BLAARGH! – The Continuing Use of Standard Definition
Why do bad things happen to good fans? Whether it’s atrocious art, ridiculous writing or something else entirely – some crimes against fandom cannot go unanswered. When that happens, it’s time to say ”BLAARGH!”
This week: The Continuing Use of Standard Definition
HD actually makes Spider-Man 3 bearable to watch! Just kidding.
We’re about to cross the threshold into 2010, Blu-Ray has become THE preeminent format for home theater viewing, and we’re many months into that scary Digital TV Transition, yet many major networks, cable channels, and production companies still have not made the jump from Standard Definition/4:3 Aspect Ratio to the NEW “standard in definition”, High-Definition/16:9 Aspect Ratio. I was once one of the HD naysayers, claiming that it was all hype, and not much of a difference from Standard Definition. Then, I was able to have an HD-TV in my home with an HD Satellite signal, and I changed my tune quicker than Whitney Houston going into detox.
Once you go HD, you’ll never go back, and subsequently, having to suffer through any SD viewing will send you into fits of 1080p-Rage. My parents still have the same dimly-lit big-screen projection television from 15 years ago, and it feels like a phonograph compared to my 52″ Sony Bravia HD-TV with Direct TV High-Definition Signal. But, they aren’t Definition Queens like I am, so it suits them fine. I, however, can’t stomach any imperfections in my television, video, or gaming, so when I’m faced with a commercial or a new television show that is either not shot in High-Definition, or not formatted for Widescreen, I complain more than a Rancor with a toothache.
Earlier this year, I reviewed an episode of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice, and while in High Definition, the show was still formatted for full-screen, which makes little to no sense to me. Same goes for Family Guy. The Simpsons made the switch to HD and Widescreen, ushering the format in with a brand new opening, yet the citizens of Quahog are still confined by a 4:3 format and a decidedly SD intro.
Commercials seem to cling to SD the most, and the lack of definition broadcast through an HD-TV shows every little awful pixel. In HD, you should be able to read the “fine print” in a car commercial, but more often than not, that “fine” print is anything but. Many local news stations, while shooting Widescreen HD in studio, still use decades-old Beta cams for their field reporting, which hold less picture quality than an iPhone. And unfortunately, there are still entire channels yet to make HD their standard, and flipping to these channels bring back memories of watching old VHS home movies after the introduction of DVD.
I understand High-Definition recording and broadcasting equipment is not cheap, however, with such beautiful HD programming available, consumers and tv-viewers will undoubtedly lean toward the high-class of HD instead of slumming it on the SD channels. I mean, Christ on a Crutch, PanelsOnPages.com’s Video Team is in FULL HD. Get with it!
Some PanelsOnPages.com HD Greatness.
–Knize
my biggest gripe comes not with the sd programming but with the crap that is faux 16:9.
why am i watching something on a widescreen tv, that was obviously shot, or at least edited into, 16:9 and still seeing an effin’ boarder around it :madface:
GREAT point, Wickid. I wish I would’ve mentioned that. It makes no sense whatsoever.
I’m at the point where I’m content with an up-convert DVD player for my classics on DVD, however… there are definitely some things you HAVE to watch in HD: 300, Lost, Star Trek – I’m also a part of the crowd who’s TOO BROKE TO BE AWESOME!
Firstly…what is this “up convert”, and honestly…it don’t cost to be awesome!
HD should be renamed to standard definition, and standard definition renamed to Eyeball-rape Definition (ERD) I swear some stations are popping in VHS tapes and playing them on the air.
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTFp1sS8nq8]Good Example of ERD[/url]
Hey in defense of the tv universe (my undergrad is in digital media, and i worked in tv for a few years before changing careers) hd news cameras are very very expensive. you are looking in the 6-12 grand range. Plus many stations have not made the transition to be able to edit in HD, as some use old final cut pro, old premiere, and old tape to tape (this two vcrs connected to each other and you edit to one tape). the digital transition was hard on stations as companies sometimes didnt budget for the upgrades needed. at some places (my old station for example) couldnt even pump out HD as the switcher (to make the news) only allows for SD…. and yes not many places still use beta-max, as alot of places use DVC-Pro, but beta does allow a high quality of video to be put on them when editing commercials….. previous to the digital switch there was no real reason to upgrade to HD cameras because you couldnt broadcast it… give it a few years and HD will become more popular….
I understand your point, shark, and I even mentioned it in the article…but HD is no NEW thing. The technology has been around and readily available for 3-4 years. If PoP! can be in full HD/16:9, then I’d expect the “pros” to be a step ahead.
Btchplz! http://www.connectedhomemag.com/Visual/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=50124
^ – Up convert DVD Player for the poor
The reason most commercials are still shot in SD is because they have to consider all of the stations that don’t have an elaborate set-up. I’m not saying it isn’t aggravating, but it’s going to be awhile before HD becomes the true “standard”.
Jason Moneybags Knize, eat it. :p
sadly Knize, HD has been around but no one bought it for the “pros” the people who owned the tv stations were too busy swimming in their banks of money (thank you duck tales) to think too far into the future… however I did work at a tv station who, instead of buying a new camera to replace the old broken one, bought us a 4 thousand dollar atomic clock….. they then put it on top of the tv in the lobby, UPS guy came in with a box of stuff bumped the tv, and bam broken clock…. it was wonderful….
^ I work at a cable company, and it’s frustrating as shit some of my customers who actually aren’t even sure exactly how everything HD works. They think if they just have an HDTV that everything thru the TV will be IN HD… le sigh.
Dude! I got an HDTV for Christmas, but my bootleg VHS tape of the Corman FF movie still looks like shit. What gives!?
Try hooking the VCR up with an HDMI cable.
THAT’S what I was forgetting!
I got a 40″ HD TV from the in-laws this Christmas and yeah, I actually don’t even like watching TV until I get my hands on an HD box. My XBox, however, has an HDMI port so that, Netflix streaming and Modern Warfare 2 have kept me happy these past few days.
Now if only I can find a way to get the .mkv 1080p files I’ve acquired converted into something that the Xbox will actually stream and play properly, I’d be golden.
To add to the confusion even now in 2010, broadcast channels still advertise their station is broad cast in HD, and digital converter boxes make people think they’re watching HD on their ancient analog television sets.
Will this ever end???