The Newsroom

ITV London Tonight

(December 2003)

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HA
harshy Founding member
I T V 1 posted:
harshy posted:
It looks crap in 14:9, and it serves no purpose other then to lose picture top and bottom, for crying out loud when will broadcasters keep to the simple format of keeping 4:3 pictures 4:3 and 16:9 pictures 16:9


Its not like that for widescreen viewers, either having to see it squashed or huge black bars down each side. Its stupid they aint proper 16.9 by now anyway.


Yes but what's good about 14:9 for a regional news programme when the studio material is 4:3 and the reports will all be 4:3, all that is happening here is losing top and bottom.
BE
Ben Founding member
I've got to say all this 14:9 business is even more baffaling than the BBC calling its new weather graphics "clearer". What is the point of cropping in this way, when the only viewers it could possibly serve are watching on widescreen TV sets which no doubt have the option to do this built in.
HA
harshy Founding member
Ben posted:
I've got to say all this 14:9 business is even more baffaling than the BBC calling its new weather graphics "clearer". What is the point of cropping in this way, when the only viewers it could possibly serve are watching on widescreen TV sets which no doubt have the option to do this built in.


Even with widescreen sets, you lose top and bottom, but if you like gain what is the overscan of the 4:3 picture left and right, which is pretty pointless IMHO.
IT
I T V 1
harshy posted:
I T V 1 posted:
harshy posted:
It looks crap in 14:9, and it serves no purpose other then to lose picture top and bottom, for crying out loud when will broadcasters keep to the simple format of keeping 4:3 pictures 4:3 and 16:9 pictures 16:9


Its not like that for widescreen viewers, either having to see it squashed or huge black bars down each side. Its stupid they aint proper 16.9 by now anyway.


Yes but what's good about 14:9 for a regional news programme when the studio material is 4:3 and the reports will all be 4:3, all that is happening here is losing top and bottom.


Theres no real problem for me, because all camera shots seem to be 14:9 safe, and the graphics definatley are. If it fills more of my TV screen without it being squashed then I prefer it.
HA
harshy Founding member
I T V 1 posted:
harshy posted:
I T V 1 posted:
harshy posted:
It looks crap in 14:9, and it serves no purpose other then to lose picture top and bottom, for crying out loud when will broadcasters keep to the simple format of keeping 4:3 pictures 4:3 and 16:9 pictures 16:9


Its not like that for widescreen viewers, either having to see it squashed or huge black bars down each side. Its stupid they aint proper 16.9 by now anyway.


Yes but what's good about 14:9 for a regional news programme when the studio material is 4:3 and the reports will all be 4:3, all that is happening here is losing top and bottom.


Theres no real problem for me, because all camera shots seem to be 14:9 safe, and the graphics definatley are. If it fills more of my TV screen without it being squashed then I prefer it.


Yes but you are getting less resolution, each to their own I guess. Smile
BE
Ben Founding member
harshy posted:
Ben posted:
I've got to say all this 14:9 business is even more baffaling than the BBC calling its new weather graphics "clearer". What is the point of cropping in this way, when the only viewers it could possibly serve are watching on widescreen TV sets which no doubt have the option to do this built in.


Even with widescreen sets, you lose top and bottom, but if you like gain what is the overscan of the 4:3 picture left and right, which is pretty pointless IMHO.


I agree, but at least viewers can choose to crop their picture to pieces rather than having that descion taken for them.
IT
I T V 1
I have no option for 14:9 crop, well I do, but it doesnt work, it squeezes my picture into a 14:9 frame, but seems to stretch it up too far, and I have a stretched picture in a 14:9 frame, plus if it worked, I would have to keep turning it off once the programme ended. Sky digibox should have a 14:9 option.
HA
harshy Founding member
I T V 1 posted:
Sky digibox should have a 14:9 option.
I have been saying it for years, but the software can't do that, but I know it's possible since my own non-Sky receiver does 14:9
SP
Spencer
harshy posted:
I T V 1 posted:
Sky digibox should have a 14:9 option.
I have been saying it for years, but the software can't do that, but I know it's possible since my own non-Sky receiver does 14:9


It'd be great if Digiboxes did allow 14:9, although AIUI it's not so much a software issue as a harware issue. Apparently the boxes (at least the older boxes) wouldn't have the processing power or somet, even if approprate software was available. I'm sure someone more technical could explain better.

As for the change to 14:9 on ITV news, the only possible reason I can think of for this is to allow a gradual rollout of 16:9 programmes across the network. I know that Calendar is shortly to undergo a big technical re-fit, so that could potentially mean installing some widescreen kit.

Does anyone know if North East Tonight/News is now in full widescreen given they have the facilities and their promo is already in 16:9?
IT
I T V 1
Spencer For Hire posted:
harshy posted:
I T V 1 posted:
Sky digibox should have a 14:9 option.
I have been saying it for years, but the software can't do that, but I know it's possible since my own non-Sky receiver does 14:9


It'd be great if Digiboxes did allow 14:9, although AIUI it's not so much a software issue as a harware issue. Apparently the boxes (at least the older boxes) wouldn't have the processing power or somet, even if approprate software was available. I'm sure someone more technical could explain better.

As for the change to 14:9 on ITV news, the only possible reason I can think of for this is to allow a gradual rollout of 16:9 programmes across the network. I know that Calendar is shortly to undergo a big technical re-fit, so that could potentially mean installing some widescreen kit.

Does anyone know if North East Tonight/News is now in full widescreen given they have the facilities and their promo is already in 16:9?


Central also got an upgrade in the new year.
Thats another thing I dont undestand. There has got to be regions with w/s cameras, so why not show in full 16:9 now?

Someone said about ITN and their desktop editing problems with 16.9, they must have known about the problems it may cause when they bought the software, and with ITN usually at the front of technology, they are dragging behind a bit now.
NE
Newsman
I am suprised nobody else has mentioned this but last Friday [May 13] when a report was played on London Tonight - can't remember what about - but one man in this "and finally" report mentioned "Jacob's" in a Joe Pasquale sort-of-way. When the report ended Joyce Ohajah said to co-newsreader Ben Scotchbrook: "What does Jacob's mean?".
Scotchbrook whispering: "Knackers."

I'm suprised there was no furore about that.
HA
harshy Founding member
Spencer For Hire posted:
harshy posted:
I T V 1 posted:
Sky digibox should have a 14:9 option.
I have been saying it for years, but the software can't do that, but I know it's possible since my own non-Sky receiver does 14:9


It'd be great if Digiboxes did allow 14:9, although AIUI it's not so much a software issue as a harware issue. Apparently the boxes (at least the older boxes) wouldn't have the processing power or somet, even if approprate software was available. I'm sure someone more technical could explain better.

As for the change to 14:9 on ITV news, the only possible reason I can think of for this is to allow a gradual rollout of 16:9 programmes across the network. I know that Calendar is shortly to undergo a big technical re-fit, so that could potentially mean installing some widescreen kit.

Does anyone know if North East Tonight/News is now in full widescreen given they have the facilities and their promo is already in 16:9?


I am not surprised really, that EPG is so fancy, it must take a lot of processing power just to generate it, shame really, I think 14:9 is definitely useful for 4:3 viewers.

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