HD Discussion: A&E (Channel 265)

**Doug Brott** · 09-18-07, 02:40 PM

Discussion thread for the new HD channel: A&E (Channel 265)

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,
Troubleshooting Tips for the New HD Channels,
and just for fun, The "I Got Them!" Challenge.

Earl Bonovich · 09-26-07, 05:40 AM

A&EHD - Channel 265 Confirmed

bobkatF · 09-26-07, 06:46 AM

Thank you Doug & Earl for all your hard work (and patience sifting through these threads).

A&E is S-T-R-E-T-C-H-E-D. PLEASE, let the powers know how much we hate that!

Thanks again very much,
-Bob

GC71388 · 09-26-07, 07:05 AM

why cant 24 be in HD

BigJ52 · 09-26-07, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GC71388

why cant 24 be in HD

Yep, thus far to me A&E is the only disappointment. They are showing 24 right now and picture should be a lot better than it is.

powerplay · 09-26-07, 07:25 AM

I would agree that at present the picture is not up to par. I find it interesting they are sending the signal in 720P and not in 5.1.

NiteOwl · 09-26-07, 07:35 AM

Looks like all the 24 reruns and Crossing Jordan's are non-HD, but CSI Miami, Sopranos and others are HD. Did they not acquire the HD rights to those programs? I know they were shot in HD...

mhking · 09-26-07, 07:38 AM

24 looks awful, and is that bug big enough?

Steve · 09-26-07, 07:41 AM

I'm shocked that 24 isn't 16:9. What are they thinking? /steve

CoachGibbs · 09-26-07, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve

I'm shocked that 24 isn't 16:9. What are they thinking? /steve

Get used to a lot of head scratchers with this station.

byrdpack · 09-26-07, 08:01 AM

Let the network know you are unhappy about their quality of these shows. Now that D* has added these HD channels, many more subscribers can and should demand high quality HD from these channels.

markrubi · 09-26-07, 08:03 AM

24 is in HD on Fox. What ups with A&E's version?

bwaldron · 09-26-07, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhking

and is that bug big enough?

You may not believe this, but when the channel was first launched the bug was even larger (I've been getting this channel via another provider).

kram · 09-26-07, 09:14 AM

Some of the new HD channels:

Are stretched
Are pillar-boxed
Are not in Dolby 5.1

Is this normal? Is D* planning to fix?

jrmichael · 09-26-07, 09:57 AM

A&E on the 9300's was really good. I hope that episode of 24 isn't what they really consider HD. That was pretty awful.

joed32 · 09-26-07, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kram

Some of the new HD channels:

Are stretched
Are pillar-boxed
Are not in Dolby 5.1

Is this normal? Is D* planning to fix?

D* can't "fix" broadcasts all they can do is send out what is on that channel. If they're not broadcasting in HD then you won't get HD

wonko · 09-26-07, 10:13 AM

Yes, both A&E and History stretch any 4:3 content they show. It's really bad when they show 16:9 stuff that was letterboxed to fit 4:3 and stretch it back to 16:9. There's not a TV in existence that looks good on.

So, feel free to join myself and other E* subs who have already complained to A&E networks about this issue.

Steve · 09-26-07, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wonko

It's really bad when they show 16:9 stuff that was letterboxed to fit 4:3 and stretch it back to 16:9. There's not a TV in existence that looks good on.

+1. The only station that seems to get this right (Zoom, instead of stretch) is PBS-HD, which I receive OTA. They zoom letter boxed SD in proportion, so it looks like HD-LITE 16:9. The only way it should be done, IMO. Why is this so difficult for the other station engineers to figure out, I wonder? /steve

Sirshagg · 09-26-07, 04:58 PM

24 looked REALLY bad. It's a shame since it's always looked good on FOX in HD.

gully_foyle · 09-26-07, 05:18 PM

Stretching SD to pretend to have HD content is the video equivalent of the comb-over: Ugly and fooling no one.

ESPN did this at launch, too, but eventually got the message that viewers hated it. Now they do the proper border-art thing with SD.

Why do broadcast execs always think this is going to fool anyone? A&E's method is particularly poor, since they stretch ANY SD content, even commercials within HD programs, so you can't escape it even with a TV narrow mode.

I really with that DirecTV had some standards written into contracts. Like what amounts to HD and what isn't. I wonder if people start deleting this station from their favorites list whether D* notices.

U-G-L-Y

BrandonH · 09-26-07, 07:11 PM

I watched a little bit of a CSI Miami rerun and it looked like the show was sped up slightly. I guess they do that to fit more commercials in but it was pretty distracting. Besides that the picture looked pretty good.

Sirshagg · 09-26-07, 07:14 PM

CSI Miami looks great!

Hutchinshouse · 09-26-07, 11:02 PM

Stretched image ........... NOT acceptable!

Aspect ratio is not a “feature”; please broadcast the shows in their original aspect ratio.

I refuse to watch distorted shows.

Please take notes from HDnet. The king of HD.

videojanitor · 09-27-07, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiteOwl

Looks like all the 24 reruns and Crossing Jordan's are non-HD, but CSI Miami, Sopranos and others are HD. Did they not acquire the HD rights to those programs? I know they were shot in HD...

Seasons 1-3 of "24" were originally aired in widescreen SD, while seasons 4-6 were HD. It's possible the first three seasons were produced in HD, but FOX did not have the capability to air HD programming until September 2004.

That said, the current season airing on A&E (Day 4) was absolutely in HD, so it is ridiculous to show a 4:3 version stretched out to fill 16:9 when that is available. However, it's possible that it's NOT being made available to them -- A&E is at the mercy of the program provider -- in this case, 20th Century Fox -- and they may not (for whatever reason) give them HD material. Most likely, this could be because most of these shows are EDITED to a shorter length, and the program provider doesn't want to bear the expense of doing that in HD.

No matter the reason, what's being shown is totally unwatchable. If you really want to see it, the best source at the moment are the DVDs.

paulman182 · 09-27-07, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonH

I watched a little bit of a CSI Miami rerun and it looked like the show was sped up slightly. I guess they do that to fit more commercials in but it was pretty distracting. Besides that the picture looked pretty good.

TVLand does that a lot. I'm not much of a purist when it comes to TV shows (moreso for movies) but seeing Aunt Bea jump around Mayberry like that is a bit irritating. To hear that A&E does it to a drama is almost unbelievable.