TV3 and C4 move to Widescreen

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#66810 11-Apr-2007 15:54

TV3 are sending all material as 16:9 full time, the encoder (whereever that is either at TV3 or Sky) is locked in 16:9 mode. Sky do not manipulate this at all. Any 4:3 material is ARC'd as it leaves TV3 into pillarbox.

Therefore if you have a 16:9 TV and have the Sky STB set to 16:9 then 16:9 material should fill the screen correctly and 4:3 material will appear pillarboxed with bars at the sides, but there should not be bars top and bottom, unless it was a advert received as letterbox in which case you will see bars all round.

If you have a 4:3 display and your STB set to 4:3LB then you will see 16:9 material corrrectly letterboxed as 16:9, 4:3 material will appear as postage stamp with bars all around.

This is consistant with other broadcasters Aus.

Cyril

lchiu7

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#66811 11-Apr-2007 15:54

Is TV3 on D1 yet on Freeview in 16:9? I couldn't find it and I did a rescan

Larry

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steve98

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#66813 11-Apr-2007 15:59

stuzzo: I notice today that I am receiving TV3 from Sky Digital on my wide-screen set (set at 16:9) with bars at top and bottom
and thus 4:3 content is being displayed as postage stamp.

I assume that TV3 is sending Sky wide-screen data which Sky are converting to 4:3 by putting bars at top
and bottom and my set is stretching it out to display as 16:9.

Will the insanity never end?

Sounds like you either have your STB set to 4:3 mode, or the programme you are watching was supplied to TV3 in 4:3 letterboxed format. I looked at it before I left for work this morning and all widescreen content (adverts, TV3 idents etc) were full screen and in the correct aspect ratio.

stuzzo

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#66816 11-Apr-2007 16:22

Yep, my Sky was on 4:3, fixed now, thanks.

Batman

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#66823 11-Apr-2007 17:02

goodness just had to vent off (sorry guys i know you all like this) but i'm not a fan of the new format. i am obsessed about getting proportions correct yet fill up the tv so i use zoom and sacrifice tops and bottoms. now it's all messed up. oh well :( if every channel follows suit then it could get better :)

richms

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#66831 11-Apr-2007 17:45

I still cant see how this will for for 4:3 tvs where people want widescree stuff letterboxed but dont want the 4:3 programs postagestamped.

Richard rich.ms

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#66832 11-Apr-2007 17:50

Actually, looking at C4 on analog VHF here at the moment, its all looking messed up, the square boxes at the bottom of the screen beside the C4 logo look like they are missing some lines and others are doubled up - they are different heights, and the fonts are looking like the bottom line has a darker or blank one between it and the rest of the text.

Richard rich.ms

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#66849 11-Apr-2007 19:26

richms: I still cant see how this will for for 4:3 tvs where people want widescree stuff letterboxed but dont want the 4:3 programs postagestamped.

goodness, you're right! they'll see some microscopic pictures?

pjamieson

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#66882 12-Apr-2007 00:09

SKY are progressively moving all/most channels to 16x9 on Digital, which is what the TV3/C4 and Nat Geo changes have been part of recently. The change will happen over the next several months. UKTV for example will be on 1 July...

Monday, 19 March 2007

SKY INCREASES NUMBER OF WIDESCREEN CHANNELS

SKY Television today confirmed that National Geographic Channel will commence broadcasting in 16:9 widescreen from Sunday 1st April 2007. The feature is part of the progressive introduction of the widescreen format across SKY’s digital channels. SKY currently broadcasts in widescreen on SKY Movies 1 and 2, MGM, Rialto Channel and the Rugby Channel.

UKTV will commence broadcasting in 16:9 widescreen from Sunday 1st July 2007 with the widescreen format being introduced to additional channels over the coming months.

John Fellet, SKY’s CEO explains that the progressive introduction of the widescreen format is part of an industry-wide trend towards a format which provides a better quality image.

“Viewers can now enjoy their home viewing experience at a new level. Widescreen is closer to the form of our visual field, so the onscreen action will appear more natural to the eye and give viewers a cinema style picture. With an increasing number of viewers able to enjoy the improved quality of picture, SKY will introduce the widescreen format where practicable,” says Mr Fellet.

scotteffone

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#66885 12-Apr-2007 00:44

So stoked about this! As for pillarboxing, it's a natural problem of moving to widescreen. The first year or so will be hairy, but will get better and only really be an issue in news where there is often a need for archived 4x3 footage. I know that in court rooms 3 News and One News share operators each day (only allowed one cam op). I wonder if One News are shooting in widescreen yet and what they will be giving 3 News!! Obviously One News will have to ARC 3's stuff.

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#66895 12-Apr-2007 09:46

I don't like the pillarboxing for 4:3, but it's nice to see things like CSI NY, Home and Away and TV3 news in 16:9. Looks heaps better.

It seems C4 isn't in widescreen quite yet, turned over to Select yesterday (anyone else hate that annyoing host?) and was all in 4:3.

Good to see Sky is moving more channels to widescreen, how about they get off their a$$ into gear and shift the channels that really matter across, like Sky Sport. So much content is filmed in 16:9 now.... Rugby League, F1, Rugby Union, pretty much any sport out of Aus...

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#66896 12-Apr-2007 09:50

allstarnz: I don't like the pillarboxing for 4:3, but it's nice to see things like CSI NY, Home and Away and TV3 news in 16:9. Looks heaps better.

It seems C4 isn't in widescreen quite yet, turned over to Select yesterday (anyone else hate that annyoing host?) and was all in 4:3.

Good to see Sky is moving more channels to widescreen, how about they get off their a$$ into gear and shift the channels that really matter across, like Sky Sport. So much content is filmed in 16:9 now.... Rugby League, F1, Rugby Union, pretty much any sport out of Aus...

I wonder if Sky's will reverse the brain dead concept of only transmitting live rugby in WS on the Rubgy Channel?

scotteffone

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#66901 12-Apr-2007 11:10

they might be slow to do that... Mainly because Widescreen was the only difference between that and Sky Sport.

sbiddle

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#66907 12-Apr-2007 12:41

Yeah but it's nothing more than money making forcing people to subscribe to the rugby channel. I'm guessing nobody would otherwise..

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#66909 12-Apr-2007 12:55

sbiddle: Yeah but it's nothing more than money making forcing people to subscribe to the rugby channel. I'm guessing nobody would otherwise..

Exactly right... which is why scotteffone said they'd be slow to do that. Why would they kill off the one and only compelling reason to subscribe to the Rugby Channel?!

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