incorrect aspect ratio/format

[flytrap]

This has been bugging me for a while. During news and magazine type programming on several networks the producers will not run the proper aspect ratio of the clips they are showing. for instance when showing a tape originally shot in SD 4:3 they will crop the top and bottom off to make 16x9. This will only work only if the original is of reasonably good quality and the cameras are far enough back so it doesn't chop off the tops of heads. Another thing they do is take a 4:3 clip and stretch it to fit a 16x9 frame. This results in a bloated image that makes everyone look fat. I've been noticing a lot of this lately. ABC seems to be worse about this during the news broadcasts and shows such as "Primetime" CBS has also been doing this. Another bad habit is when watching a segment or program shot in 4:3, they will take a 16x9 clip and instead of letterboxing it they will squeeze it into the 4:3 frame resulting in making everyone look skinny. This behavior is driving me crazy. You can't make HD out of something that was shot in SD. You can't fool everyone. But judging how most of my friends watch SD programming stretched out on their HD sets I'm not surprised.
NBC however usually adds sidebars to there SD live and tape preserving the proper ratio during nightly news. The stretching and squeezing needs to stop. Cropping is sometimes acceptable (as in some PBS documentaries) but only on film and high quality video and only if it can be done without cutting off too much of important parts of the footage.
what do you think of this practice?

 

[PTBoardOp94]

4:3 footage showed on 16:9 needs to have sidebars.

16:9 footage showed on 4:3 needs to have the left and right edges cropped. Designers need to be careful that their graphics center-cut nicely (several PBS programs are bad about this)

 

[LKellerIII]

Amazingly enough, I've seen a number of commercials being run in the wrong aspect ratio. I can't recall if I've seen this on the major networks, or just the cable nets. This must really piss off the advertisers.

I stayed at hotel recently that has switched to HDTV. The TV in our room was set on wide screen, and there was no way (that I could figure out anyway) to reset the aspect ratio using the universal remote in the room. Very frustrating!

 

[kenrayc]

TBS HD is really bad at this, all older shows shot in 4:3 format are stretched to fit the 16:9 screen it's just doesn't look right at all. I have some friends that like to stretch out those SD channels as well.

 

[notalkallstatic]

TBS HD is really bad at this, all older shows shot in 4:3 format are stretched to fit the 16:9 screen it's just doesn't look right at all. I have some friends that like to stretch out those SD channels as well.

Also, TNT and Cartoon Network does it too. I think it's funny that they streth their programming, but don't strech their commercials (that are in SD)

 

[dave73]

I once saw I Love Lucy on Chicago's MeTV stretched out. She looked fat in the episode. I don't know if that was Weigel Broadcasting that did that, or the syndicator. BTW, MeTV is in SD 4:3, since it's both on it's own low power digital channel, along with being on WCIU's subchannel.

WGN has HD cameras in the studios, but I believe the remote cameras are still in SD, as I see blue bars whenever a live remote is done during the newscast.

I have an SD TV at home with a digital box, set in letterbox. The closest to the actual picture seems to be when I watch DTV in letterbox. If I set it to fullscreen, I see left & right sidebars for SD programs, and for widescreen programs, people look skinny. If I use zoom, SD programs fill the screen, except for small segments get cropped, and widescreen programs really get cropped. SO for me, the best way is letterbox, and have the top & bottom sidebars. Even then, I can notice a difference if the picture has been altered from the original recording.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Another bad habit is when watching a segment or program shot in 4:3, they will take a 16x9 clip and instead of letterboxing it they will squeeze it into the 4:3 frame resulting in making everyone look skinny.

I don't remember the program or the reason for doing this, but I remember they did this to President Clinton walking down a hall. He looked good. I used to not think he was fat but that's how good he could have looked by taking better care of himself.

It must have been some kind of early HDTV demonstration.

 

[quadraphonic]

I have noticed that the closing credits for "The Office" syndicated on our local FOX station are always missing 1/3 the words [and I assume the picture] on the left. I guess it's most noticeable then because their credits are on the far left [at least they are on the NBC weekly version]. And you can change the aspect ratio with the remote while it's happening, but the words are still missing in all the options.

 

[LKellerIII]

I have noticed that the closing credits for "The Office" syndicated on our local FOX station are always missing 1/3 the words [and I assume the picture] on the left. I guess it's most noticeable then because their credits are on the far left [at least they are on the NBC weekly version]. And you can change the aspect ratio with the remote while it's happening, but the words are still missing in all the options.

I've always enjoyed reading credits, but you can stick a fork in credits - they're done...on TV anyway. For years now, they've been squishing them into a corner, turning them microscopic (even on my 42" HDTV), or running them by at break-neck speed. They're obviously fulfilling their contractual requirements to show credits, but nothing more...so they can promo the next show.

My favorite trick is when they run 2 episodes of a series back-to-back, and try to prevent tune-out by running the end credits in tiny font size at the bottom of the opening for the next episode.

On the plus side, I've noticed that off-network syndicated reruns sometimes restore the credits to full size. Everybody Loves Raymond reruns show the credits in big white letters on a black background with some generic music I've also heard as a bed for commercials.