MeTV now broadcasting in widescreen - Page 2 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

PhoenixAcres · 08-22-2016, 02:55 PM

If the source material is 4:3, then it should be the simplest thing in the world to just broadcast it in 4:3. It's complete nonsense for channels to be altering/modifying the original shows by chopping and stretching. Missing out on the top and bottom bits of the picture or seeing people with watermelon-shaped heads is not a better viewing experience.

That being said, I remember reading somewhere that some have been able to "remaster" some old 4:3 shows, like Seinfeld and maybe Star Trek. The general idea is to find the original film prints from the actual cameras used for the show and make a new 16:9, HD picture from the old film. The film itself, used for most TV shows throughout history, is ultra-high quality and naturally widescreen. It's just that a while back, when TVs were shaped 4:3, the excess was chopped off when the episodes were being packaged for broadcast.

Maybe this is MeTV's end goal? If this is what they're getting at, I would have no problem seeing old shows in widescreen, because no part of the image is lost. But I doubt anyone would be able to find all the original film negatives for shows as old as their library is, not to mention it would take a tremendous amount of time and effort.

dare2be · 08-22-2016, 03:43 PM

I put in a question to my local affiliate and they responded right away, but said the picture format is being transmitted from the MeTV network transmission facility, and suggested that I send them a comment as well as they were going to forward my request on as well. We'll see how it goes.

dare2be · 08-22-2016, 07:07 PM

So, I got a response from MeTV Corporate, asking for pictures. Here is what I'm going to send them.

I recorded directly from the OTA signal, which produced a 16x9 snapshot 853x480. Notice the black bars on the side are narrower than normal for a 4x3 image in a 16x9 frame. The portal circle is stretched left and right, and is also truncated on the top and bottom:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0...3JNeGtPcjBIN0E

If I trim off the black bars, I get an image 736x480, which is wider than the normal 640x480 4x3 image:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0...FVoWFhEODBwVDg

dare2be · 08-23-2016, 11:33 AM

LOL.

This is the response I got. Just, flabbergasted.

"What you are seeing is correct. We made some minor tweaks to enhance the viewing experience of those watching with widescreen televisions."

LUNCH · 08-23-2016, 01:17 PM

I agree that airing these shows in widescreen is ridiculous. And you would think MeTV would know better.I'm starting to also wonder if most people even care about picture quality these days.It seems as long as the picture fills the screen on their flatscreen TV as much as possible they don't seem to notice or care if some or even a lot of the picture it is cut out,or zoomed in,distorted or just looks way off in any number of ways.

dare2be · 08-23-2016, 01:36 PM

Society is systemically being dumbed down.

Here is how I responded, as tactfully as possible:

Quote:

With all due respect, those who want to fill their widescreen TV with 4x3 content have a zoom/stretch button to make their own minor tweaks to “enhance their viewing experience.” There is no way to shrink or compress an existing stretched video back to 4x3 on existing TVs.

I doubt I'll get a response or any change in results.

PhoenixAcres · 08-23-2016, 02:10 PM

I don't know why so many channels today think widescreen video, at any cost, is more appealing to consumers.

dare2be · 08-23-2016, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phoenixAcres16

I don't know why so many channels today think widescreen video, at any cost, is more appealing to consumers.

Probably from too many customers complaining that their new widescreen TV isn't filling up their entire screen with video. Refer to my remark above about society.

8traxrule · 08-23-2016, 04:58 PM

It's a shame that not enough people complained about that annoying "MeTV" logo always onscreen, and in most places with the name of the CITY the station is in under that, as if you might forget WHERE you were! I don't care how many other channels do this, it's unacceptable and since the general public is so stupid that they tolerate it, they'll tolerate this stretching as well. When MeTV was in 4x3, most of them probably had their TVs set to stretch it anyways.

storrs19 · 08-23-2016, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dare2be

Society is systemically being dumbed down.

Here is how I responded, as tactfully as possible:

I doubt I'll get a response or any change in results.

Heck I'm surprised you even got a response at all. Sadly I guess we're stuck with this stupid idea now. People need to remember the famous old saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

dare2be · 08-24-2016, 08:21 AM

If everyone here posted a complaint on the MeTV feedback page, maybe they'd take it more seriously.

http://www.metv.com/contact/

MattGuyOR · 10-01-2016, 11:23 PM

Wonder Woman looks good widescreen. It looks like they just opened up the frame and got more information on the sides and just cropped the bottom some. Not bad at all. Very happy with this more "filmic" aspect ratio.

PhoenixAcres · 10-02-2016, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattGuyOR

Wonder Woman looks good widescreen. It looks like they just opened up the frame and got more information on the sides and just cropped the bottom some. Not bad at all. Very happy with this more "filmic" aspect ratio.

My MeTV affiliate is now broadcasting 100% of its content in that augmented widescreen format. And it does seem like they've preserved picture ratio without chopping/stretching, but how? How can they just "open up the frame" and stick some extra information on the sides for shows that were originally broadcast in 4:3? Did they do what I said earlier and make new prints out of the original film negatives? Or is it just an illusion and they actually have stretched and chopped the picture, just not enough for anyone to notice?

Again, I really have no problem watching widescreen shows, if the picture is not distorted, something I still think is next to impossible to achieve with these older shows.

dare2be · 10-03-2016, 08:32 AM

That's good on Wonder Woman, preserving the aspect ratio without losing much of the content.

Many other shows don't fare as well.

Ronny G · 10-03-2016, 02:47 PM

I just noticed this new change in format today on me-TV in the Hollywood/Los Angeles area. The top of everyone's head is chopped off! It wasn't like this last week. I'm talking about Our Miss Brooks, Beverly Hillbillies, and Diagnosis Murder.

UPDATE: The picture's back to normal again. I guess somebody at control fell asleep and forgot to flip the switch. LOL

08-22-2016, 03:43 PM	#17
dare2be Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 09, 2016 Location: FL Posts: 45	I put in a question to my local affiliate and they responded right away, but said the picture format is being transmitted from the MeTV network transmission facility, and suggested that I send them a comment as well as they were going to forward my request on as well. We'll see how it goes.
	__________________ (Thank you, Mods)

08-23-2016, 01:17 PM	#20
LUNCH Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2010 Location: New York State Posts: 1,304	I agree that airing these shows in widescreen is ridiculous. And you would think MeTV would know better.I'm starting to also wonder if most people even care about picture quality these days.It seems as long as the picture fills the screen on their flatscreen TV as much as possible they don't seem to notice or care if some or even a lot of the picture it is cut out,or zoomed in,distorted or just looks way off in any number of ways.
	Last edited by LUNCH; 08-23-2016 at 02:37 PM.

08-23-2016, 02:10 PM	#22
PhoenixAcres Member Moderator Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 26, 2016 Location: United States Posts: 6,824	I don't know why so many channels today think widescreen video, at any cost, is more appealing to consumers.
	Last edited by PhoenixAcres; 04-11-2017 at 11:13 PM.

10-03-2016, 02:47 PM	#30
Ronny G Member Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 14, 2001 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 540	I just noticed this new change in format today on me-TV in the Hollywood/Los Angeles area. The top of everyone's head is chopped off! It wasn't like this last week. I'm talking about Our Miss Brooks, Beverly Hillbillies, and Diagnosis Murder. UPDATE: The picture's back to normal again. I guess somebody at control fell asleep and forgot to flip the switch. LOL
	Last edited by Ronny G; 10-03-2016 at 03:40 PM.

08-22-2016, 02:55 PM	#16
PhoenixAcres Member Moderator Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 26, 2016 Location: United States Posts: 6,824	If the source material is 4:3, then it should be the simplest thing in the world to just broadcast it in 4:3. It's complete nonsense for channels to be altering/modifying the original shows by chopping and stretching. Missing out on the top and bottom bits of the picture or seeing people with watermelon-shaped heads is not a better viewing experience. That being said, I remember reading somewhere that some have been able to "remaster" some old 4:3 shows, like Seinfeld and maybe Star Trek. The general idea is to find the original film prints from the actual cameras used for the show and make a new 16:9, HD picture from the old film. The film itself, used for most TV shows throughout history, is ultra-high quality and naturally widescreen. It's just that a while back, when TVs were shaped 4:3, the excess was chopped off when the episodes were being packaged for broadcast. Maybe this is MeTV's end goal? If this is what they're getting at, I would have no problem seeing old shows in widescreen, because no part of the image is lost. But I doubt anyone would be able to find all the original film negatives for shows as old as their library is, not to mention it would take a tremendous amount of time and effort.

08-22-2016, 07:07 PM	#18
dare2be Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 09, 2016 Location: FL Posts: 45	So, I got a response from MeTV Corporate, asking for pictures. Here is what I'm going to send them. I recorded directly from the OTA signal, which produced a 16x9 snapshot 853x480. Notice the black bars on the side are narrower than normal for a 4x3 image in a 16x9 frame. The portal circle is stretched left and right, and is also truncated on the top and bottom: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0...3JNeGtPcjBIN0E If I trim off the black bars, I get an image 736x480, which is wider than the normal 640x480 4x3 image: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0...FVoWFhEODBwVDg

08-23-2016, 11:33 AM	#19
dare2be Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 09, 2016 Location: FL Posts: 45	LOL. This is the response I got. Just, flabbergasted. "What you are seeing is correct. We made some minor tweaks to enhance the viewing experience of those watching with widescreen televisions."

08-23-2016, 04:58 PM	#24
8traxrule Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 23, 2016 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 15	It's a shame that not enough people complained about that annoying "MeTV" logo always onscreen, and in most places with the name of the CITY the station is in under that, as if you might forget WHERE you were! I don't care how many other channels do this, it's unacceptable and since the general public is so stupid that they tolerate it, they'll tolerate this stretching as well. When MeTV was in 4x3, most of them probably had their TVs set to stretch it anyways.

08-24-2016, 08:21 AM	#26
dare2be Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 09, 2016 Location: FL Posts: 45	If everyone here posted a complaint on the MeTV feedback page, maybe they'd take it more seriously. http://www.metv.com/contact/

10-01-2016, 11:23 PM	#27
MattGuyOR Member First Time Poster Join Date: Oct 01, 2016 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1	Wonder Woman looks good widescreen. It looks like they just opened up the frame and got more information on the sides and just cropped the bottom some. Not bad at all. Very happy with this more "filmic" aspect ratio.

10-03-2016, 08:32 AM	#29
dare2be Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 09, 2016 Location: FL Posts: 45	That's good on Wonder Woman, preserving the aspect ratio without losing much of the content. Many other shows don't fare as well.