. There is action pending by both house & senate with possible committees votes scheduled for next week. Biggest issue is setting a "hard date" for analog cutoff but there will likely be other digital transition related issues addressed.

It would not surprise me at all to see someone try to sneak the "broadcast flag" back in.

What we really need and probably won't get is some digital "white area" clarification and a push by congress for the FCC to get off it's duff.

 

[bkushner]

After sending a ton of emails to Scifi about HD I received a reply about 2 months ago from the VP of Programming and he told me that Scifi has no plans, now or future to go HD.

It was very depressing to say the least. This channel has tons of programming that begs for HD broadcast.

Brian

 

[who_the]

Having worked on the ST shows starting with TNG - They were all shot on 35 MM film. Also the original ST was done on film but as you can guess the negs are well used. The problem is that for editing & broadcast (prior to digital/HD coming into the picture) the film was transferred to SD tape. Therefore there older series would need to be reworked to HD tape. Upresing is more likely.

What's the protocol/expectation for saving original film, and the likelihood it was preserved and can be re-mastered/transferred into an HD format?

 

[JoeSp]

About two years ago Sci-Fi had annouced plans to go to a 480p setup. While this is not HD is is significantly better than 480I. I believe that they have done this because from what I have read about UniversalHD Battlestar Galactica looks great. I also believe that there was at one time a simular annoucement for USA. Seems that there was advertisement like USA-Widescreen and Sci-Fi Widescreen that both E* and D* showed at a few shows. Maybe some else here can pinpoint the timeline better.

 

[GaryPen]

I think that Universal would rather do the cost-saving route of showing the HD-worthy programming from all of their networks on a single HD network, Universal-HD. I'm sure that if Dish carried, and I don't understand why they don't as it's better than TNT-HD for entertainment and arts programming (TNT-HD being better for sports), a lot of you wouldn't really require Sci-Fi-HD.

 

[M Sparks]

I wish all new HD networks would follow the "cost saving" route, at least for now. I'd like to be able to tune into an HD channel and know I'm going to see HD programming. I think Discovery HD and Universal HD have the right idea. It sounds like Fox is going to do the same sort of "HD outlet" channel. TNT-HD and the premium HD channels drive me nuts. Half the time you tune in, and it's just an upconverted program. (Not to mention the fact that TNT seems to stretch some 4:3 shows to make them 16:9.)

I think the only time HBO-HD and Showtime HD should match the SD schedule is during premieres. So the new Sopranos or big weekend premiere movie should be available to everyone at once. Otherwise, it should have an all true-HD schedule. Plus, it makes another viewing choice.

HBO runs HBO Latino the same way- if there's no available spanish track on an HBO movie, they run a different movie- usually an actual spanish/mexican movie. If HBO doesn't have an HD source for an older movie, they should run a genuine HD movie in it's place. Even on Voom, they had the duplicate HBO/HBO-HD feeds. What a waste of bandwidth. Just give them different schedules!

I think DirecTV's announcement about potentially carrying 150 national HD channels made for some bad decision making. Just as satellite and digital cable spawned the "multiplex" channels, this possible HD bonanza is making everyone try to claim as much space as possible.

Example- while Scripps was originally planning a "Lifestyle HD" channel, with HD content from all their networks, they are now planning separate Food-HD and HGTV-HD channels. That's unnecessary- at least for now.

I can see why ESPN might need two channels, because they might have 2 live games at once. But from what I hear about ESPN2-HD, it has very little actual HD. They'd do better to make "DeuceHD" into an HD replay channel or something.

I'd like to see some more innovative thinking in filling this potential HD space. Don't just clone the SD channels! For example, if Disney came out with a Disney Channel HD, they shouldn't just upconvert the teenybopper sitcoms and lousy non-disney cartoons they run now. It should be more like The Disney Channel used to be- a premium channel with new and old Disney films and toons. Call it "H-Disney Cinema" or something.

TNT should be Turner-HD. How come we have TWO different HD channels that show Law and Order half the day, but we can't see Seinfeld in HD? Think how great a HD-remastered Looney Toons library would look!

Of course, some seem to think we are headed for a time when HD and SD aren't kept separate. The 411 is rumored to be the new "base" receiver. If HBO can be REPLACED with HBOHD, then the cloning and upconverting will make sense. But until then, I'd rather see the HD channels be a little more "special".

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I think even with Universal HD, a lot of people would be even happier with Sci-Fi HD. For one thing, you wouldn't have to wait for weeks to watch some of the programming in HD. And some of the programming never shows up on UHD.

That said, I hope E* begins offering UHD soon. There is so much speculation about how E* may use the bandwidth on 61.5 and 129 for HDLILs. What I want is for them to offer another 8 to 12 to 20 national HD channels. Heck with the LILs. I want the rest of VOOM, STARZ-HD, Cinemax-Hd, INHD, UHD, ESPN2, and more.

 

[M Sparks]

Yes, but the POTENTIAL is there for Universal HD to be the clearing house. I didn't say they programmed it properly. Between USA, SciFi, and Bravo, they should be able to show new HD programming on the same night it premieres. Maybe not the same exact time, but close. New Monk at 8, Battlestar at 9, Queer Eye at 10. Instead, it seems like it's all Law & Order. I already get Law & Order HD 12 hours a day on TNT-HD

 

[JoeSp]

This is the problem with new HD channels. You actually have to shoot something in film or HD in order to have something new. Now as to upconverts, there are some shows like Enterprise, Baybylon 5, Smallville, Highlander in the last few seasons that were shot in 480p or HD that could easily show up on a HD channel and look very good.

I do not want new HD channels showing the same show over and over again. I would like to see new programming and movies that upconvert well.

HD-Lil is very important to someone like me who can only receive half of the HD channels in my area and would like to be able to get them all. Reason is simple, this is where most of the new HD programing is coming from.

 

[Sarang]

I think even with Universal HD, a lot of people would be even happier with Sci-Fi HD. For one thing, you wouldn't have to wait for weeks to watch some of the programming in HD. And some of the programming never shows up on UHD.

That said, I hope E* begins offering UHD soon. There is so much speculation about how E* may use the bandwidth on 61.5 and 129 for HDLILs. What I want is for them to offer another 8 to 12 to 20 national HD channels. Heck with the LILs. I want the rest of VOOM, STARZ-HD, Cinemax-Hd, INHD, UHD, ESPN2, and more.

That's IF we can bag INHD. :-(

I don't know if TW will give it up easily considering neither E* or D* has it though I admit I'd LOVE to have it's programming. The IMAX stuff and other, think "Twilight Zone".
I have to admit I'd like to be able to get ABC and WB if I'm not able to pick them up after I pick up a bowtie to amplify the antenna already ON my TV. -_-
I find this utterly pathetic btw. Remember how Digital OTA was suppose to be the solution to PAYING Cable to getting the signal in clear?

 

[Tom Bombadil]

HD-Lil is very important to someone like me who can only receive half of the HD channels in my area and would like to be able to get them all. Reason is simple, this is where most of the new HD programing is coming from.

Yes, but unfortunately, most of this new HD programming from the networks sucks. IMHO.

I get all of the networks via OTA and outside of football & baseball, I watch 2-3 hours a week from all of the networks combined. Some weeks I don't watch a single network program. Just this weekend, I remembered to add my local CBS-HD station to my program guide. I've had my 811 for nearly 5 months and didn't have my antenna pointed properly to find my CBS local at that time. Then I forgot about it. Finally on Saturday, I wanted to watch a CBS program for the first time since May and got around to scanning and adding the station.