Battlestar Galactica Picture Quality on DirecTV HD

[dscott17]

Hi all,

I just got the an HR20-700 receiver and upgraded to DirecTV's HD package. Most channels look great, but Battlestar Galactica on Sci Fi looks plain awful - lots of patchiness like it's heavily compressed (for comparison, Stargate Atlantis looks awesome and razor sharp). Naturally, it's the one non-local show we really care about...

I've seen others complaining about this but I just want to confirm: is BSG really being broadcast in HD? Or is DirectV upconverting an SD signal? Does anyone have a definitive answer about whether this is due to:
a. the way BSG is shot (low light lots of grain) or
b. is DirecTV messing up the signal, or
c. is SciFi even providing an HD signal?

Posts from back in the fall suggested that Sci Fi was not available yet in HD, so I'm in doubt, because BSG looks just terrible.

Any info appreciated!

Doug Scott
dscott17

[Earl Bonovich]

a) From a lot of the discussion I have followed on the program... both here in the DirecTV area and last week on Dish Network side.... it appears it has a LOT to do with how BSG is shot...

b) I doubt DirecTV is playing with the signal, since the folks on the Dish Network side, had similar results

c) Yes, SCI-FI is available in HD...

[generalpatton78]

BSG was shot this way on purpose.

[CKNAV]

Hi all,

I just got the an HR20-700 receiver and upgraded to DirecTV's HD package. Most channels look great, but Battlestar Galactica on Sci Fi looks plain awful - lots of patchiness like it's heavily compressed (for comparison, Stargate Atlantis looks awesome and razor sharp). Naturally, it's the one non-local show we really care about...

I've seen others complaining about this but I just want to confirm: is BSG really being broadcast in HD? Or is DirectV upconverting an SD signal? Does anyone have a definitive answer about whether this is due to:
a. the way BSG is shot (low light lots of grain) or
b. is DirecTV messing up the signal, or
c. is SciFi even providing an HD signal?

Posts from back in the fall suggested that Sci Fi was not available yet in HD, so I'm in doubt, because BSG looks just terrible.

Any info appreciated!

Doug Scott
dscott17


BSG is done that way. It supposed to look grainy, with washed out colors, to make viewers feel like they in cold space. All of that is added in post production. BSG is shot with HD cameras in 1080p/24.

[nollchr]

BSG is done that way. It supposed to look grainy, with washed out colors, to make viewers feel like they in cold space. All of that is added in post production. BSG is shot with HD cameras in 1080p/24.

Lots of dark scenes wreak havoc with my inexpensive LCD panel too (not great dark levels). Maybe when they find Earth, the picture wil clear up!!

:)

[jevid]

I'm still trying to figure out the optimum HD settings for my DVR (which I've only had a week). I watched Friday's BSG last night. The image is letterbox, but, it only fills about two thirds of my screen (a 37" LCD) , with black space on the sides, top and bottom. Is this how the show is broadcast, or do I have some settings wrong?

I think I have native on, all the resolutions from 480i to 1080i set, 16:9 set, and "Pillar Box" chosen. I have component from the DVR to my amp, then HDMI from the amp to the TV. The amp just does pass through mode. I used component because the two HDMI inputs are already in use on my amp, but I could swap things so the DVR player uses the component, and the DVR uses HDMI.

Thanks...

[gcisko]

BSG is done that way. It supposed to look grainy, with washed out colors, to make viewers feel like they in cold space. All of that is added in post production. BSG is shot with HD cameras in 1080p/24.

I was going to add that I thought BSG looked great and is definately in HD.

[armophob]

I watched the first 3 seasons on UHD and I think the quality of the picture was better. IMHO

[warriorking]

Picture quality is still amazing, :nono: I just hope the series picks up a bit, its really beginning to bore me with the Baltar Jesus trip...and with the total breakdown in discipline its a wonder they survived this long......:nono: I am beginning to care less and less for any one of them...just frackin and self loathing in every episode....Adama would have lost command years ago for running a ship that out of control.....Jeezzzz....

[Stuart Sweet]

For more discussion of the content... please visit the TV Show Talk forum.

[dfergie]

I have both Dish and Direct as well as the Season 1 HD DVD set...(and the previous seasons on DVD) it's the look...

[Drew2k]

Google search: Why is battlestar galactica grainy (http://www.google.com/search?q=why+is+Battlestar+galactica+grainy&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a) - lots of hits. It's intentional.

[Araxen]

***SPOILERZ***!!!!

The Final Cylon is messing with the picture! ;)

[glennb]

I think it looks great. I've never had any reason to complain about the quality, but I also think the plot is kinda slow moving right now. The thing with Baltar sucks !! Kill him or reveal he's the final cylon or something !!

[n-spring]

I'm still trying to figure out the optimum HD settings for my DVR (which I've only had a week). I watched Friday's BSG last night. The image is letterbox, but, it only fills about two thirds of my screen (a 37" LCD) , with black space on the sides, top and bottom. Is this how the show is broadcast, or do I have some settings wrong?

Sounds to me like you really had it on the SD channel.

[CCarncross]

I'm still trying to figure out the optimum HD settings for my DVR (which I've only had a week). I watched Friday's BSG last night. The image is letterbox, but, it only fills about two thirds of my screen (a 37" LCD) , with black space on the sides, top and bottom. Is this how the show is broadcast, or do I have some settings wrong?

I think I have native on, all the resolutions from 480i to 1080i set, 16:9 set, and "Pillar Box" chosen. I have component from the DVR to my amp, then HDMI from the amp to the TV. The amp just does pass through mode. I used component because the two HDMI inputs are already in use on my amp, but I could swap things so the DVR player uses the component, and the DVR uses HDMI.

Thanks...

First run shows are all HD, some shows of earlier eps say in the middle of the night/early am may not even be in HD. It sounds like you were either watching the SD channel or a rebroadcast of a nonHD eps.

[Achilles]

The picture that I get from BSG-HD is grainy as well. It's a full picture that takes up the entire screen but it's grainy.

What the hell is BSG thinking? It doesn't make you feel like your in space, it makes me feel like I've wasted money on an HD channel. They should leave the colors alone and quit washing it out post-production. It's about space, parallel universe, etc. The Galactica doesn't have HD? It can jump through time but it doesn't have HD???

On a side note, that new SciFi mucous green logo is just pathetically ugly!!!:uglyhamme

[jevid]

First run shows are all HD, some shows of earlier eps say in the middle of the night/early am may not even be in HD. It sounds like you were either watching the SD channel or a rebroadcast of a nonHD eps.

Thanks - I'm new to D* and for some reason, was thinking that the only SciFi channel I got was the HD one, but I now see that I get both. I bet I have the series link looking at the non-hd one. Live and learn, right :grin: I'll change my link tonight & look forward to a full screen episode this Friday.

[Achilles]

Thanks - I'm new to D* and for some reason, was thinking that the only SciFi channel I got was the HD one, but I now see that I get both. I bet I have the series link looking at the non-hd one. Live and learn, right :grin: I'll change my link tonight & look forward to a full screen episode this Friday.

There is also a setting with your DVR that allows you to hide the duplicated SD channels so that you'll only see the HD channels.

[bonscott87]

The picture that I get from BSG-HD is grainy as well. It's a full picture that takes up the entire screen but it's grainy.

What the hell is BSG thinking? It doesn't make you feel like your in space, it makes me feel like I've wasted money on an HD channel. They should leave the colors alone and quit washing it out post-production. It's about space, parallel universe, etc. The Galactica doesn't have HD? It can jump through time but it doesn't have HD???


It's the way it's supposed to be. It's supposed to give the feel of a WW2 documentary.

Many other shows and films are this way as well. A common example is the movie Minority Report which is quite grainy and has washed out colors. Even all the way back to The Matrix which has a green tint to everything. It's just the "look" the director is going for.

[Achilles]

According to all the inquiries about this "look," the director is an idiot!!!!:bang

[Dirk]

I think it is shot great.

[bwaldron]

According to all the inquiries about this "look," the director is an idiot!!!!:bang

I dunno ... the intended "look" was definitely noticed! :)

[Achilles]

+1 ^^