HD Discusson: SciFi Channel (Channel 244) [Archive]

Doug Brott

09-18-07, 12:32 PM

Discussion thread for the new HD channel: SciFi Channel (Channel 244)

Topics: PQ, Programming, Stretch-0-vision (we hope not!), etc.

And don't forget our other coverage of the new DIRECTV HD channels:The list of Launched Channels (http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=97211),
Troubleshooting Tips for the New HD Channels (http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=99528),
and just for fun, The "I Got Them!" Challenge (http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=99586).

Earl Bonovich

10-03-07, 04:14 AM

Confirmed

beestea

10-03-07, 04:20 AM

Confirmed

So happy about this one.... and Earl, damn man you are really on top of things :)

Capmeister

10-03-07, 04:20 AM

MonyMony

10-03-07, 04:33 AM

So happy about this one.... and Earl, damn man you are really on top of things :)

I have to say I was very surprised we got this one so quickly. I was really expecting this one to be a few weeks away since it was the one channel I really wanted. Way to go D*! Now just have to wait for some HD content to see how it looks and hope they don't stretch the non HD stuff. The infocommerical looks normal so there is hope strech-o-vision won't exist here.

Stuart Sweet

10-03-07, 04:34 AM

So far I don't actually see anything in the guide that is listed as HD

reweiss

10-03-07, 04:43 AM

Hard to tell about the PQ so far (when are the infomercials going to be produced in HD :) ). My TV says I'm getting it in 1080i.

FlyBono24

10-03-07, 04:47 AM

I wonder if the new season of Ghost Hunters will be in HD...

Chris Blount

10-03-07, 04:57 AM

So far I don't actually see anything in the guide that is listed as HD
Yeah. I wonder about that. Nothing marked as HD in the guide.

william8004

10-03-07, 05:18 AM

Should I change my SL for Stargate now or wait?

Wire Paladin

10-03-07, 05:21 AM

Thank you DirecTV. Can't wait to watch/record Stargate Atlantis in HD tomorow.

Bowtaz3

10-03-07, 05:25 AM

I hope ECW is in HD

MonyMony

10-03-07, 05:34 AM

Should I change my SL for Stargate now or wait?

I already changed mine. I figure the guide is just lagging behind. This happened last week with some of the channels as well. I figure it will be listed as HD by Friday.

vurbano

10-03-07, 05:56 AM

I wonder if the new season of Ghost Hunters will be in HD...
You really think they are going to use HDcams?

Greywall

10-03-07, 05:59 AM

Great, can't wait for BSG in HD.

betterdan

10-03-07, 06:01 AM

Twilight Zone marathons should look very nice now and hopefully Tales From The Darkside too.

DFDureiko

10-03-07, 06:03 AM

amazing how it was just in time to MISS the last episode of Eureka.

FlyBono24

10-03-07, 06:03 AM

You really think they are going to use HDcams?

Obviously the cams they use for investigations wouldn't be HD... but hopefully they could at least record the rest of the show in HD to get with the times...

PR Buick

10-03-07, 06:08 AM

Tinymon

10-03-07, 06:14 AM

You really think they are going to use HDcams?

Now that the Red One HD cam is shipping I hope more small production companies will shoot in true HD.

http://www.red.com/

jimmyt

10-03-07, 06:14 AM

I find it interesting that there is very little if any promo of the sci fi network in hd on its own website...

Araxen

10-03-07, 06:14 AM

I hope ECW is in HD

Not till Jan 2008 at the earliest.

Bowtaz3

10-03-07, 06:17 AM

Not till Jan 2008 at the earliest.

I just got a PM about that, bummer :(

Sirshagg

10-03-07, 06:19 AM

YES! YES! YES!
Thank you
:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

mhking

10-03-07, 06:28 AM

mhking

10-03-07, 06:29 AM

I hope ECW is in HD

Don't get me started. ECW is hardly science fiction....:nono:

JayB

10-03-07, 06:30 AM

amazing how it was just in time to MISS the last episode of Eureka.

Ya, I thought that too - but, the 2 pieces of good news here is that SG:A just started it's sason and Eureka just got upped for a 3rd season, so not only will we get next years' in HD, but there will actually *be* a next year. :)

generalpatton78

10-03-07, 06:31 AM

May the Lords of Colbalt be prasied!

vertigo235

10-03-07, 06:32 AM

Yay!

digitalfreak

10-03-07, 06:33 AM

Sweet! Now all I need is FX HD. Everything else is just icing on the cake from there on out.

jediphish

10-03-07, 06:33 AM

mhking

10-03-07, 06:34 AM

May the Lords of Colbalt be prasied!

Kobol.

mhking

10-03-07, 06:34 AM

Sweet! Now all I need is FX HD. Everything else is just icing on the cake from there on out.

The "Nip/Tuck" season premiere is mere weeks away....:D

digitalfreak

10-03-07, 06:35 AM

Don't get me started. ECW is hardly science fiction....:nono:

Agreed. I really like Ghost Hunters, but that Halloween episode last year with CM Puke or whatever his name is was terrible.

Sirshagg

10-03-07, 06:35 AM

BTW, could they make their on-screen logo (with the Ghost Hunters promo) any more conspicuous?

Ghost Hunters promo??? What are you talking about, I didn't see this. Perhaps they need to make it bigger. :lol: :nono2:

djzack67

10-03-07, 06:35 AM

Great, can't wait for BSG in HD.

That Will be sweet............

JerryElbow

10-03-07, 06:41 AM

Over breakfast I tried tuning in SciFi-HD, USA-HD and Bravo-HD (the main three from the current bunch in which my wife and I have interest) and none of them came in at all. That's rather surprising to me as the previous batch all came in without a hitch last week. Oh well, hopefully it'll be cleared up by tonight. We can't wait to start watching Stargate: Atlantis, Battlestar Gallactica, Monk, Dead Zone and Psych in HD!

paulman182

10-03-07, 06:42 AM

Don't get me started. ECW is hardly science fiction....:nono:

The list of OTHER programs on the channel that are not science fiction...well, you don't really wanna go there.

warriorking

10-03-07, 06:49 AM

:nono2: For all those Battlestar Galactica fans don't look for the new season till early spring...seems they delayed it a bit longer,:hurah: But on a positive note we can look forward to the New Battlestar movie in November called the Razor in all its glorious HD.....

waynebtx

10-03-07, 06:50 AM

OH YES BSG,SGA in HD yes yes yes

speedy4022

10-03-07, 06:52 AM

OH YES BSG,SGA in HD yes yes yes

You guys need to check your series links for these channels I had to redo mine

MichaelP

10-03-07, 07:31 AM

I get a 721 error when I try to tune to SciFi HD. :-(

I've restarted and RBRd once each, which got me Bravo HD, but not the other two. Here's hoping D* gets it worked out by the time I get home.

It's Poo!

10-03-07, 07:33 AM

I'm with the Stargate Fans here. I will need to bump my wife off the HD TV on Friday night so I can see it once atleast.

Chris Blount

10-03-07, 07:38 AM

I get a 721 error when I try to tune to SciFi HD. :-(

I've restarted and RBRd once each, which got me Bravo HD, but not the other two. Here's hoping D* gets it worked out by the time I get home.
Try re-authorizing your receiver on the DirecTV.com web site.

generalpatton78

10-03-07, 07:39 AM

Kobol.

It was way to early to look that up.:D

Bowtaz3

10-03-07, 07:41 AM

Don't get me started. ECW is hardly science fiction....:nono:

May not be but as a pro wrestling fan I want to see it in HD.

Slip Jigs

10-03-07, 07:42 AM

Re: the letterboxed Beastmaster, even if they don't have it in HD, shouldn't it be widescreen upconverted?

It will be interesting to see how Bionic Woman runs? It better not be letterboxed! Finally, we now have a chance to catch some re-runs of current primetime shows in HD if we forget to record (or our DVR does), or if we have a priority conflict.

Samee with Eureka - it's letter boxed, so it should upconvert to HD with no problem. But it depends on what the station does - if it stretches everything, then the letterbox shows should be OK, but standard will crappy.

Stuart Sweet

10-03-07, 07:42 AM

If you do see something in HD that's not listed that way in the guide, make sure to post it in Earl's "No HD Icon" thread in the General forum...

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=101413

MichaelP

10-03-07, 07:44 AM

Try re-authorizing your receiver on the DirecTV.com web site.

Whoops. I posted the completely wrong error message. I'm getting a 771 - searching for signal on SciFi HD and USA HD. After a restart Bravo HD comes in.

nino2469

10-03-07, 07:46 AM

Does anyone know if Flash Gordon is in HD?

patsrule316

10-03-07, 07:50 AM

Does anyone know if Flash Gordon is in HD?

If HD stands for Hugely Disappointing it is. :D

nino2469

10-03-07, 07:53 AM

lol, yeah its not great, but for some reason I still watch it.

aktick

10-03-07, 07:53 AM

OK, maybe I'm just an idiot, and never noticed it on other channels - but while watching "live TV" on SciFiHD, the screen saver came on - I didn't think this happened while watching live?

vegasflyby

10-03-07, 07:56 AM

Same thing happened to me yesterday...first time.

msmith198025

10-03-07, 08:02 AM

Don't get me started. ECW is hardly science fiction....:nono:

Nope! Just fiction;)

Jagg

10-03-07, 08:19 AM

Whoops. I posted the completely wrong error message. I'm getting a 771 - searching for signal on SciFi HD and USA HD. After a restart Bravo HD comes in.

771 error seems to be pretty common. There are some threads on it. I have the same problem :(

mridan

10-03-07, 08:20 AM

I hope stargate atlantis is in hd this fri,did new series link but no hd icon :(

Argee

10-03-07, 08:26 AM

Flash is letterboxed on the SD version so at the very least they SHOULD broadcast it 16x9 but then again they are letterboxing Beastmaster so we will have to see.

pdawg17

10-03-07, 08:27 AM

Nobody

10-03-07, 08:30 AM

[QUOTE=jediphish;1183620]Re: the letterboxed Beastmaster, even if they don't have it in HD, shouldn't it be widescreen upconverted?

QUOTE]

I think this is odd as well.

PoitNarf

10-03-07, 08:39 AM

We'll just have to see if HD content shows up later tonight. I'm pretty sure the lack of HD indicators is probably just guide data error.

kcarstens

10-03-07, 08:42 AM

Looks like all the good stuff (SGATL, DRWHO, etc) is in letterbox, as is currently running beast master. Prefer this over stretch-o-vision, but had really hoped for 16:9. The current letterbox view (beast master) is ready (logo in right place) to be cropped and broadcast in 16:9.... hardly a marked improvement over 244 SciFi-nonHD

jbellanca

10-03-07, 08:45 AM

Thank you DirecTV. Can't wait to watch/record Stargate Atlantis in HD tomorow.

Wouldn't that be great... if they'd list any shows as actually being broadcast in HD?!?!?!?!?!?? What's the point of an HD channel if they're only broadcasting 480p. Hope that changes and they just forgot to change the guide!

bgartz

10-03-07, 09:00 AM

Flash is letterboxed on the SD version so at the very least they SHOULD broadcast it 16x9 but then again they are letterboxing Beastmaster so we will have to see.

The Pilot episode of Flash was in HD on Universal HD. I am hoping that the rest of the series was filmed in HD.

OinkinOregon

10-03-07, 09:08 AM

Does the channel tag at the bottom of the screen show SciFiHD or is it just a stretched version of the SD channel?

Sirshagg

10-03-07, 09:09 AM

Don't forget to setup your seies links on the new HD channel. Eureka is still in the guide so you can even "fix" that one for next season too.

PMX4

10-03-07, 09:19 AM

I hope stargate atlantis is in hd this fri,did new series link but no hd icon :(

One of the Stargate: Atlantis's creators said in the intreview with Gateworld wesbite that fourth season definitely will be aired in HD. :)

I hope that they have closed captioning for Stargate: Atlantis and Battlestar Galactica on SciFi Channel HD because I am a hearing impaired. That would suck if I had to watch them on SD-version channel because they have CC.

mridan

10-03-07, 09:24 AM

One of the Stargate: Atlantis's creators said in the intreview with Gateworld wesbite that fourth season definitely will be aired in HD. :)

I hope that they have closed captioning for Stargate: Atlantis and Battlestar Galactica on SciFi Channel HD because I am a hearing impaired. That would suck if I had to watch them on SD-version channel because they have CC.

I hope there picked up for a fifth season,I read some time ago on gateworld that if fourth season ratings are low,there might not be a fifth season:(

Sirshagg

10-03-07, 09:25 AM

I hope there picked up for a forth season,I read some time ago on gateworld that if third season ratings are low,there might not be a forth season:(

Season 4 already started - last Friday.

ronsm

10-03-07, 09:28 AM

So far, SciFiHD is just a duplicate of SciFi, no change in presentation, logo, or program listing. In other words, no HD is being shown. Someone on another thread said that the HD channel hasn't been launched yet. If so, why would D* even have the channel available, and when is it supposed to be launched?

mridan

10-03-07, 09:28 AM

Season 4 already started - last Friday.

Sorry season five

SParker

10-03-07, 09:28 AM

I'm going to update my season pass for SG:A because even if its not in HD I'm sure the picture is still better than the SD channel.

Chris Blount

10-03-07, 09:37 AM

I'm going to update my season pass for SG:A because even if its not in HD I'm sure the picture is still better than the SD channel.Agree. The HD channel will at least be an upgrade, even though small.

Sirshagg

10-03-07, 09:38 AM

Agree. The HD channel will at least be an upgrade, even though small.

I'm betting it will be HD on Fri.

taylorhively

10-03-07, 09:41 AM

I'm going to update my season pass for SG:A because even if its not in HD I'm sure the picture is still better than the SD channel.Agreed.
It looks as if they're still broadcasting the HD content in letterboxed SD.
This is a total buzzkill because most of shows on SciFi hare shot in HD and have been for years. Some of the (SciFi) shows re-run on Universal HD look splendid in HD.

But I'll be recording on the HD channel even though it uses more disk space. DirecTV drops the SD resolution from 720x480 down to 480x480 I believe, and as a result all SD channels look pretty bad on my 60" 1080 LCD rear projection, ESPECIALLY when you stretch/crop the letterboxed show to fill the screen. It looks pretty bad.

I've found that SD letterboxed on the HD channels at least have been upconverted on the broadcast side so even the SD resolution is actually better and looks pretty good.

I'm just ecstatic that they have the HD channel going. At least SciFi no longer has the excuse that no one carries the HD channel therefore why spend the money to broadcast in HD.
HOPEFULLY they'll get a real HD feed going within a few months so we'll at least get part of the SG-A season in HD.

For now I'll just have to take the letterboxed in HD. It look 1000 times better stretching to full screen on the HD channel than it does on the SD channel. I almost don't care that it's not true HD except that the picture gets cropped off a little when I do this.

PMX4

10-03-07, 09:43 AM

Sorry season five

There is no season five yet as the current and latest one is season four.

bkwest918

10-03-07, 09:44 AM

You really think they are going to use HDcams?

HD cams for that aren't that expensive... Prosumer models can be had for less than 1k.

/b

bkwest918

10-03-07, 09:47 AM

Love how they letterbox the SD content so its all of 30 inches on my 47 inch display. My Phillips will zoom on it but then again its basically SD down an HD channel and worthless.

/b

billbillw

10-03-07, 09:51 AM

I have a feeling we won't see any true HD on SciFi until next year, as their website indicates. Looks to me like D* is just upconverting to 1080i. Still, it looks much better than the SD version, especially if you zoom to make letterbox fill the screen (not streched). I could hardly stand to watch BSG last year because of the poor quality after I zoomed. I tried zooming Beastmaster this morning and it looked pretty darn good, not HD, but much better than before.

MrKlaatu

10-03-07, 09:59 AM

I assume they will air Atlantis in HD this week.

borghe

10-03-07, 10:06 AM

Looks to me like D* is just upconverting to 1080i.
DirecTV isn't doing anything. They're just passing on what Sci-Fi is feeding them. But yes, it looks like Sci-Fi is just sending over their SD channel.. It definitely seems to me like Sci-Fi hasn't launched yet even though they are sending out a signal.

Juppers

10-03-07, 10:14 AM

A quick search found that it does appear to exist. Hopefully they will start sending out the HD programming soon as well.

https://www.nbcunetworks.com/Webpage/Techspecs/ViewPublicTechSpecs.aspx?NetworkId=MjE=

https://www.nbcunetworks.com/pdf/SCI%20FI%20HDlaunch.pdf?NetworkID=SCI%20FI%20HD

BreezeCJ

10-03-07, 10:16 AM

Great, can't wait for BSG in HD.

+1 :hurah:

Jon D

10-03-07, 10:18 AM

You really think they are going to use HDcams?

If you "believe" what you see in ghost hunters, you should be able to "believe" it's in HD also whether it is or not. :lol:

MichaelP

10-03-07, 10:18 AM

506PIR

10-03-07, 10:27 AM

Watching ScifiHD now. Great! No stretch0vision
TNT are you taking notes?
Im pleased the new batch of nationals are not stretching their
content.... at this moment. hope it stays this way

LoopinFool

10-03-07, 10:29 AM

Even upconverted SD will have to be better than the picture I've been getting on the SD channel. This past Friday parts of Flash Gordon were practically unwatchable because the cinematography made the picture so dark and fuzzy I could barely tell what was going on.

Agreed. I use zoom on my display when watching Eureka so the aspect is correct (can't stand stretched letterboxed content).
The new feed does look like a very good upconvert. Trouble is, my 5 year old display can't zoom HD signals, so I'm stuck with the little framed version of it.
It sure is way better than the stretched letterboxed stuff I've seen over on HistoryHD, but they really should use zoom. A lot of displays have to show it full screen.
There's even an "LB" tag in the guide data, so the content provider knows which shows are letterboxed and they could even automate the zoom vs pillarbox function.

- LoopinFool

seagod

10-03-07, 10:36 AM

Agreed.
It looks as if they're still broadcasting the HD content in letterboxed SD.
This is a total buzzkill because most of shows on SciFi hare shot in HD and have been for years. Some of the (SciFi) shows re-run on Universal HD look splendid in HD.

But I'll be recording on the HD channel even though it uses more disk space. DirecTV drops the SD resolution from 720x480 down to 480x480 I believe, and as a result all SD channels look pretty bad on my 60" 1080 LCD rear projection, ESPECIALLY when you stretch/crop the letterboxed show to fill the screen. It looks pretty bad.

I've found that SD letterboxed on the HD channels at least have been upconverted on the broadcast side so even the SD resolution is actually better and looks pretty good.

I'm just ecstatic that they have the HD channel going. At least SciFi no longer has the excuse that no one carries the HD channel therefore why spend the money to broadcast in HD.
HOPEFULLY they'll get a real HD feed going within a few months so we'll at least get part of the SG-A season in HD.

For now I'll just have to take the letterboxed in HD. It look 1000 times better stretching to full screen on the HD channel than it does on the SD channel. I almost don't care that it's not true HD except that the picture gets cropped off a little when I do this.

As long as they stretch a letterbox SD image into an HD filled image, the original image will not be distorted but if they start stretching 4:3 SD content that is not letterboxed, then back to the SD channel for me for now. However, the SCIFI channel has always been one of the better looking channels for me and the network seems to take their customer base seriously and as such I do not think they want to put out poorly formatted HD streams. SCIFI is an example to others like TNT, etc. that seem to think HD is equivalent to a filled widescreen TV image regardless of how distorted the image gets.

islesfan

10-03-07, 10:37 AM

Beastmaster is in letterbox, which would seem to indicate it's an HD show--strange they aren't showing it in HD. (At least they're not showing it in stretch-o-vision. TNT/History Channel/TBS, are you paying attention?)

BTW, could they make their on-screen logo (with the Ghost Hunters promo) any more conspicuous?

Total disagreement. I will have to keep the SciFi channel available in SD as well to cover the letterboxed shows, of which there are many. I turned on SciFi this morning, and it was Beastmaster (didn't care) but it was in tiny-vision, BOTH pillar and letter boxed. WTF? Would it kill them to stretch this one? I can stretch 480 picture on my TV, but I cannot stretch 1080. I don't know if I'm alone in that, but I really cannot stand tiny-vision on my 55" HDTV!

VeniceDre

10-03-07, 10:40 AM

skyboysea

10-03-07, 10:50 AM

I think they are still experimenting. A few hours ago the logo was SciFiHD and it was half on the picture and half on the black bar. Hopefully they are getting ready for Friday.

houskamp

10-03-07, 10:54 AM

same problem here.. Don't want 4:3 stretched to 16:9 BUT letterboxed shows should be zoomed to fit screen.. My local fox station still hasn't learned this :eek: they do the little framed pic all the time :(
Sure hope they get this fixed........................

MrKlaatu

10-03-07, 11:00 AM

same problem here.. Don't want 4:3 stretched to 16:9 BUT letterboxed shows should be zoomed to fit screen.

+1 except that any 16:9 shows filmed in HD should only be shown in HD so no zooming is necessary.

PoitNarf

10-03-07, 11:31 AM

Looks like SciFi HD will not be doing any stretch-o-vision. From their FAQ http://www.scifi.com/help/channelfaq/:

13.

The letterboxing looks terrible on my small screen! Why do you do that?
We firmly believe that movies and shows that are shot in widescreen (also known as letterboxing, abbreviated "LBX") should be shown in widescreen. It preserves the proper aspect ratios and displays the moving images as the creators intended them to be seen. We are trying to faithfully transmit the original creators' intentions.

Looks like they care about aspect ratios as much as we do. :D

Now if they'll just show some actual HD content today...

JonW

10-03-07, 11:32 AM

Agreed, my Pioneer can do some stretching of 1080i, but it can't fix the double whammy of letter box + side pillars. On the other hand, I can fully zoom the SD version of the show to fill the screen.

I would gladly watch upconverted 480i content on a HD channel, but not if I have to watch it in a mini-window.

axl

10-03-07, 11:36 AM

I hope ECW is in HD

ECW is not taped in HD yet. I believe that smackdown is the first one to actually go HD and it should be late this year early next year i think.

taylorhively

10-03-07, 12:22 PM

mika911

10-03-07, 12:23 PM

Yeah, what is the point of this channel, if it is letterbox instead of widescreen? How hard could it be just to show things in widescreen?

SParker

10-03-07, 12:28 PM

Beastmaster was around like 8-9 years ago, I highly doubt they filmed it in HD.

Thaedron

10-03-07, 12:34 PM

OK, maybe I'm just an idiot, and never noticed it on other channels - but while watching "live TV" on SciFiHD, the screen saver came on - I didn't think this happened while watching live?

This happened to me as well, but on one of our local channels. Also while the screen saver was on, it would momentarily blink off showing just a frame or two of the show and then back to the screen saver.

Doug Brott

10-03-07, 12:38 PM

Beastmaster was around like 8-9 years ago, I highly doubt they filmed it in HD.

But it was shot in widescreen .. SciFi could fill up the 16:9 screen even if the content were SD.

Stuart Sweet

10-03-07, 12:41 PM

Random screen savers can usually be solved by a reboot.

Mykroft

10-03-07, 12:47 PM

doo4usc

10-03-07, 12:57 PM

I messed up and didn't get last fridays SGA, does anyone have any info of a title or replay? Thx Doo

taylorhively

10-03-07, 01:03 PM

I messed up and didn't get last fridays SGA, does anyone have any info of a title or replay? Thx DooIt was part 1 of a 2-parter. So at least when you watch this week's they should have a "previously on" catch up leading in to the episode.
Here's a little info on the episode:
http://www.sg1archive.com/atlantis/s4.shtml
It doesn't look like a replay is planned any time soon. Just check the scifi schedulebot: http://www.scifi.com/schedulebot/index.php3 . Do searches on "atlantis" to see what's coming up.

doo4usc

10-03-07, 01:09 PM

It was part 1 of a 2-parter. So at least when you watch this week's they should have a "previously on" catch up leading in to the episode.
Here's a little info on the episode:
http://www.sg1archive.com/atlantis/s4.shtml
It doesn't look like a replay is planned any time soon. Just check the scifi schedulebot: http://www.scifi.com/schedulebot/index.php3 . Do searches on "atlantis" to see what's coming up.

Thx Bud!!

oldfantom

10-03-07, 01:10 PM

It appears, from the guide that the daytime programming for SciFi is SD and the prime time stuff is HD. Eureka season finale rebroadcasts, I think, tonight. I have dual conflicts for whenever the rebroadcast is, so I did not pay much attention.

bberkley

10-03-07, 01:12 PM

I just want to know if the shows I watch on SciFi will be in HD Friday night (i.e. SG Atlantis and Dr. Who). My channel guide doesn't show any HD content yet for SciFi HD.

clefebvre

10-03-07, 01:34 PM

I'm so happy to see this new hd channel, just in time for the new species move. now I just hope it will be broadcasted in hd.

digitalfreak

10-03-07, 02:25 PM

I hope I'm pleasantly surprised, but the guide data I'm seeing right now doesn't show any shows on SciFi HD as actually being in HD. The guide data for USA HD does...

JJJBBB

10-03-07, 02:41 PM

Yeah baby SciFi HD! Next Spike and our treky dreams will come true!
What happend to Spike?

skakusha

10-03-07, 02:55 PM

Thx Bud!!

If you really want to see it and don't mind paying $1.99, you can download it from iTunes. Just have to make sure you select Season 4, since Season # seems to be the default. I just checked it out to confirm the availability.

PMX4

10-03-07, 03:06 PM

No Closed Captioning on SCIFI-HD. :( Looks like I have to complain to NBC. I'm guessing that it won't be quick to come since they've yet to fix this on Universal-HD. I imagine Bravo-HD--also an NBC owned channel--is without captioning too.

I recently e-mailed to the SciFi Channel concerning lack of closed captioning on their HD channel.

Let me know if you get a response from NBC, just asking.

By the way, some of the shows like Surface and few others on Universial-HD have closed captioning and I could read them just fine.

joekun

10-03-07, 03:14 PM

Next Spike and our treky dreams will come true!
Are they going to be airing the new HD versions of TOS?

kitchj

10-03-07, 03:30 PM

MrKlaatu

10-03-07, 03:46 PM

I just want to know if the shows I watch on SciFi will be in HD Friday night (i.e. SG Atlantis and Dr. Who). My channel guide doesn't show any HD content yet for SciFi HD.

Doctor Who is not shot in HD. They say it would be too expensive because of all the visual effects. Spinoff, Torchwood, is shot in HD and currently airs on HDNET. But it's not nearly as good.

gphvid

10-03-07, 03:51 PM

Closed captioning in HD is a little different than cc in SD. In SD, the signal occupies line 21 but in HD, it is part of the picture as digital bits. As such, I don't think captioning will occur unless the TV sets and displays have this type of decoder, or the networks send out a separate cc stream.

I'm also not certain if the law that requires cc also pertains to HD. Just a thought but I believe it was only for SD programming, although I'm sure they could update it as necessary.

The cc issue could also be one that D* could remedy with their boxes and making access to the cc decoder an easy one-button setting.

gphvid

10-03-07, 03:56 PM

Doctor Who is not shot in HD. They say it would be too expensive because of all the visual effects. Spinoff, Torchwood, is shot in HD and currently airs on HDNET. But it's not nearly as good.

Not shooting in HD is really a weak reason for Doctor Who. The effects are most likely done on the same equipment that do effects for Torchwood and even motion pictures. It is just whether they set the rendering to 720x486 vs 1920x1080.

Once Doctor Who comes out of its one season hiatus, maybe they will finally go to HD shooting. They will be doing three special episodes like the Christmas Special, but not a full season next year, but then they will return with a full set of episodes in 2009. Perfect time to move to HD.

NoNameEMT

10-03-07, 04:00 PM

1 word.... Awesome! Thanks D*!

MizzouTiger

10-03-07, 04:02 PM

amazing how it was just in time to MISS the last episode of Eureka.

I was thinking the very same thing!!:(

MrKlaatu

10-03-07, 04:06 PM

Not shooting in HD is really a weak reason for Doctor Who. The effects are most likely done on the same equipment that do effects for Torchwood and even motion pictures. It is just whether they set the rendering to 720x486 vs 1920x1080.

I don't know how their costs work, but the show is a huge (International) hit and a marquee show for the BBC. Not presenting it in HD is retardis.

gphvid

10-03-07, 04:11 PM

I agree. I guess the only reason they did it originally was to drop production costs in the first season because they (BBC) were not cure as to how popular the show's return was going to be. Well, duh! There is huge interest worldwide, so it isn't hard to figure out that they would make their money back hundred-fold. It also could have been the availability of HD equipment at the time. Who knows?

vertigo235

10-03-07, 04:19 PM

setiamon

10-03-07, 04:29 PM

Its lousy.

I don't know if its just be but EVERYONE on scifi is surrounded by black box etc.i'm sure this has been discussed but i'm tired...

Slip Jigs

10-03-07, 04:33 PM

They are Windowboxing Stargate SG1, this show has been shown in HD in Canada before, so HD masters exist, not sure why they are not presenting it.

Also, if Beastmaster was "filmed" then there is no reason they cant transfer it to HD.

Also Doctor Who is in PAL so if they at least upconvert that it would look better than SD.

Yeah, I don't know what the deal is. BUT -

I have my box set to native, and the TV reports the incoming signal on a channel change, and this is 1080i. So I set to work -

HD channels you can't force the scaling mode but my TV can. I set my TV to zoom, same as crop and i got the full screen. And, it is HD, upscaled of course, but looks as good as any other HD channel.

bobbyv

10-03-07, 04:33 PM

Has anyone actually found something in HD on Sci-Fi over the next few days?

I hope the guide is just off . . . maybe, just maybe SGA will be in HD this Friday.

We can hope right?

skakusha

10-03-07, 04:36 PM

Yeah, I don't know what the deal is. BUT -

I have my box set to native, and the TV reports the incoming signal on a channel change, and this is 1080i. So I set to work -

HD channels you can't force the scaling mode but my TV can. I set my TV to zoom, same as crop and i got the full screen. And, it is HD, upscaled of course, but looks as good as any other HD channel.

I wish it was 16 x 9, but I have to admit that I prefer to play with the TV aspect ratio settings then watch it in SD. This is a big picture improvement, and it is nice to have DD 5.1 sound as well.

Let's hope we see the HD versions very soon, and I mean before Friday night. :)

Alan Gordon

10-03-07, 04:45 PM

Also, if Beastmaster was "filmed" then there is no reason they cant transfer it to HD.

If "BeastMaster" was filmed, there is no reason they can't transfer it to HD, but just because "they" can transfer it to HD, doesn't mean it's been transferred to HD, and even if it has, it might not be available to Sci-Fi...

Look, I'm just as disappointed as anybody in the uncertainty of HD on Sci-Fi... considering the amount of programming on Sci-Fi that could be shown in HD compared to other networks... not to mention the amount of programming that is shown in letterbox that could be upconverted to 1920 x 1080 16x9... but it's possible that DirecTV went ahead a uplinked this channel (and USA-HD/Bravo-HD) in anticipation of Sci-Fi airing HD in the next few days... but they don't have all the kinks worked out.

I'm willing to give them a little time before I start getting upset...

~Alan

armophob

10-03-07, 04:47 PM

Can anyone explain why mine is neither stretched or pillar? I have a 6x9 SG1 inside a 6x9 black frame.

ronsm

10-03-07, 04:50 PM

Yeah, I don't know what the deal is. BUT -

I have my box set to native, and the TV reports the incoming signal on a channel change, and this is 1080i. So I set to work -

HD channels you can't force the scaling mode but my TV can. I set my TV to zoom, same as crop and i got the full screen. And, it is HD, upscaled of course, but looks as good as any other HD channel.

Well, SG1 is presented in widescreen, on a 4X3 screen. I have the zoom option, so I can fill the 16X9 screen without cropping, but it still doesn't look any where as good as a true HD presentation. You aren't actually adding info to the picture when you zoom it, you are just separating the pixels a little more. But, it's still better than watching the reduced size.

Incidently, SCIFI now has the largest logo I have ever seen on the tv. It added GHOST BUSTERS, and it's time, on top of the logo, in large letters.

ronsm

10-03-07, 04:54 PM

Can anyone explain why mine is neither stretched or pillar? I have a 6x9 SG1 inside a 6x9 black frame.

Are you sure it isn't 16X9 inside a 4X3 screen? It's the way wide screen is presented on an SD television. The picture should look exactly the same as it does on the SciFi SD channel. If you have a Zoom option on your tv, try that. it should then fill the screen.

Slip Jigs

10-03-07, 04:55 PM

I wish it was 16 x 9, but I have to admit that I prefer to play with the TV aspect ratio settings then watch it in SD. This is a big picture improvement, and it is nice to have DD 5.1 sound as well.

Let's hope we see the HD versions very soon, and I mean before Friday night. :)

Anything in letterbox IS 16 x 9, and the channel is 1080i, so it is HD. The difference is, for some reason, they're not pre-stretching the picture.

armophob

10-03-07, 05:00 PM

Are you sure it isn't 16X9 inside a 4X3 screen? It's the way wide screen is presented on an SD television. The picture should look exactly the same as it does on the SciFi SD channel. If you have a Zoom option on your tv, try that. it should then fill the screen.

no, I got pillar on the commercials, looks like it was just sg1

TMar

10-03-07, 05:08 PM

Did I miss the memo?

HDTVFreak07

10-03-07, 05:10 PM

Huh? I don't get your post but while I'm thrilled SciFi is in HD (I've noticed the pq being better now), I'm sad to learn the captioning doesn't work on the HD channel. USA Network is the same. It is NOT D*'s fault... it is the network. I just e-mailed them and now I'm keeping my fingers crossed for another week.

PoitNarf

10-03-07, 05:10 PM

Memo concerning what exactly?

Sirshagg

10-03-07, 05:12 PM

Did I miss the memo?

Here it is:
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=101359

setiamon

10-03-07, 05:13 PM

the Sci-FI HD kinda sucks.everything is boxed.black pillars etc etc

even the commercials....

HDTVFreak07

10-03-07, 05:14 PM

the Sci-FI HD kinda sucks.everything is boxed.black pillars etc etc

even the commercials....

It's still early. I'm pretty confident that SciFi will start going 16:9 eventually. At least they're not doing the stretch-o-vision, which isn't very good.

TMar

10-03-07, 05:16 PM

I figured it would have been all over the front page. I checked when I got home for anything on here (same as always) and didn't noticed until I just change the channel to SciFi that it was in HD now.

ronsm

10-03-07, 05:16 PM

Anything in letterbox IS 16 x 9, and the channel is 1080i, so it is HD. The difference is, for some reason, they're not pre-stretching the picture.

Not true. Wide screen and HD are two separate issues. I have seen widescreen movies on tv's since the 1960's. they had bars top and bottom, but it certainly wasn't HD. Stargate atlantis has always been presented in widescreen, but it wasn't HD. Just because your TV or DVD player scales it up to 1080I, doesn't mean it's HD. That's why there are DVD players that scale up the picture to "Near" HD quality, and then you have other players that are HD.

Stretching the picture does not give you HD either. That's why most people think TBSHD stinks. Streching the picture distorts what you see.

TMar

10-03-07, 05:20 PM

It's still early. I'm pretty confident that SciFi will start going 16:9 eventually. At least they're not doing the stretch-o-vision, which isn't very good.

I would much rather have it stretched than pillar boxed.

ampman337

10-03-07, 05:22 PM

It's still early. I'm pretty confident that SciFi will start going 16:9 eventually. At least they're not doing the stretch-o-vision, which isn't very good.

I may get flamed for this but, to me I would rather have it stretched. the black bars annoy me. I say this for all channels CNN, TWC etc.

LameLefty

10-03-07, 05:25 PM

I may get flamed for this but, to me I would rather have it stretched. the black bars annoy me. I say this for all channels CNN, TWC etc.

We don't flame for ignorance and bad taste, only trolling . . . ;)

(For what it's worth my wife agrees with you. :lol:)

mexican-bum

10-03-07, 05:25 PM

I would much rather have it stretched than pillar boxed.

please don't say that or they may start:crying:

cygnusloop

10-03-07, 05:26 PM

I would much rather have it stretched than pillar boxed.

I may get flamed for this but, to me I would rather have it stretched. the black bars annoy me. I say this for all channels CNN, TWC etc.

Then stretch it with YOUR TV. Broadcasting a program in anything other than its original aspect ratio is a travesty. Good job Sci-Fi, Bravo!

DrZaiusATL

10-03-07, 05:28 PM

It's still early. I'm pretty confident that SciFi will start going 16:9 eventually. At least they're not doing the stretch-o-vision, which isn't very good.

I will bet you 100 bucks that they will.......EVERYONE has too much 4:3 content to do anything else....

THE PILLARS SUCK!

I have spent way to much money on plasma's and LCD's to have them burned.

ronsm

10-03-07, 05:29 PM

no, I got pillar on the commercials, looks like it was just sg1

Let me rephrase that. Currently, SciFi, is just sending their 4X3 SD signal for their SD channel over the HD channel. So, if you flip between the two channels, they will look the same, whether its on a program or ad.

The SD channel is set up so that it can be shown on a 4X3 screen without distortion. When it is on the smaller screen, it fills the screen on the left and right, but it needs bars on the top and bottom. So, when this same signal is sent to a widescreen HDTv, it is just like it was sending a 4X3 picture to the screen, and has pillars on the left and right. Only now, the top and bottom bars are part of the picture that is being broadcast. So, it looks like you have a frame all around the picture that you want to look at. But, D* or your tv are only adding the pillars so that the 4X3 picture fills out your widescreen. So, it is a 16X9 picture, being placed on a 4X3 screen format, and it is being broadcast on a 16X9 signal. Make sense? If you can zoom the picture in, it will fill the screen without distortion.

Slip Jigs

10-03-07, 05:33 PM

Not true. Wide screen and HD are two separate issues. I have seen widescreen movies on tv's since the 1960's. they had bars top and bottom, but it certainly wasn't HD. Stargate atlantis has always been presented in widescreen, but it wasn't HD. Just because your TV or DVD player scales it up to 1080I, doesn't mean it's HD. That's why there are DVD players that scale up the picture to "Near" HD quality, and then you have other players that are HD.

Streching the picture does not give you HD either. That's why most people thing TBSHD stinks. Streching the picture distorts what you see.

I agree - i wasn't saying the what makes it HD was the aspect ratio- what makes it HD is horizontal resolution.

Now, we don't know what the origirnal source is, but the native signal coming in is 1080i (unless my TV is getting it wrong). So what we're seeing is actually squeezed picture - so when you crop it you'll get the full signal. On SD channels it's the other way around - cropping a letterboxed 480i signal to full screen blows it up beyond its native scaling, and looks crappy.

I don't know why this channel seems to be unique when it comes to this - maybe they just haven't worked out the kinks yet.

skakusha

10-03-07, 05:33 PM

Anyone know when Ghost Hunter's is on? LOL!

That is just annoying . . . I have seen the big transparent images off and on, but I hope it does not become common practice among channels or the NBC/Universal family.

Kansas Zephyr

10-03-07, 05:39 PM

Then stretch it with YOUR TV. Broadcasting a program in anything other than its original aspect ratio is a travesty. Good job Sci-Fi, Bravo!

+1

Please select that on your own TV.

I would much rather have all content in it's original aspect ratio (and resolution).

Then you can choose how you wish to see it with your remote.

Personally, I find "stretch-o-vision" highly annoying.

I do feel that they should use either black or 50% white (gray) for pillar boxes, though. I agree that the static ESPN pillars may cause burn-in for some plasma/CRT owners.

ronsm

10-03-07, 05:43 PM

I agree - i wasn't saying the what makes it HD was the aspect ratio- what makes it HD is horizontal resolution.

Now, we don't know what the origirnal source is, but the native signal coming in is 1080i (unless my TV is getting it wrong). So what we're seeing is actually squeezed picture - so when you crop it you'll get the full signal. On SD channels it's the other way around - cropping a letterboxed 480i signal to full screen blows it up beyond its native scaling, and looks crappy.

I don't know why this channel seems to be unique when it comes to this - maybe they just haven't worked out the kinks yet.

I have my D* box scaling everything to 1080I. so it may be just the way you set the screen set in your options. My screen tells me it is set to 1080i, even if I am watching a 480I broadcast, on D*. My other option would be to import it as a 480I, 480P, or 1080I, and let the tv scale it up to 1080I, but, it seems to affect how I see the picture, and I am unable to zoom the picture properly.

I don't see a squeezed picture, but if I stretched it to fill the screen, then it would crop the sides. However, if I zoom it. the 16X9 picture fills out my screen without cropping or distorting the picture. This is a format option on the Sony TV, not on the D* box.

PoitNarf

10-03-07, 05:44 PM

Broadcasting a program in anything other than its original aspect ratio is a travesty.

+Infinity

Sirshagg

10-03-07, 05:44 PM

Then stretch it with YOUR TV. Broadcasting a program in anything other than its original aspect ratio is a travesty. Good job Sci-Fi, Bravo!
:up:

Sirshagg

10-03-07, 05:47 PM

Anyone know when Ghost Hunter's is on? .

Ghost Hunters? Is that a new show? What hannel is it on? http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/6551/rofldr1.gif

Juppers

10-03-07, 06:01 PM

25% gray would be plenty. I just wish every channel would go OAR.

malaern

10-03-07, 06:06 PM

solomita

10-03-07, 06:06 PM

I just don't get this. If they broadcast in pillars then everyone can get what they want, but if they stretch then there's no way for me to unstretch if I want pillars. The conclusion seems obvious.

PoitNarf

10-03-07, 06:22 PM

The extra stuff around their BUG makes me NOT want to watch Ghost Hunters just to punish them for doing that :lol:

I wouldn't have watched it anyway, but now I'll make a real concerted effort to avoid it ;)

ronsm

10-03-07, 06:26 PM

3 Thumbs down Skiffy:

1. My Panny won't zoom HD connected via HDMI or Component, so I'm stuck with window-box around all four sides.

2. That is the most annoying, biggest, most obnoxious bug.

oh, and 3. New Webisodes still won't atone for cancelling Farscape!

Bummer! Time for a new tv, anyways, last years models are outdated already.

Sorry, I can't help about Farscape. I'm ticked that they even removed SG1, and then replaced it with Painkiller Jane and Flash Gordon. How are there ratings compared to SGI or Farscapr? They will probably replace BSG with another detective show, where the detective can mysteriously change his appearance. The title will probably be called "The Chameleon".

armophob

10-03-07, 06:32 PM

Let me rephrase that.

Yea, right after posting a sci-fi logo came up and I saw the reasoning. Another reason for HD channels to stretch their SD material. I think I will send them a suggestion email.:lol:

malaern

10-03-07, 06:33 PM

Bummer! Time for a new tv, anyways, last years models are outdated already.

Yeah. I'll give them a little while to actually broadcast their widescreen stuff in 16:9. If not, I guess I'll just have to look at a new Plasma :D

MrKlaatu

10-03-07, 06:48 PM

1. My Panny won't zoom HD connected via HDMI or Component, so I'm stuck with window-box around all four sides.

Here's a workaround. Change the format of your HR20 to 480p Pillar Box, then your TV should be able to zoom it.

Crazy to have to do that, I know. They should just start showing HD content!!!!

ronsm

10-03-07, 06:50 PM

I
Now, we don't know what the origirnal source is, but the native signal coming in is 1080i (unless my TV is getting it wrong). So what we're seeing is actually squeezed picture - so when you crop it you'll get the full signal. On SD channels it's the other way around - cropping a letterboxed 480i signal to full screen blows it up beyond its native scaling, and looks crappy..

Upon further reflection, they are probably just taking their 480I signal, and airing in on the 1080I bandwidth. So, the signal may be HD, but the picture is still SD, because they didn't improve the resolution.

Is Mpeg compression done by the station, or by D*? I always thought it would be D*.

NoNameEMT

10-03-07, 06:53 PM

Rodneyt

10-03-07, 06:57 PM

I just don't get this. If they broadcast in pillars then everyone can get what they want, but if they stretch then there's no way for me to unstretch if I want pillars. The conclusion seems obvious.

I 100% agree! I imagine the main issue is people who like stretched content are also one's who don't understand their television set enough to setup the stretchovision on it, so they want to impose their taste on the rest of us.

Doug Brott

10-03-07, 07:04 PM

It does appear the the source of the SD upconvert is at the head end back @ SciFi.com. Maybe SciFi is just waiting for the flux capacitor to show up so that they can finally turn on real TV. At least DIRECTV has done their part and now we can all scream at those guys from the spaced out channel. ;) :) :D.

psweig

10-03-07, 07:09 PM

FlyBono24

10-03-07, 07:10 PM

Ghost Hunters? Is that a new show? What hannel is it on? http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/6551/rofldr1.gif

A new episode is on right now... it is supposedly an old military base in San Francisco... looks interesting!

mika911

10-03-07, 07:57 PM

I don't know how anyone would want letterbox instead of widescreen. If it is a wider aspect than 16x9 the bars at the top and bottom are fine, but to have it boxed in by 4 sides is silly.

Slip Jigs

10-03-07, 08:10 PM

Upon further reflection, they are probably just taking their 480I signal, and airing in on the 1080I bandwidth. So, the signal may be HD, but the picture is still SD, because they didn't improve the resolution.

Is Mpeg compression done by the station, or by D*? I always thought it would be D*.

I think you're right - otherwise the 4:3 commercials would be pillarboxed inside the already letterboxed window. But on the other hand, there is still some sort of upcoversion going on somewhere - probably by D* before they send it out. We could be getting full screen at full rez, just that part of that picture consists of the borders.

Still, when I zoom in, it does look like the real thing - if I zoom in on the SD channel - even if my box is converting to 10801, it just doesn't look as good. That tells me that on the HD channel, the information is in there somewhere.

MrKlaatu

10-03-07, 08:14 PM

I don't know how anyone would want letterbox instead of widescreen. If it is a wider aspect than 16x9 the bars at the top and bottom are fine, but to have it boxed in by 4 sides is silly.

I propose the term "window boxed" for 16:9 shows with black bars on the top, bottom, and sides.

bdowell

10-03-07, 08:15 PM

Definitely don't want stretch-o-vision on this channel or any other, but am glad to see this channel in hi-def finally :)

malaern

10-03-07, 08:20 PM

Here's a workaround. Change the format of your HR20 to 480p Pillar Box, then your TV should be able to zoom it.

Crazy to have to do that, I know. They should just start showing HD content!!!!

Duh, I can still Zoom on the TV. It's only the TV's stretch option that is disabled via HDMI. So I can switch between Full and Zoom, hopefully without cropping.

Like most, I'm cool with unstretched 4:3 on HD. Hopefully 16:9 for their widescreen stuff is coming soon!

I'm a happy camper! (And now that Ghost whatever is on, the bug is back to normal size.)

vertigo235

10-03-07, 08:21 PM

What's with all this debate? If it's not in HD I'm not even going to watch it on the HD channel, because I record it on DVR it would just be a waste of space.

brittonx

10-03-07, 08:50 PM

3. New Webisodes still won't atone for cancelling Farscape!

+ 100,000,000,000

Kansas Zephyr

10-03-07, 09:01 PM

I don't know how anyone would want letterbox instead of widescreen. If it is a wider aspect than 16x9 the bars at the top and bottom are fine, but to have it boxed in by 4 sides is silly.

+1

gully_foyle

10-03-07, 09:21 PM

Total disagreement. I will have to keep the SciFi channel available in SD as well to cover the letterboxed shows, of which there are many. I turned on SciFi this morning, and it was Beastmaster (didn't care) but it was in tiny-vision, BOTH pillar and letter boxed. WTF? Would it kill them to stretch this one? I can stretch 480 picture on my TV, but I cannot stretch 1080. I don't know if I'm alone in that, but I really cannot stand tiny-vision on my 55" HDTV!

1) The function you want is zoom, not stretch.

2) Most modern televisions can zoom this just fine in 1080. I'm pretty sure even Mits has stopped with that silly limitation by now. I sold my Mits just because of that.

3) 86% of us hate stretch or zoom being done by the station. The user should select the format, not the station.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=102141

gully_foyle

10-03-07, 09:25 PM

+1Actually, as much as I dislike the station screwing with the format, in this exact single case (windowboxed SD), I could live with the station doing a linear 2-axis zoom. I can see the argument against (some folks may not like the loss of rez), but it does look pretty silly windowboxed.

Then again, if you zoom it on YOUR TV, the bugs disappear....

Juppers

10-03-07, 10:41 PM

As long as OAR is maintained, I don't care if they prezoom it to fullscreen. Just saves me a step for the 16x9 letterboxed and pillarbarred stuff.

PR Buick

10-03-07, 11:31 PM

gully_foyle

10-04-07, 12:32 AM

If these shows are in 16:9, they're either HD or at least DVD quality--enough for an animorphic DVD set. Otherwise, there is absolutely no reason for them to be produced in that aspect ratio. For some reason, the network isn't showing them this way... but they should be.

That's often true, but not always. Some shows are produced that way for DVD, which is still SD for the most part. For example, Doctor Who is shot in 16:9 480p, and will be next season, too. BBC says that there are too many special effects to do it in HD. OTOH, Torchwood is HD.

FX's Damages might be 480p, too. Hard to say, although I see artifacting that says it's downrezzed. Hope to find out in a week or two.

taylorhively

10-04-07, 12:41 AM

What's with all this debate? If it's not in HD I'm not even going to watch it on the HD channel, because I record it on DVR it would just be a waste of space.SD on the HD channel looks significantly better than the SD channel on a 60" 1920x1080 TV. Since it's unconverted 480i to 1080i prior to broadcast maintaining the detail as opposed to being downscaled from 720x480 to 480x480 by D* the upscaled to 1080i on the receiver end, which looks pretty ugly.

That translates in to a 'great' vs. 'bad' picture between the two channels even though it's all the same SD content. I guess LCD TVs are not very forgiving even with all of the settings tweaked.

But if you can't tell with your TV, then you're absolutely right. Why waste the disk space.

beestea

10-04-07, 03:50 AM

SD on the HD channel looks significantly better than the SD channel on a 60" 1920x1080 TV. Since it's unconverted 480i to 1080i prior to broadcast maintaining the detail as opposed to being downscaled from 720x480 to 480x480 by D* the upscaled to 1080i on the receiver end, which looks pretty ugly.

That translates in to a 'great' vs. 'bad' picture between the two channels even though it's all the same SD content. I guess LCD TVs are not very forgiving even with all of the settings tweaked.

I completely agree with you here... some of the pre-broadcast upconverted (and even stretched) material on the HD channels looks far superior to anything my Plasma or my HR20 can do with normal SD content.

Aside from the fat actors, some of the stretched SD content on TNT, USA, etc looks pretty close to HD in my opinion.

I also think SCI-FI should absolutely pre-zoom the window boxed material for this same reason. It would be just like a few years ago with the FOX Enhanced Definition Widescreen (or whatever they were calling their 480p)

Coffey77

10-04-07, 04:13 AM

I still don't see it in my program. This is the next round of HD channels and the second time I may have to do a Menu Reset to get them. :) Not a big deal for me, but I worry about those others...

paulman182

10-04-07, 05:05 AM

If you "believe" what you see in ghost hunters, you should be able to "believe" it's in HD also whether it is or not. :lol:

There's not much to "believe" in Ghost Hunters. They generally debunk everything.

If I'm gonna watch a show about hunting ghosts, I'd appreciate them finding some...

rbean

10-04-07, 05:23 AM

If Sci-Fi doesn't come up with some more good series they will be in trouble, IMHO. after BSG ends they will only have SG-A and Eureka that are any good.

PMX4

10-04-07, 05:33 AM

If Sci-Fi doesn't come up with some more good series they will be in trouble, IMHO. after BSG ends they will only have SG-A and Eureka that are any good.

They are currently working on third Stargate series, they announced about it awhile ago on the Gateworld site.

beestea

10-04-07, 05:36 AM

They are currently working on third Stargate series, they announced about it awhile ago on the Gateworld site.

Wasn't SciFi going to have a BSG spin off called Caprica?

vertigo235

10-04-07, 05:37 AM

Have they shown anything in HD yet? I'm guessing Sci-Fi isn't ready for prime time yet.

Drew2k

10-04-07, 05:44 AM

Wasn't SciFi going to have a BSG spin off called Caprica?SciFi puts out press releases at the drop of a hat, and they often don't follow through on most of them. I think Caprica has fallen by the way side.

paulman182

10-04-07, 05:47 AM

I was actually ready to accuse D* of upconverting the SD channel in order to have an exclusive, until someone posted the C-band info for Sci-Fi HD.

So it does exist, but evidently some of their equipment has not been updated to HD, so they don't really show HD yet.

Still, the SD shows on the HD channel look much improved over the SD channel.

Jon D

10-04-07, 05:57 AM

There's not much to "believe" in Ghost Hunters. They generally debunk everything.

If I'm gonna watch a show about hunting ghosts, I'd appreciate them finding some...

I guess the fact that it's on the SciFi channel vice the science channel pretty much says it all.

FlyBono24

10-04-07, 06:02 AM

There's not much to "believe" in Ghost Hunters. They generally debunk everything.

If I'm gonna watch a show about hunting ghosts, I'd appreciate them finding some...

Then you need to see some of the lighthouse episodes... or the Eastern Penitentiary...

Holy crap, I don't think I've ever been freaked out more from something I saw on TV... almost as scary as the time I really experienced something paranormal!

But it's true, there are some bad episodes where there are a lot of stories but they get NOTHING on tape or audio...

Jish

10-04-07, 06:08 AM

For me the real test will come on Friday when Stargate Atlantis is broadcast - if it (a newer episode) is not in HD or at least 16x9 and UniversalHD is broadcasting older episodes in HD (or 16x9) that will tell me something about SciFi "HD".

Jon D

10-04-07, 06:11 AM

Have they shown anything in HD yet? I'm guessing Sci-Fi isn't ready for prime time yet.

My opinion is that they have the transmission equipment in place, but the production equipment isn't quite finished yet. So. They are simply piping the SD feed over the HD transmission equipment. Once the production equipment is finished all the 16:9 stuff will be full wide screen in either native or upconverted HD depending on the age of the program. And, you'll see SciFiHD in the bottom right corner of your TV whether the program is 16:9 or 4:3.

Along with all that. I doubt DirecTV would have agreed to launch the channel now if SciFi had not assured them that the ACTUAL HD channel would soon be ready to deliver.

FlyBono24

10-04-07, 06:16 AM

My opinion is that they have the transmission equipment in place, but the production equipment isn't quite finished yet. So. They are simply piping the SD feed over the HD transmission equipment. Once the production equipment is finished all the 16:9 stuff will be full wide screen in either native or upconverted HD depending on the age of the program. And, you'll see SciFiHD in the bottom right corner of your TV whether the program is 16:9 or 4:3.

Along with all that. I doubt DirecTV would have agreed to launch the channel now if SciFi had not assured them that the ACTUAL HD channel would soon be ready to deliver.

I've noticed that too. The SciFi logo was "inside" the 4:3 picture, instead of in the black area in the pillar bars (like when Fox is showing The Simpsons)... so it didn't even look like the channel was sending an HD picture yet...

Jish

10-04-07, 06:32 AM

Last evening during Ghost Hunters - even though the SciFi logo was inside the picture there was an instance or 2 that HD did appear in the black area to the right - but did not remain there long.

I've noticed that too. The SciFi logo was "inside" the 4:3 picture, instead of in the black area in the pillar bars (like when Fox is showing The Simpsons)... so it didn't even look like the channel was sending an HD picture yet...

paulman182

10-04-07, 06:48 AM

Then you need to see some of the lighthouse episodes... or the Eastern Penitentiary... .

No, I've seen them all, and the ones you mention are the only ones I remember.:)

They are too quick to debunk...just because the air conditioning can thump occasionally, doesn't mean the a/c is the ONLY thing that goes thump.

Sorry for the O.T., but for a show called "Ghost Hunters," they are just too skeptical.

vertigo235

10-04-07, 07:01 AM

My opinion is that they have the transmission equipment in place, but the production equipment isn't quite finished yet. So. They are simply piping the SD feed over the HD transmission equipment. Once the production equipment is finished all the 16:9 stuff will be full wide screen in either native or upconverted HD depending on the age of the program. And, you'll see SciFiHD in the bottom right corner of your TV whether the program is 16:9 or 4:3.

Along with all that. I doubt DirecTV would have agreed to launch the channel now if SciFi had not assured them that the ACTUAL HD channel would soon be ready to deliver.

Yup I agree, looks like they aren't quite ready for launch yet. Hopefully it won't be much longer till they are up and going.

Jnetty99

10-04-07, 07:24 AM

I can't read this entire thread, but man was i disappointed when i got home last night to see Stargate SG1 at 6pm in 4:3 with letterbox.
I was hoping to see SGA and other shows in 16:9.

MichaelP

10-04-07, 07:39 AM

Is anyone else still getting at 771 - searching for signal error on SciFi HD?

That's what I was getting at about 6 AM PDT on Wednesday, however when I got home from work and tuned to the channel about 7 PM PDT I had it. But later that same evening it was gone again. I checked the signal strength on the sat and TPs 2, 4, and 6 were at 60, 60 and 68 respectively. Now they are down in the 50s.

What in the world is going on?

Stuart Sweet

10-04-07, 07:40 AM

As far as I know we're the first people to see SciFiHD so it's normal to expect it to take some time to ramp up. For me, they've got until next month when the BSG movie airs.

waynenm

10-04-07, 07:52 AM

Peapod

10-04-07, 08:06 AM

As far as I know we're the first people to see SciFiHD so it's normal to expect it to take some time to ramp up. For me, they've got until next month when the BSG movie airs.

If Friday night's programming also is not in HD as the schedule suggests, then I would have to say that what we are looking at is not SciFiHD.

leww37334

10-04-07, 08:21 AM

Today Threshold is being shown on ScifiHD, Threshold was broadcast in HD on NBC originally, Threshold is not in HD on ScifiHD. Draw your own conclusions

jbellanca

10-04-07, 08:43 AM

They are currently working on third Stargate series, they announced about it awhile ago on the Gateworld site.

True, but with MGM HD launching soon, I gotta wonder if the new Stargate will be on their own channel so they don't have to worry about SciFi renewing (or not renewing, like SG-1).

paulman182

10-04-07, 08:50 AM

Today Threshold is being shown on ScifiHD, Threshold was broadcast in HD on NBC originally, Threshold is not in HD on ScifiHD. Draw your own conclusions

My conclusion already was that D* was upconverting the SD channel to 1080i until I saw this, which someone posted earlier:

https://www.nbcunetworks.com/Webpage/Techspecs/ViewPublicTechSpecs.aspx?NetworkId=MjE=

So evidently D* is simply rebroadcasting what Sci-Fi HD is sending, which is not yet HD.

mridan

10-04-07, 08:53 AM

So far SciFi HD channel has been very disappointing,hopefully they'll start showing programs in HD soon,can't wait to see reruns of SG1 in HD:)

MichaelP

10-04-07, 09:04 AM

After spending some quality time this morning with a D* CSR is looks like I've got a bad splice from my last service call, when my LNB was replaced. So I've got another service call for Saturday. The good news is that it looks like the problem will be easy to fix (I hope!); the bad news is no Sci Fi HD Friday for me. Cry for me Argentina!

l8er

10-04-07, 09:06 AM

.... Threshold was broadcast in HD on NBC originally .... Quite the trick since it was originally on CBS. :)
For the record, the alien lineup that fall was:

ABC: Invasion
CBS: Threshold
NBC: Surface

Jnetty99

10-04-07, 09:13 AM

My conclusion already was that D* was upconverting the SD channel to 1080i until I saw this, which someone posted earlier:

https://www.nbcunetworks.com/Webpage/Techspecs/ViewPublicTechSpecs.aspx?NetworkId=MjE=

So evidently D* is simply rebroadcasting what Sci-Fi HD is sending, which is not yet HD.

how do you read and understand that information?

Sirshagg

10-04-07, 09:18 AM

Quite the trick since it was originally on CBS. :)
For the record, the alien lineup that fall was:

ABC: Invasion
CBS: Threshold
NBC: Surface

I was thinking the same thing. :lol:

paulman182

10-04-07, 09:23 AM

how do you read and understand that information?

The page shows the technical specifications for cable or satellite companies that wish to receive and rebroadcast Sci-Fi HD.

It lists the C-band satellite and transponder where it can be found, and gives phone numbers for equipment ordering and technical assistance.

It doesn't matter whether we can understand all the little details--the fact that it is giving the details is pretty good evidence.

CKeim

10-04-07, 12:28 PM

Hmm... did anyone else see the HD bug during Ghost Hunters (this week's episode) last night? They had SciFi HD onscreen (the HD spilled into the pillar) and then they overlaid a TNT-style moving promo - in HD - in the left-hand corner. It ran through the pillar and over the 4x3 SD program.

SciFi is definitely sending an HD feed to D*, but it isn't doing much yet.

leww37334

10-04-07, 12:28 PM

Quite the trick since it was originally on CBS. :)
For the record, the alien lineup that fall was:

ABC: Invasion
CBS: Threshold
NBC: Surface

OK you got me on that one, however that does not change the fact that these episodes were originally HD and Scifi is broadcasting them 4:3.

Tubaman-Z

10-04-07, 01:28 PM

I don't know how their costs work, but the show is a huge (International) hit and a marquee show for the BBC. Not presenting it in HD is retardis.

:D :lol: :D

retardis!!! (I'm just getting caught up on this thread)

gcisko

10-04-07, 01:28 PM

I can't read this entire thread, but man was i disappointed when i got home last night to see Stargate SG1 at 6pm in 4:3 with letterbox.
I was hoping to see SGA and other shows in 16:9.

What year was the episode? The early years were not 16:9. The recent episodes are at least letterbox. So unless they really mess up (like AE-HD & Hist-HD) it should be good.

mridan

10-04-07, 01:43 PM

What year was the episode? The early years were not 16:9. The recent episodes are at least letterbox. So unless they really mess up (like AE-HD & Hist-HD) it should be good.

I read somewhere in a dbs post that when SG1 originally aired on showtime,it was in HD?

JonW

10-04-07, 02:32 PM

I read somewhere in a dbs post that when SG1 originally aired on showtime,it was in HD?

Sure was, and then they dumped it for some loser show about ex-Astronauts trying to save the world from alien invasion.

Wire Paladin

10-04-07, 02:32 PM

I read somewhere in a dbs post that when SG1 originally aired on showtime,it was in HD? SG1 started on Showtime in 1997 and ran for 5 years. There was no Showtime HD at that time while it was on.

Alan Gordon

10-04-07, 02:40 PM

True, but with MGM HD launching soon, I gotta wonder if the new Stargate will be on their own channel so they don't have to worry about SciFi renewing (or not renewing, like SG-1).

MGM-HD is movies only... so probably not.

Plus, moving a show which gets most of it's viewers from an SD channel (Sci-Fi) to an HD only channel (MGM-HD) would be like shooting yourself in the foot...

~Alan

Alan Gordon

10-04-07, 02:43 PM

What year was the episode? The early years were not 16:9. The recent episodes are at least letterbox.

All seasons of SG:1 are presented in 16x9 on the DVD sets (I own the first season... after seeing it on sale years ago)... and all episodes are presented in letterbox on Sci-Fi... though the first two (?) seasons are edited for content on Sci-Fi (language, violence, and nudity in the case of the pilot episode).

~Alan

Alan Gordon

10-04-07, 02:53 PM

For the record, the alien lineup that fall was:

ABC: Invasion
CBS: Threshold
NBC: Surface

Also of interest to note is the companies behind the shows:

ABC: Invasion (Warner Bros.)
CBS: Threshold (Paramount)
NBC: Surface (Universal)

Some other Sci-Fi shows off the top of my head:

Stargate Atlantis (MGM)
Eureka (Universal)
Battlestar Galactica (Universal)
Doctor Who (BBC/Warner Bros)
Stargate SG-1 (Cancelled) (MGM)
Painkiller Jane (Cancelled) (Starz)
The Dresden Files (Cancelled) (Lionsgate)
Tru Calling (Fox)
Bionic Woman (Universal)
Chuck (Warner Bros.)
Heroes (Universal)

~Alan

speedy4022

10-04-07, 02:53 PM

As far as I know we're the first people to see SciFiHD so it's normal to expect it to take some time to ramp up. For me, they've got until next month when the BSG movie airs.

You are way to forgiving I mean this has to have been in the works for awhile and from what I can tell SciFiHD has no HD programming at all.

Wire Paladin

10-04-07, 02:58 PM

All seasons of SG:1 are presented in 16x9 on the DVD sets (I own the first season... after seeing it on sale years ago)... and all episodes are presented in letterbox on Sci-Fi... though the first two (?) seasons are edited for content on Sci-Fi (language, violence, and nudity in the case of the pilot episode).
~AlanIf MGM was smart they would remaster the SG1 series and release them in HD. Leterbox is ok but I want the higher resolution. If they can do it to Hogan's Heroes that gotta be able to do it with SG1. And I would guess that if that happens, it would be shown on the new MGM HD channel.

Also I read that SciFi was only licensed to show Enterprise in SD/Letterbox and not HD. Not sure if that is true or not. We'll find out.

msfaulk

10-04-07, 03:39 PM

I was quite dissapointed when I saw SCI-FI HD. The pillar boxing along with the letter boxing is crap. i can only hope that when SGA comes on it fits my screen like it does on Universal HD.

Mike

jamieh1

10-04-07, 03:47 PM

Has any true full screen HD appeared on SCIFI yet???

taylorhively

10-04-07, 04:09 PM

ronsm

10-04-07, 04:49 PM

Also I read that SciFi was only licensed to show Enterprise in SD/Letterbox and not HD. Not sure if that is true or not. We'll find out.

That makes sense, because Enterprise is already HD on HDnet. They got there first, so to speak. Kinda like BBC getting Torchwood in SD, and HDnet getting it in HD. Besides, SciFi didn't have HD capability when the contracts were made, so they probably didn't want to pay for it

Dirk

10-04-07, 05:14 PM

I just hope that tomorrow night Stargate Atlantis is in HD.

Also Hi this is my first post. :D I just got Directv 3 weeks ago and I am loving it so far. I just want the waivers to hurry up. lol.

Mind Voyager

10-04-07, 05:17 PM

SG-1 has only been HD for either the last 4 seasons I believe. I think season 7 was the first to be shot in HD but I'm not totally sure.

All of Atlantis has been HD.

EDIT:
I guess earlier seasons were shot on film. I guess that means they would have been transfered to video via HD making all seasons HD. So I guess I don't know what I'm talking about.
I believe you were closer to being right before you edited this :) I know they started off with 16mm film. At some point (3rd season?), I'm pretty sure they went to some flavor of 35mm film. Near the end (perhaps 7, perhaps later, I do not have the info onhand) they did start shooting with HD cameras. As has been discussed in other places, anything done on film could be re-scanned into high-def. However, I seriously doubt at this point that SG-1 has had this done -- that would have been an awful lot of expense for a TV show. Someone could certainly go back now and re-scan SG-1 into HD (like they did with Star Trek: The Original Series), although I would imagine all the effects shots were done in SD video and would only be able to be upconverted instead of being "true" HD.

The episodes of Atlantis that have shown on UHD were filmed in HD, but I'm not so sure about the effects shots. I suspect those were also done at a SD resolution, being that at the time the only way to view the show was in SD. It always seems to go very soft during any kind of special effect (look at the gate in a regular shot when no effects are going on, and then look at it during a "kawoosh" - all the symbols around it go fuzzy)

FlyBono24

10-04-07, 05:34 PM

No, I've seen them all, and the ones you mention are the only ones I remember.:)

They are too quick to debunk...just because the air conditioning can thump occasionally, doesn't mean the a/c is the ONLY thing that goes thump.

Sorry for the O.T., but for a show called "Ghost Hunters," they are just too skeptical.

I think they mentioned once that they try to take a scientific approach to everything, and if something would not (theoretically) hold up in a courtroom as "evidence", then it was not going to pass by their standards.

So if there's something on film that could be an "orb", or it could be a speck of dust floating around... if there's any doubt in their mind, they are going to debunk it and just say it's dust... even if it is an orb, if it is not undisputable evidence, they'll toss it out.

tealcomp

10-04-07, 05:34 PM

Don't get me started. ECW is hardly science fiction....:nono:

LOL, not worth seeing in SD let alone HD, of course that is my opinion; yours may vary :)

-Dan

Sirshagg

10-04-07, 05:44 PM

Also I read that SciFi was only licensed to show Enterprise in SD/Letterbox and not HD. Not sure if that is true or not. We'll find out.

This would totally bum me out as it's one show i'm looking forward to in HD - 4 hours every Monday.

Sirshagg

10-04-07, 05:45 PM

I just hope that tomorrow night Stargate Atlantis is in HD.

Also Hi this is my first post. :D I just got Directv 3 weeks ago and I am loving it so far. I just want the waivers to hurry up. lol.
:welcome_s

MrKlaatu

10-04-07, 06:01 PM

Three or four years ago, I started to watch SG-1 from the beginning in order. I watched them all. The first 4 (or was it 5) seasons were in 4:3 and then it switched to 16:9 -- I think the year it became a SciFi original (instead of Showtime).

MrKlaatu

10-04-07, 06:02 PM

:D :lol: :D

retardis!!! (I'm just getting caught up on this thread)

Finally someone picked up on that.

generalpatton78

10-04-07, 06:03 PM

This would totally bum me out as it's one show i'm looking forward to in HD - 4 hours every Monday.

SCifi does NOT have the rights to the HD Enterprise. Mark Cuban and HDNET has been doing deals for the exclusive rights to the HD portion of shows for years. That said SG1 and Atlantis have been HD internationally for years and if Scifi doesn't have the rights to them somebody at scifi should be fired.

vertigo235

10-04-07, 06:29 PM

yeesh, what good is even starting an HD Network if you can't air anything in HD? I surely hope they renegotiate some deals!

PoitNarf

10-04-07, 07:03 PM

This Species movie on right now is the first actual HD content I've seen since the channel launched. Picture looks good, but I don't think I could bring myself to watch this particular show :lol:

Crossing my fingers for Atlantis in HD tomorrow :D

EFGFE36TWGOU4

10-04-07, 07:03 PM

species: the awakening movie tonight looks to be True HD, is this the first on Sci_fi?

taylorhively

10-04-07, 07:44 PM

Same here, this is the first HD conetent they've had so far. This is encouraging. I'm hoping this means that Atlantis will be in HD tomorrow night. Hopefully this means more than that but at least we've seen real HD finally.

I'm hopeful (for Atlantis)

RobertE

10-04-07, 07:47 PM

Standing by with pitchfork and torches if SG:A is not in HD tomorrow.

skakusha

10-04-07, 07:51 PM

First appearance of the SciFi HD bug, which is a good sign as well. Let's keep our fingers crossed for SGA in HD.

At first I thought it was Enterprise in HD, because of the actor who plays Malcolm, Enterprise Armory Officer, being a character in the Species flick.

Koyukon

10-04-07, 07:56 PM

man, you guys are funny. geekin' out over stargate atlantis. don't you know hd was invented for sports. you know outside. or does the sun burn you? lol

skakusha

10-04-07, 07:59 PM

The Dallas Cowboys Star is a logo for a sports team. :p Being a geek and an athlete are not mutually exclusive. LOL! Yes, I can admit it. :D

Koyukon

10-04-07, 08:02 PM

just givin' you guys a hard time, that's all.

PoitNarf

10-04-07, 08:07 PM

First appearance of the SciFi HD bug

Nope, I definitely saw it there yesterday.

Alan Gordon

10-04-07, 08:16 PM

And I would guess that if that happens, it would be shown on the new MGM HD channel.

MGM-HD is MOVIES only... so they would have to change the channel to accomodate series programming, or create a second channel.

Also I read that SciFi was only licensed to show Enterprise in SD/Letterbox and not HD. Not sure if that is true or not. We'll find out.

You are correct. HDNet has the HD broadcast rights to "Enterprise", as they do with "Torchwood" and "Smallville"... among others...

~Alan