Widescreen

I guess it depends if it was shot for 16:9 cropping - or just cropped after the event. If the material was shot to be croppable - then that may not mean it is a terrible thing to do. Shows like Emmerdale and Trisha were shot 4:3, but 14:9 crop safe in the period when ITV were moving to 16:9, but didn't have full 16:9 production in all of their studios...

The quality of the remastered DVDs will depend on whether the film was re-transferred (and thus the resulting 16:9 version is a full resolution transfer - as the source film is much sharper than standard def TV), or whether a digital zoom was performed on the 480 line US TV master, whcih will be very soft...

I was thinking of the post-title credits (Special Guest Stars and the like).

David

A bit of a side-issue here, but just wondering if anyone knows whether the UKTV or Flextech channels have any plans at all to convert to widescreen in the future. I know I've brought this up before, but it's a constant source of irritation having to watch programmes made in 16:9 cropped to 14:9, on a 16:9 telly.

I presume that there will come a time when programme makers will use the full screen and dispense with "safe areas" in 16:9. I suppose this will force those still viewing in the old format to either go out and buy a widescreen set or simply reformat their displsy to show 16:9 letterbox.

It must be quite frustrating for programme makers since they have to ignore this area at present.

The playout chains for UKTV and BBC channels are pretty much identical, and I still can't quite work out why it's not done.
Two guesses:
1) it's how UKTV want their programmes broadcast, so that's what BBC Broadcast do
2) they've got a lot of archive material on tape as 14L12F, so just transmit it all as that, for consistency.

I don't really watch much UKTV stuff, though. Are their ad breaks transmitted as 16F16?

No, all UKTV and Flextech channels are entirely broadcast in 4:3, so the breaks are 14L12 as are the (now many) programmes originally created in widescreen format. I recall that the BBC material they have was ARC'd when editing for broadcast on commerical TV (slots for ad breaks put in, some edits for time), so they would have to get the source material and start again. Wish they'd hurry up, though!

And yes, I think shooting with safe areas in mind must be frustrating. I remember Richard Herring talking about TMWRNJ movig to 16:9 and no longer being able to have characters appearing in view by surprise from the side of the screen any more, instead having to invent other ways for them to enter.

I think that's probably more likely: after all you're forever seeing pre-2001 break bumper slides just before cutting to the new-style bumpers. You do on Gold anyway. They are generally the old tapes (or I suppose server files) in 14:9 4:3 crop that are being shown. Seems silly though that newer shows such as Dr Who, Little Britain and Jonothan Ross are also cropped to 14:9.

As we're talking widescreen - the chance for some moans!

Firstly, the cropping of entire programmes. Digital TV can switch between 4:3 / 16:9 in the mode viewers want - so no need for it!

Secondly, broadcasting 4:3 programmes in a 16:9 frame, especially done in sport. Annoying for those with 4:3 TVs set up in 16:9 letter box!

Thirdly, cropping to 14:9, as many BBC regions do and now ITV News, for the same reasons as above.

And finally - something you see alot in adverts, super widescreen - with black bars being added to a widescreen picture to give the widescreen effect!


Talking widescreen, do you think analogue TV may ditch the 14:9 compromise before the signal ends and go full 16:9. A few digital boxes I think offer 14:9, but most I've seen you either choose between 16:9 or 4:3.

Another new (well, 2004) production which was produced in 4:3 was the Olympics.

The spec book I have boasts that it was the first Olympics to have an entirely digital signal path from sport to broadcaster.

Hmm - I thought Sydney was component digital as well - though it may have had some PAL kit as well. I can't remember which was the first stereo games.

Turin will probably be almost entirely 16:9 - with many of the events being originated in HD 16:9 and downconverted to SD 16:9 and/or 4:3. (Unlike Athens where the HD coverage was secondary - apart from the athletics)

I've not seen it in Sly boxes, but my FTA box has a 14:9 mode useful for channels like BBC News 24, Sky One when watching on a 4:3 TV, as to UKTV, this is also the case on BBC Prime 14:9 vision, so I guess it's more easier to show it in this way, as the same material is also shown abroad.

Why does the 14:9 aspect ratio even exsist? I find it completely pointless, because all they basicly do is zoom and crop!