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The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: tpirfan28 on March 01, 2008, 02:37:14 PM

Title: Games in HD
Post by: tpirfan28 on March 01, 2008, 02:37:14 PM
As the proud new owner of an HD tuner for my computer, I was wondering what games we have on TV now in HD.  I know of Wheel, Jeopardy, and the primetime TPIRs...anything else?
Title: Games in HD
Post by: clemon79 on March 01, 2008, 02:47:38 PM
[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'179470\' date=\'Mar 1 2008, 11:37 AM\']
As the proud new owner of an HD tuner for my computer, I was wondering what games we have on TV now in HD.  I know of Wheel, Jeopardy, and the primetime TPIRs...anything else?
[/quote]
Pretty sure that's it.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: tpirfan28 on March 01, 2008, 03:04:35 PM
Oh poo.  That really stinks, as for some reason, my station isn't sending out HD Wheel/J!...just SD.

/but I get HD TPIR right after that on Fridays!
Title: Games in HD
Post by: clemon79 on March 01, 2008, 03:33:04 PM
[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'179473\' date=\'Mar 1 2008, 12:04 PM\']
Oh poo.  That really stinks, as for some reason, my station isn't sending out HD Wheel/J!...just SD.[/quote]
Welcome to my world.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: jalman on March 01, 2008, 03:59:56 PM
On FOX, Don't Forget The Lyrics and Moment of Truth are in Wholesome Widescreen (tm).

/I see the O in FOX needs replacin'
//Because of those schlocky shows
///I too am awaiting the Wheel/J! HD lurve-fest

EDIT: Clarity
Title: Games in HD
Post by: clemon79 on March 01, 2008, 04:35:49 PM
[quote name=\'jalman\' post=\'179484\' date=\'Mar 1 2008, 12:59 PM\']
On FOX, Don't Forget The Lyrics and Moment of Truth are in Wholesome Widescreen (tm).[/quote]
Right, but just widescreen, not Glorious Hi-Def(tm), right?

/and I wouldn't have mentioned Moment Of Truth even if it was, on G.P.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: Matt Ottinger on March 01, 2008, 04:48:22 PM
As someone who is far from an early-adapter for this kind of stuff...

I get that HD would be wonderful for sporting events, big-budget movies, nature programming, maybe even for regular TV dramas and sitcoms.  But how 'def' do game shows really need to be?  I mean, Sony's trying to push the sets, so Wheel and Jeopardy are a marketing decision.  Beyond that, I really don't see how your viewing experience would be dramatically altered just because you can see every hash mark on The Range Game.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: Hastin on March 01, 2008, 04:55:49 PM
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'179495\' date=\'Mar 1 2008, 01:48 PM\']
Beyond that, I really don't see how your viewing experience would be dramatically altered just because you can see every hash mark on The Range Game.
[/quote]

Generally, it's not much different. However, when you've got a 60" Plasma hanging on the wall, it's nice to see programming move to 16:10 and look good on your set. It sucks to have a great looking set, and still be stuck at 480i. As for actual game enhancement, there's not much. However, like on the TPIR MDS, the 1080i really makes the blacks shine, and just makes the game look better.

Jeopardy (in 720p) isn't much different - it just feels like a 4:3 show, but with a 'fluff border'. Wheel has some nice shots now too, you can see more of the wheel, and Pat's in many more of the generic contestant shots. Again, nothing huge, but since the equipment is getting cheaper, it's just a natural evolution to TV.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: clemon79 on March 01, 2008, 05:18:09 PM
Exactly. Do they need to be in "def"? No, not really, other than it's crisper and prettier. Do they need to be in 16x9? Yes. EVERYTHING needs to be in 16x9. That change NEEDS to happen.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: Chief-O on March 01, 2008, 05:56:16 PM
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'179495\' date=\'Mar 1 2008, 03:48 PM\']
As someone who is far from an early-adapter for this kind of stuff...

I get that HD would be wonderful for sporting events, big-budget movies, nature programming, maybe even for regular TV dramas and sitcoms.  But how 'def' do game shows really need to be?[/quote]

Exactly. Game shows, news, talk shows.....they don't really need to be HD.

/although Price looks darn good.....
//even in standard def digital----and I'm glad to have found out firsthand
Title: Games in HD
Post by: jalman on March 01, 2008, 06:10:16 PM
[quote name=\'Hastin\' post=\'179497\' date=\'Mar 1 2008, 04:55 PM\'][quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'179495\' date=\'Mar 1 2008, 01:48 PM\']
Beyond that, I really don't see how your viewing experience would be dramatically altered just because you can see every hash mark on The Range Game.
[/quote]Generally, it's not much different. However, when you've got a 60" Plasma hanging on the wall, it's nice to see programming move to 16:10 and look good on your set. It sucks to have a great looking set, and still be stuck at 480i.
[/quote][quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'179501\' date=\'Mar 1 2008, 05:18 PM\']
Exactly. Do they need to be in "def"? No, not really, other than it's crisper and prettier. Do they need to be in 16x9? Yes. EVERYTHING needs to be in 16x9. That change NEEDS to happen.
[/quote]
I really appreciate producers thinking in the 21st century by going at least widescreen (yes, both Lyrics and Truth are just SD 16:9).  Okay, for Truth that may the ONLY point I'll give them in my scorebook (...minus millions on execution).  Sadly, FOX doesn't document which shows are "SD widescreen" so I rely on AVS Forum HDTV Programming postings then my eyesight to confirm.  I realize that's not the best proof but until FOX comes out and tags such shows appropriately I'll stick to what I have.

From my subjective viewing FOX shows in SD 16:9 are too....muddy to be HD compared to the crispness of the latest TPIR MDS.  I can't fully describe the inferior quality but I notice the edges aren't smooth and the colors aren't as vibrant when I watch FOX's Wretched Widescreen offerings.  Wretched by content, of course.

See also: A FOX digital TV history lesson (http://\"http://www.feldoncentral.com/hdtv/Fox/\")
Title: Games in HD
Post by: Clay Zambo on March 02, 2008, 09:26:36 AM
[quote name=\'jalman\' post=\'179484\' date=\'Mar 1 2008, 03:59 PM\']
On FOX, Don't Forget The Lyrics and Moment of Truth are in Wholesome Widescreen (tm).
[/quote]

Moment isn't taped in "Wholesome" anything. ;)
Title: Games in HD
Post by: Jimmy Owen on March 02, 2008, 10:41:59 AM
Isn't is funny that widescreen, Cinemascope, etc were created by movie makers back in the '50's only to combat TV with something you couldn't see at home?  Now that movie makers own the networks, everything is okay.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: Jay Temple on March 02, 2008, 12:17:12 PM
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'179495\' date=\'Mar 1 2008, 03:48 PM\']
As someone who is far from an early-adapter for this kind of stuff...

I get that HD would be wonderful for sporting events, big-budget movies, nature programming, maybe even for regular TV dramas and sitcoms.  But how 'def' do game shows really need to be?  I mean, Sony's trying to push the sets, so Wheel and Jeopardy are a marketing decision.  Beyond that, I really don't see how your viewing experience would be dramatically altered just because you can see every hash mark on The Range Game.
[/quote]
I said the same thing when they introduced stereo: "Is the dialogue going to be that much funnier because Sam is on the left speaker and Diane's on the right?"
Title: Games in HD
Post by: jalman on March 02, 2008, 04:30:09 PM
Matt, I find your rationale slightly interesting.  While I'm an occasional viewer of Wheel and J!, I don't notice the push for Sony TVs.  (Then again with my viewing habits I'm likely not noticing this)  I've seen bigger pitches for Sony HDTVs during CBS Sports broadcasts.  Not that Sony's support makes me want to buy their product but I can thank them for their patronage.

As for the "need" for HD, I also occasionally watch Price and see HD can ultimately benefit the show.  When I watch both MDS I don't nitpick the props; I like the added immersion when viewing wide shots of the audience.  The extra resolution improves the next-to-being-there-live experience.  Of course, there are the extra eyeballs for the models.

Also, does anyone notice how square the Jeopardy visual design is?  Jeopardy's transition to HD appears to be the most awkward to me because the square, boxy design was a very good fit for the legacy 4:3 aspect ratio.  Wheel, however, is more reliant on eye candy so it transitions better, yet I think Wheel's the one show that would absolutely improve with widescreen-centric shot framing.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: tpirfan28 on March 02, 2008, 06:49:18 PM
I don't have to worry about the wholesome games on FOX, as I can't pick it up.  It's gonna suck when House starts again.... :( ...same goes for ABC (but they are LP anyway).

Like other posters have said...widescreen is SO the way to go (games or sports or anything).  And if HD is the only way to adapt to widescreen, so be it.

And something I've found really odd:  my CBS affiliate only sends out an HD signal over digital, not an SD.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: jalman on March 02, 2008, 06:55:11 PM
[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'179646\' date=\'Mar 2 2008, 06:49 PM\']
And something I've found really odd:  my CBS affiliate only sends out an HD signal over digital, not an SD.
[/quote]
That's not odd.  You, sir, are blessed.  Your affiliate won't compress the HD signal that way.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: uncamark on March 04, 2008, 01:33:36 PM
AFAIK, right now the only syndicated shows in Glorious HD are "Wheel," "J!", the "2.5 Men" reruns and, as of this month, the "Everybody Loves Raymond" reruns.  TVG Interactive lists Mike and Juliet as HD, but there's no HD icon at the top of the show.  The foot-dragging among syndicators is sort of surprising, considering that I had read that CBS Distribution was particularly gung ho about taking shows to HD, including "The Insider."

/Even more of a guy in HD
Title: Games in HD
Post by: clemon79 on March 04, 2008, 01:44:18 PM
In a lot of cases, the individual TV stations are being cheap, too. That's a big part of why J! and WoF aren't in HD in Seattle.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: HYHYBT on March 04, 2008, 06:14:28 PM
Quote
I get that HD would be wonderful for sporting events, big-budget movies, nature programming, maybe even for regular TV dramas and sitcoms. But how 'def' do game shows really need to be? I mean, Sony's trying to push the sets, so Wheel and Jeopardy are a marketing decision. Beyond that, I really don't see how your viewing experience would be dramatically altered just because you can see every hash mark on The Range Game.
For the same reason, Concentration didn't need color...

It's may not be as big a difference as that, and it depends on the size of your TV. I don't much care either way because I normally watch TV on my laptop, but with a large screen the lower resolution shows more, and especially when the shows you watch before and after, or the other shows you pass as you're flipping through, are sharper.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: Matt Ottinger on March 04, 2008, 06:34:17 PM
[quote name=\'HYHYBT\' post=\'179963\' date=\'Mar 4 2008, 06:14 PM\']
For the same reason, Concentration didn't need color...

It's may not be as big a difference as that, and it depends on the size of your TV. [/quote]
Yeah, I'm glad you included that yourself, since that would be the start of my retort.

There are moments in the history of home entertainment that represent quantum shifts from one way of doing things to the next, and those are nearly always motivated by the public responding to a significant improvement.  The jump from black and white to color was one of those shifts, as was the shift from VHS to DVD.  When that shift isn't significant enough, the public as a whole responds with shrugged shoulders.  That's what's happening with improved DVDs right now, most people just don't see them as better enough.  It would have been very interesting to see what the public would have decided about digital TV; as it is, the decision has been made for us by the gub'ment.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: WhammyPower on March 13, 2008, 06:18:31 PM
I can't really tell since I don't have HD, but it looks like the newest season of Cash Cab (airing at 6pm ET) is shot in HD.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: uncamark on March 19, 2008, 03:27:29 PM
[quote name=\'WhammyPower\' post=\'181259\' date=\'Mar 13 2008, 05:18 PM\']
I can't really tell since I don't have HD, but it looks like the newest season of Cash Cab (airing at 6pm ET) is shot in HD.
[/quote]

Is Discovery running that "Now Available in High Definition" graphic at the bottom of the screen at the top of the show?

And forgive my cynicism, but I wonder if they're doing phony HD similar to what TNT and TBS do to most of their programming schedule (at least people who have HD sets tell me this).
Title: Games in HD
Post by: aaron sica on March 19, 2008, 04:18:42 PM
[quote name=\'uncamark\' post=\'181932\' date=\'Mar 19 2008, 03:27 PM\']
Is Discovery running that "Now Available in High Definition" graphic at the bottom of the screen at the top of the show?

And forgive my cynicism, but I wonder if they're doing phony HD similar to what TNT and TBS do to most of their programming schedule (at least people who have HD sets tell me this).
[/quote]

TNT I haven't seen too terribly much phony HD, but TBS is a completely different story. AFAIK, the only thing on TBS that is HD is the MLB package, which hasn't started yet. Turn on TBS HD and you get the equivalent of TBS standard, stretched out to 16:9.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: clemon79 on March 19, 2008, 05:20:47 PM
[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'181939\' date=\'Mar 19 2008, 01:18 PM\']
TNT I haven't seen too terribly much phony HD, but TBS is a completely different story. AFAIK, the only thing on TBS that is HD is the MLB package, which hasn't started yet. Turn on TBS HD and you get the equivalent of TBS standard, stretched out to 16:9.
[/quote]
TNT runs more hi-def programming, but they also do the Stretch-O-Vision thing on the stuff that isn't hidef, because they clearly know better than I do how I want to watch my TV.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: Unrealtor on March 19, 2008, 09:19:58 PM
[quote name=\'uncamark\' post=\'181932\' date=\'Mar 19 2008, 02:27 PM\']
[quote name=\'WhammyPower\' post=\'181259\' date=\'Mar 13 2008, 05:18 PM\']
I can't really tell since I don't have HD, but it looks like the newest season of Cash Cab (airing at 6pm ET) is shot in HD.
[/quote]

Is Discovery running that "Now Available in High Definition" graphic at the bottom of the screen at the top of the show?

And forgive my cynicism, but I wonder if they're doing phony HD similar to what TNT and TBS do to most of their programming schedule (at least people who have HD sets tell me this).
[/quote]

I don't have a HD set myself to confirm anything, but my impression from hanging out at my parents' place is that the general-audience networks (TBS, TNT, USA) are the only ones that stretch non-HD programs to fit a 16:9 screen, rather than pillarboxing them. If Cash Cab is phony HD, I hope it's by the method Discovery uses when it puts non-HD material (old footage, night vision, etc.) into its true HD shows - cropping the top and bottom off to fill a 16:9 screen.

I haven't seen much of Discovery HD since it went from a mix of stuff that shows off HD (e.g., Sunrise Earth) and mainline Discovery shows to a simulcast of the mothership, but I haven't yet seen anything that wasn't true HD on there.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: cmjb13 on March 20, 2008, 07:41:15 AM
[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'181939\' date=\'Mar 19 2008, 04:18 PM\']
[quote name=\'uncamark\' post=\'181932\' date=\'Mar 19 2008, 03:27 PM\']
Is Discovery running that "Now Available in High Definition" graphic at the bottom of the screen at the top of the show?

And forgive my cynicism, but I wonder if they're doing phony HD similar to what TNT and TBS do to most of their programming schedule (at least people who have HD sets tell me this).
[/quote]

TNT I haven't seen too terribly much phony HD, but TBS is a completely different story. AFAIK, the only thing on TBS that is HD is the MLB package, which hasn't started yet. Turn on TBS HD and you get the equivalent of TBS standard, stretched out to 16:9.
[/quote]
So with a show like Everybody Loves Raymond that was shot in HD, TBS isn't showing the HD version?
Title: Games in HD
Post by: aaron sica on March 20, 2008, 08:32:48 AM
[quote name=\'cmjb13\' post=\'181991\' date=\'Mar 20 2008, 07:41 AM\']
So with a show like Everybody Loves Raymond that was shot in HD, TBS isn't showing the HD version?
[/quote]

You'd think that would be the case, but it's not. Reruns of "The Office" on TBS are the same way.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: Offshored2007 on March 20, 2008, 03:12:42 PM
I wish NBC would shoot "Deal or No Deal" in HD - inane game playing aside, there are 26 other reasons why.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: Offshored2007 on March 20, 2008, 03:15:04 PM
[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'181993\' date=\'Mar 20 2008, 08:32 AM\']
[quote name=\'cmjb13\' post=\'181991\' date=\'Mar 20 2008, 07:41 AM\']
So with a show like Everybody Loves Raymond that was shot in HD, TBS isn't showing the HD version?
[/quote]

You'd think that would be the case, but it's not. Reruns of "The Office" on TBS are the same way.
[/quote]
TBS gets regularly bashed over at AVS Forum (http://\"http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=34\") as the worst example of an HD channel.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: clemon79 on March 20, 2008, 04:29:46 PM
[quote name=\'Offshored2007\' post=\'182024\' date=\'Mar 20 2008, 12:12 PM\']
I wish NBC would shoot "Deal or No Deal" in HD - inane game playing aside, there are 26 52 other reasons why.
[/quote]
Fixed!
Title: Games in HD
Post by: MikeK on March 20, 2008, 05:44:29 PM
[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'182031\' date=\'Mar 20 2008, 04:29 PM\']
[quote name=\'Offshored2007\' post=\'182024\' date=\'Mar 20 2008, 12:12 PM\']
I wish NBC would shoot "Deal or No Deal" in HD - inane game playing aside, there are 26 52 other reasons why.
[/quote]
Fixed!
[/quote]
There's your numberwang.

I'll fix it before anybody else does.

There's your numb[color=\"#F5F9FD\"]er[/color]wang.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: Neumms on March 20, 2008, 05:46:36 PM
Numberwank! Oh, f---.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: uncamark on March 20, 2008, 05:49:07 PM
[quote name=\'Offshored2007\' post=\'182025\' date=\'Mar 20 2008, 02:15 PM\']
[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'181993\' date=\'Mar 20 2008, 08:32 AM\']
[quote name=\'cmjb13\' post=\'181991\' date=\'Mar 20 2008, 07:41 AM\']
So with a show like Everybody Loves Raymond that was shot in HD, TBS isn't showing the HD version?
[/quote]

You'd think that would be the case, but it's not. Reruns of "The Office" on TBS are the same way.
[/quote]
TBS gets regularly bashed over at AVS Forum (http://\"http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=34\") as the worst example of an HD channel.
[/quote]

"Raymond" went HD in syndication this week (along with switching stations in Chicago from WGN to WPWR--which does transmit in HD).  Does TBS air the same episodes that syndication airs in a particular week, or is their schedule different--and will CBS Distribution service them with the HD versions?
Title: Games in HD
Post by: Terry K on March 22, 2008, 03:53:01 AM
[quote name=\'Unrealtor\' post=\'181971\' date=\'Mar 19 2008, 09:19 PM\']
[quote name=\'uncamark\' post=\'181932\' date=\'Mar 19 2008, 02:27 PM\']
[quote name=\'WhammyPower\' post=\'181259\' date=\'Mar 13 2008, 05:18 PM\']
I can't really tell since I don't have HD, but it looks like the newest season of Cash Cab (airing at 6pm ET) is shot in HD.
[/quote]

Is Discovery running that "Now Available in High Definition" graphic at the bottom of the screen at the top of the show?

And forgive my cynicism, but I wonder if they're doing phony HD similar to what TNT and TBS do to most of their programming schedule (at least people who have HD sets tell me this).
[/quote]

I don't have a HD set myself to confirm anything, but my impression from hanging out at my parents' place is that the general-audience networks (TBS, TNT, USA) are the only ones that stretch non-HD programs to fit a 16:9 screen, rather than pillarboxing them. If Cash Cab is phony HD, I hope it's by the method Discovery uses when it puts non-HD material (old footage, night vision, etc.) into its true HD shows - cropping the top and bottom off to fill a 16:9 screen.


I haven't seen much of Discovery HD since it went from a mix of stuff that shows off HD (e.g., Sunrise Earth) and mainline Discovery shows to a simulcast of the mothership, but I haven't yet seen anything that wasn't true HD on there.
[/quote]
Discovery has 2 HD channels, HD Theater (the old Discovery HD) and Discovery HD.
Title: Games in HD
Post by: Unrealtor on March 22, 2008, 09:54:37 AM
[quote name=\'Terry K\' post=\'182168\' date=\'Mar 22 2008, 02:53 AM\']
Discovery has 2 HD channels, HD Theater (the old Discovery HD) and Discovery HD.
[/quote]

Aha. That's what happened. All I knew was that the old "Discovery HD" channel had suddenly lost the Discovery bug, and there was a second channel also labeled as "Discovery HD" in the program guide that was the HD version of the channel.