Murphy Brown now airing in fake 16:9 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

bencasey · 11-11-2014, 07:08 PM

Does anybody know why Encore all of a sudden started running Murphy Brown in a fake 16:9? It looks terrible as the show was shot in 4:3 and has been airing in 4:3. This just started a couple of weeks ago and even the 5PM rerun episodes which ran properly the first time are airing this way. None of the other Encore TV series are being run this way.

Mace Dolex · 11-11-2014, 10:22 PM

I've seen TBS do this to Full House too, if movies can be preserved in their original aspect ratio on DVD then why can't old TV shows do so as well right?

something · 11-11-2014, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mace Dolex

if movies can be preserved in their original aspect ratio on DVD then why can't old TV shows do so as well right?

Yeah, it's annoying. Part of the problem is that a lot of people either don't know the difference or just don't care.

tlc38tlc38 · 11-12-2014, 09:37 AM

There were several other episodes in earlier seasons they also aired in fake widescreen. I've been recording all the episodes since season 2 began.

Pivot also airs "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in fake widescreen...it's so annoying.

It's even more annoying when you don't get these channels in HD.

bencasey · 11-12-2014, 10:31 AM

You can't just take a 4:3 show and make it widescreen without cutting off part of the picture. Its like movie fans always complained how 4:3 cut out the sides. Well, now all of the heads are being chopped off. Well, at least we got the majority of the run properly. I'll just have to go back and transfer my VHS tapes for the last season and a half of episodes.

LUNCH · 11-12-2014, 11:49 AM

This seems to be the latest trend with a number of TV channels,and I agree it looks ridiculous.They're tampering with the picture by cutting off the top and/or bottom of it. As already mentioned I think most people either don't notice or care,as long as it has that widescreen look.

icecream · 11-12-2014, 01:25 PM

Hmm, I have an old TV and haven't noticed parts of the picture being cut off. On other channels that do it for HD yes but not on Murphy Brown.

bencasey · 11-12-2014, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catsrule

Hmm, I have an old TV and haven't noticed parts of the picture being cut off. On other channels that do it for HD yes but not on Murphy Brown.

When is the last time you looked? They just started doing this a few weeks ago.

icecream · 11-12-2014, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bencasey

When is the last time you looked? They just started doing this a few weeks ago.

I haven't seen every episode but have still been watching most of them. Some of them I see live and some are on demand, don't know if that makes a difference.

noveel · 11-12-2014, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by something

Yeah, it's annoying. Part of the problem is that a lot of people either don't know the difference or just don't care.

they think people are afraid of black bars

tlc38tlc38 · 11-12-2014, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noveel

they think people are afraid of black bars

Since I have DIRECTV and the channel isn't offered in HD, I actually HAVE black bars on the top, bottom, and sides.

chriszme · 11-12-2014, 09:59 PM

I emailed and let them know how much I do not like this, but got no answer.

Mace Dolex · 11-13-2014, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUNCH

This seems to be the latest trend with a number of TV channels,and I agree it looks ridiculous.They're tampering with the picture by cutting off the top and/or bottom of it. As already mentioned I think most people either don't notice or care,as long as it has that widescreen look.

Not only that but sometimes they'll take a 4.3 image and stretch it to fit a 16.9 widescreen making the people on TV look short and squat.

LUNCH · 11-13-2014, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mace Dolex

Not only that but sometimes they'll take a 4.3 image and stretch it to fit a 16.9 widescreen making the people on TV look short and squat.

Yeah I've seen that,and that's much worse .It's totally unwatchable.Not to mention the many other problems with how the picture is presented or picture quality that never existed before flatcreen/high def tvs became popular.

LUNCH · 11-13-2014, 12:37 PM

By the way,yesterday I took a look a 2 episodes of it On Demand,and they looked fine.I guess the fake HD is something Encore is doing when they air the show on the channel.Keep in mind I hardly watch Murphy Brown,and I only looked at 2 episodes so I could be wrong about other episodes they show On Demand.

11-11-2014, 07:08 PM	#1
bencasey Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: Long Beach Posts: 1,692	Murphy Brown now airing in fake 16:9 Does anybody know why Encore all of a sudden started running Murphy Brown in a fake 16:9? It looks terrible as the show was shot in 4:3 and has been airing in 4:3. This just started a couple of weeks ago and even the 5PM rerun episodes which ran properly the first time are airing this way. None of the other Encore TV series are being run this way.

11-12-2014, 09:37 AM	#4
tlc38tlc38 Every day’s a Dolly day! Forum Star Join Date: May 02, 2008 Location: I’m just travelin’ thru Posts: 19,257	There were several other episodes in earlier seasons they also aired in fake widescreen. I've been recording all the episodes since season 2 began. Pivot also airs "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in fake widescreen...it's so annoying. It's even more annoying when you don't get these channels in HD.
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11-12-2014, 01:25 PM	#7
icecream Cat-tastic and Whiskerlicious Forum Celebrity Join Date: Sep 01, 2006 Location: The Catacombs Posts: 20,730	Hmm, I have an old TV and haven't noticed parts of the picture being cut off. On other channels that do it for HD yes but not on Murphy Brown.
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11-11-2014, 10:22 PM	#2
Mace Dolex Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 12, 2013 Posts: 2,668	I've seen TBS do this to Full House too, if movies can be preserved in their original aspect ratio on DVD then why can't old TV shows do so as well right?

11-12-2014, 10:31 AM	#5
bencasey Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: Long Beach Posts: 1,692	You can't just take a 4:3 show and make it widescreen without cutting off part of the picture. Its like movie fans always complained how 4:3 cut out the sides. Well, now all of the heads are being chopped off. Well, at least we got the majority of the run properly. I'll just have to go back and transfer my VHS tapes for the last season and a half of episodes.

11-12-2014, 11:49 AM	#6
LUNCH Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2010 Location: New York State Posts: 1,304	This seems to be the latest trend with a number of TV channels,and I agree it looks ridiculous.They're tampering with the picture by cutting off the top and/or bottom of it. As already mentioned I think most people either don't notice or care,as long as it has that widescreen look.

11-12-2014, 09:59 PM	#12
chriszme Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 09, 2000 Posts: 212	I emailed and let them know how much I do not like this, but got no answer.

11-13-2014, 12:37 PM	#15
LUNCH Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2010 Location: New York State Posts: 1,304	By the way,yesterday I took a look a 2 episodes of it On Demand,and they looked fine.I guess the fake HD is something Encore is doing when they air the show on the channel.Keep in mind I hardly watch Murphy Brown,and I only looked at 2 episodes so I could be wrong about other episodes they show On Demand.