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Encore CH 340 HD?

4.1K views 21 replies 15 participants last post by  GrumpyBear  
#1 ·
Was hoping to watch Twister in 16:9 HD tonight but all I got was a 4:3 picture.

What gives?

-Funk
 
#5 ·
l8er said:
I've noticed a few films recently on Encore HD that were only 4:3. I'd guess they didn't pay for a 16:9 version, but that's just a guess.
Does it cost them more for 16:9 than 4:3? Just asking because of all the DVDs I have with both versions, one on each side.
 
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#7 ·
Encore doesn't have a copy of Twister in HD or even widescreen, so when they show it, they show it in 4:3.

They actually do the same with Die Hard.

Unfortunately, most of the pay channels also refuse to show 2.35:1 films in anything but 16:9 stating customers don't want to see letterbox bars on their HDTVs, sigh…
 
#8 ·
kucharsk said:
Encore doesn't have a copy of Twister in HD or even widescreen, so when they show it, they show it in 4:3.
I'll loan 'em my copy. It has both formats, "wide screen" and "standard". I'll even scratch up the side with "standard" on it. :p
 
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#11 ·
I just got through 2-3 month free previews, first Starz/HBO and then HBO/SHO (a CSR gave me the 2nd preview because I upgraded from silver to gold). Most of what I watched was in 16 X 9 but there were a few exceptions. "Brazil" was in 4 X 3 (I don't recall which premium service carried it, I have it on my EHD so I can check if anybody is interested). What is the OAR of Brazil?
 
#12 ·
Actually Encore has shown Twister in HD 16X9. I have it saved on my external HD. It was in Sept. 2008. I dozed off during the final credits and did not stop the recording for a couple of minutes. Also they did not run their stupid logo at the bottom right of the screen. I like having a perfect copy from beginning to end and was hoping to get one when they repeated the showing. But to my surprise it was in 4X3. Rechecked the HD and yes, it's in HD 16X9! Go figure!!
 
#13 ·
Michael P said:
I just got through 2-3 month free previews, first Starz/HBO and then HBO/SHO (a CSR gave me the 2nd preview because I upgraded from silver to gold). Most of what I watched was in 16 X 9 but there were a few exceptions. "Brazil" was in 4 X 3 (I don't recall which premium service carried it, I have it on my EHD so I can check if anybody is interested). What is the OAR of Brazil?
Remember STARZ will expand their HD content including ENCOEREW next summer. We might get them I think.
 
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#14 ·
Dish97 said:
Actually Encore has shown Twister in HD 16X9. I have it saved on my external HD. It was in Sept. 2008. I dozed off during the final credits and did not stop the recording for a couple of minutes. Also they did not run their stupid logo at the bottom right of the screen. I like having a perfect copy from beginning to end and was hoping to get one when they repeated the showing. But to my surprise it was in 4X3. Rechecked the HD and yes, it's in HD 16X9! Go figure!!
Note that Twister was shot at 2.35:1, so even if you had a 16:9 picture, if it's not letterboxed, you're still missing the sides. :(
 
#15 ·
Yes, you're certainly right. HDNET Movies and TMC seem to do the best job of preserving the original aspect ratio of the films they show. Note "Jaws". On HBO and Cinnemax the film was shown in 16X9. On HDNET Movies it was letter boxed. Seems to be a little sharper when letter boxed. Same with the recent showing of "Scream". Letter boxed on TMC against 16X9 on Encore. This isn't the '90s when tvs were 4x3 and the black bands were annoying. All films should be shown in letter box format. HDTVs today as well as satellite boxes have the ability to adjust the pictue to fill the screen if that's what the viewer wants. I prefer the original aspect ratio.
 
#17 ·
kucharsk said:
The problem is lots of whiny customers who say "I bought a new HDTV to get rid of black bars" because they don't understand 2.35:1 is still wider than 16:9 (as is 1.85:1 for that matter.)
They don't understand that the signal they receive is 16:9. The black bars are in HD too. Even the ones on the side of a 4:3 program :icon_lol:
 
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#18 ·
I blame the directors. Why are so many movies filmed 2.35:1 when movie and TV screens are 16:9? Makes no sense.
 
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#21 ·
Encore is just strange anyway. Was watching Jumanji the other day, Movie Started out in HD/Widescreen and about halfway through the picture went black and came back in SD/4:3. HD never came back untill the next movie started..
 
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