Did Rage episode lose its HDTV feed/format during the last 1/4th of Smallville?

In alt.tv.smallville Jim H wrote:
What do you mean by "lose the HDTV formatting?" Are you saying you were
watching the HD broadcast and the picture switched from a full 16x9 to a 4x3
sidecut image, or what? Did this happen during the actual program or after
a commercial?

Yes. It seems to happen after the Apple iPod commercial since that one
was fine. Here are three screen captures: http://tinypic.com/48om3ch.jpg
.... Note the scene with Lana Lang and Clark. That was fine in HDTV.
Then, commercials (most were just 4x3). Apple iPod Nanos ad was in HD.
Then, no more after that. I don't watch and didn't record Supernatural
so I don't know if that was in HD on my side.


And, "...CW logo was in the black bar areas when the video was not in HD."
Again, not sure what you mean by "...not in HD." Smallville is letterboxed
within the 4x3 SD (NTSC) broadcast, so the CW logo on the lower right of the
screen does cover the lower edge of the letterbox. On the HD broadcast the
CW logo is positioned within the 4x3 area of the 16x9 widescreen, (for those
stations that down convert the HD network feed for their SD transmitters.)

See screen captures.


Did KTLA ever get back to you?

No. Maybe next week?


Did anyone else lose the HDTV formatting in the last 1/4th of tonight's
Smallville episode, Rage? Or was it only on KTLA (Los Angeles)?

Thank you in advance.


Fine in Indy--But I have seen them switch just after the last commercial
break. The HD on Smallville much of the time doesn't look like real HD
but
more like some interpolated SD. It just doesn't have the punch of CBS
etc.

Interesting. I watch Jericho on CBS. It is OK quality. I sent an e-mail
to KTLA to see what's up with last night's broadcast.

I also noticed CW logo was in the black bar areas when the video was not
in HD.
--
"Ants. There's a size for every picnic, a colour for every occasion, and
a bite to let you know that they are there. Apart from the bite, that
could describe a Basenji pretty well." --Len Reddie
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( )

In alt.tv.smallville David B wrote:
Jim H wrote:

What do you mean by "lose the HDTV formatting?" Are you saying you were
watching the HD broadcast and the picture switched from a full 16x9 to a 4x3
sidecut image, or what?

Yes, that's what happened.

Did this happen during the actual program or after
a commercial?


It happened after a commercial.

Oh, you were on KTLA too? So, I am not alone. I hope KTLA replies
with a decent reason on what happened. I wonder if their recording got
screwed up.
--
"Ants. There's a size for every picnic, a colour for every occasion, and
a bite to let you know that they are there. Apart from the bite, that
could describe a Basenji pretty well." --Len Reddie
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( )

wrote:

In alt.tv.smallville David B wrote:
Jim H wrote:

What do you mean by "lose the HDTV formatting?" Are you saying you were
watching the HD broadcast and the picture switched from a full 16x9 to a 4x3
sidecut image, or what?

Yes, that's what happened.

Did this happen during the actual program or after
a commercial?


It happened after a commercial.

Oh, you were on KTLA too?

Yes.

So, I am not alone. I hope KTLA replies
with a decent reason on what happened. I wonder if their recording got
screwed up.

I might be wrong but didn't something like this happen last season as well?

In alt.tv.smallville David B wrote:
wrote:

In alt.tv.smallville David B wrote:
Jim H wrote:

What do you mean by "lose the HDTV formatting?" Are you saying you were
watching the HD broadcast and the picture switched from a full 16x9 to a 4x3
sidecut image, or what?

Yes, that's what happened.

Did this happen during the actual program or after
a commercial?


It happened after a commercial.

Oh, you were on KTLA too?

Yes.

So, I am not alone. I hope KTLA replies
with a decent reason on what happened. I wonder if their recording got
screwed up.

I might be wrong but didn't something like this happen last season as well?

Yep. See http://tinyurl.com/yks2sy or
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.t...1%26hl%3Den%26
.... This was the time when KTLA had to delay its Smallville airing
because of a Clippers playoff game. However, Rage episode was on a
normal night and was fine until the last quarter of the episode.

This is like the second time KTLA messed up with its HD in 2006! I
wonder what's up. I haven't seen others messing up so far in almost a
year of having HDTV.

--
"Ants. There's a size for every picnic, a colour for every occasion, and
a bite to let you know that they are there. Apart from the bite, that
could describe a Basenji pretty well." --Len Reddie
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( )

It appears, from your screen caps, that for whatever reason, KTLA
up-converted it's SD (NTSC) Smallville broadcast to the HD channel. Most
stations and networks up-convert their commercial breaks from the SD side to
HD, since few commercials are produced in HD to begin with. Station and
network on-air operations are automated. One possibility is that KTLA's (or
the network's) automation equipment did not switch back to the HD program
after the commercial break, instead feeding the SD version of the program to
the HD side. If it was a network issue, then other stations would have had
the same problem. So, it sounds like KTLA. Another possibility is that
KTLA had some sort of problem on it's HD broadcast side that left no
alternative but to continue up-converting the SD broadcast to their HD
transmitter. Personally, I'd go with: didn't switch back to the HD program,
and nobody in KTLA's master control room was paying attention. Nice screen
caps btw.



wrote in message
et...
In alt.tv.smallville Jim H wrote:
What do you mean by "lose the HDTV formatting?" Are you saying you were
watching the HD broadcast and the picture switched from a full 16x9 to a
4x3
sidecut image, or what? Did this happen during the actual program or
after
a commercial?

Yes. It seems to happen after the Apple iPod commercial since that one
was fine. Here are three screen captures: http://tinypic.com/48om3ch.jpg
... Note the scene with Lana Lang and Clark. That was fine in HDTV.
Then, commercials (most were just 4x3). Apple iPod Nanos ad was in HD.
Then, no more after that. I don't watch and didn't record Supernatural
so I don't know if that was in HD on my side.


And, "...CW logo was in the black bar areas when the video was not in
HD."
Again, not sure what you mean by "...not in HD." Smallville is
letterboxed
within the 4x3 SD (NTSC) broadcast, so the CW logo on the lower right of
the
screen does cover the lower edge of the letterbox. On the HD broadcast
the
CW logo is positioned within the 4x3 area of the 16x9 widescreen, (for
those
stations that down convert the HD network feed for their SD
transmitters.)

See screen captures.


Did KTLA ever get back to you?

No. Maybe next week?


Did anyone else lose the HDTV formatting in the last 1/4th of
tonight's
Smallville episode, Rage? Or was it only on KTLA (Los Angeles)?

Thank you in advance.


Fine in Indy--But I have seen them switch just after the last
commercial
break. The HD on Smallville much of the time doesn't look like real
HD
but
more like some interpolated SD. It just doesn't have the punch of CBS
etc.

Interesting. I watch Jericho on CBS. It is OK quality. I sent an e-mail
to KTLA to see what's up with last night's broadcast.

I also noticed CW logo was in the black bar areas when the video was
not
in HD.
--
"Ants. There's a size for every picnic, a colour for every occasion, and
a bite to let you know that they are there. Apart from the bite, that
could describe a Basenji pretty well." --Len Reddie
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( )

Yeah, I think they had a problem somewhere. I hope KTLA replies back so
I can share it in here. I can't believe they had problems twice that
for 2006 so far. This is L.A., you can't screw up like that!

Thanks for the kind comments on my screen captures. That's another
reason for a HDTV tuner on my computer. Screen captures and saving!


In alt.tv.smallville Jim H wrote:
It appears, from your screen caps, that for whatever reason, KTLA
up-converted it's SD (NTSC) Smallville broadcast to the HD channel. Most
stations and networks up-convert their commercial breaks from the SD side to
HD, since few commercials are produced in HD to begin with. Station and
network on-air operations are automated. One possibility is that KTLA's (or
the network's) automation equipment did not switch back to the HD program
after the commercial break, instead feeding the SD version of the program to
the HD side. If it was a network issue, then other stations would have had
the same problem. So, it sounds like KTLA. Another possibility is that
KTLA had some sort of problem on it's HD broadcast side that left no
alternative but to continue up-converting the SD broadcast to their HD
transmitter. Personally, I'd go with: didn't switch back to the HD program,
and nobody in KTLA's master control room was paying attention. Nice screen
caps btw.



wrote in message
et...
In alt.tv.smallville Jim H wrote:
What do you mean by "lose the HDTV formatting?" Are you saying you were
watching the HD broadcast and the picture switched from a full 16x9 to a
4x3
sidecut image, or what? Did this happen during the actual program or
after
a commercial?

Yes. It seems to happen after the Apple iPod commercial since that one
was fine. Here are three screen captures: http://tinypic.com/48om3ch.jpg
... Note the scene with Lana Lang and Clark. That was fine in HDTV.
Then, commercials (most were just 4x3). Apple iPod Nanos ad was in HD.
Then, no more after that. I don't watch and didn't record Supernatural
so I don't know if that was in HD on my side.


And, "...CW logo was in the black bar areas when the video was not in
HD."
Again, not sure what you mean by "...not in HD." Smallville is
letterboxed
within the 4x3 SD (NTSC) broadcast, so the CW logo on the lower right of
the
screen does cover the lower edge of the letterbox. On the HD broadcast
the
CW logo is positioned within the 4x3 area of the 16x9 widescreen, (for
those
stations that down convert the HD network feed for their SD
transmitters.)

See screen captures.


Did KTLA ever get back to you?

No. Maybe next week?


Did anyone else lose the HDTV formatting in the last 1/4th of
tonight's
Smallville episode, Rage? Or was it only on KTLA (Los Angeles)?

Thank you in advance.


Fine in Indy--But I have seen them switch just after the last
commercial
break. The HD on Smallville much of the time doesn't look like real
HD
but
more like some interpolated SD. It just doesn't have the punch of CBS
etc.

Interesting. I watch Jericho on CBS. It is OK quality. I sent an e-mail
to KTLA to see what's up with last night's broadcast.

I also noticed CW logo was in the black bar areas when the video was
not
in HD.
--
"Ants. There's a size for every picnic, a colour for every occasion, and
a bite to let you know that they are there. Apart from the bite, that
could describe a Basenji pretty well." --Len Reddie
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Please remove ANT if replying by e-mail.
( )

wrote:
Did anyone else lose the HDTV formatting in the last 1/4th of tonight's
Smallville episode, Rage? Or was it only on KTLA (Los Angeles)?

Nope, TV antenna is fine in Los Angeles sometimes. Cable TV could be
disconnected sometimes. I settled the recording in two VCRs in two TVs
(cable and antenna) in case. :-)

I once learned my lesson for not depending on cable TV 100% when I
missed 20 minutes at cable TV's disconnected temporary.

wrote:
Did anyone else lose the HDTV formatting in the last 1/4th of tonight's
Smallville episode, Rage? Or was it only on KTLA (Los Angeles)?

Nope, the TV antenna is fine sometimes. I once learned my lesson for
not depending on cable TV 100% when itself disconnected temporary in 20
minutes missed show. I settled the recording in two VCRs of two TV sets
in case.

wrote:
Did anyone else lose the HDTV formatting in the last 1/4th of tonight's
Smallville episode, Rage? Or was it only on KTLA (Los Angeles)?

Nope, the TV antenna is fine sometimes. I once learned my lesson for
not depending on cable TV 100% when itself disconnected temporary in 20
minutes missed show. I settled the recording in two VCRs of two TV sets
in case.