Wiseguy on HDNET: How'd they do that?

[120inna55]

Wiseguy was one of my favorite TV series. I've caught a few episodes on HDNET. The PQ obviously blows away my DVD box sets. I just love film in HD.

The question is: How is the aspect ratio 16x9? This series running from 1987-90 was obviously 4x3. The few episodes I've seen on HDNET are not stretched in any way, and they don't seem to be cropped. I'm usually an OAR nut, but this looks nice. Is this an example of open-matte?

Thanks.

[Septemberbaby]

I don't have a answer for you...
I just wanted to say that I totally agree with you about Wiseguy.
One of the best cop shows ever.
Way better than 24.
Vinnie Terranova was incredible. It's just too bad Ken Wahl went off the
deep end and we haven't seen him since.
Jonathan Banks was equally as good.. if not better.

[120inna55]

Originally Posted by Septemberbaby

...Vinnie Terranova was incredible. It's just too bad Ken Wahl went off the
deep end and we haven't seen him since.
Jonathan Banks was equally as good.. if not better.

...and the late Ray Sharkey. Not to mention, Kevin Spacey.

[Septemberbaby]

Originally Posted by 120inna55

...and the late Ray Sharkey. Not to mention, Kevin Spacey.

And William Russ as Roger "Hello, Buckwheat" Lococco....
Unforgettable character.
The list goes on and on.


Speaking of the Ray Sharkey arc, on the DVD they left out
the song, Nights in White Satin.. They either couldn't get the rights to use it.
or they were just too cheap..
Either way... it was definitely missed.
That song made that entire scene work.

[120inna55]

Originally Posted by Septemberbaby

And William Russ as Roger "Hello, Buckwheat" Lococco....
Unforgettable character..."

How could I have left him out of the lineup. Absolutely the coolest character! With a straight face, he was stone cold, but when he smiled, you would trust him with your life.

Originally Posted by Septemberbaby

Speaking of the Ray Sharkey arc, on the DVD they left out
the song, Nights in White Satin.. They either couldn't get the rights to use it.
or they were just too cheap..
Either way... it was definitely missed.
That song made that entire scene work.

Yep, that's been debated before. The music was the mood of that scene and was even its own character. You can't have any other song there. It was absolutely ruined. I wonder if HDNET retains the original song?

[Supermallet]

Originally Posted by 120inna55

Is this an example of open-matte?

Thanks.

Mattes are when you place bars on the top and bottom of a 4x3 image to make it widescreen. Open-matte is when you show a film without those bars, to make them 4x3. This shows the entire image as filmed. Many films are filmed full-frame and then matted, but are never intended to be shown open-matte. That's why sometimes you'll see a 4x3 DVD where boom poles and shadows and other technical items appear on the screen. A great example of this is Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. There is a scene where he goes to lock up his bike, and he opens a box on the side, and pulls out an almost endless amount of chains. Shown widescreen, it's a good gag. Open-matte, you can see the hole in the bottom of the box through which a tech guy is feeding the chains.

In other words, you'll never get a widescreen image by showing something open-matte. If the show is in widescreen and it isn't stretched, either the old shows had a lot of extra headroom, or they cut some stuff at the top or the bottom.

[Adam Tyner]

Originally Posted by Suprmallet

In other words, you'll never get a widescreen image by showing something open-matte. If the show is in widescreen and it isn't stretched, either the old shows had a lot of extra headroom, or they cut some stuff at the top or the bottom.

You know what he's trying to say, though. The overwhelming majority of scripted series on the air today are shot wide and center-cropped for standard-definition broadcasts...although I'd doubt that's the case with Wiseguy.

If it's like Hogan's Heroes, it's a variety of tricks -- slightly stretched (probably not evenly, which makes it less noticeable), slightly cropped, slightly pillarboxed, more of the information from the negative exposed than before...

One idea, 120inna55: Court TV airs Wiseguy in standard-definition, so maybe you could record an episode from there, wait until it airs on HDNet, and then compare the two. The episode "The Squeeze" airs late night tonight on Court TV, and it'll air on HDNet in a little over a week.

[Septemberbaby]

Originally Posted by 120inna55

How could I have left him out of the lineup. Absolutely the coolest character! With a straight face, he was stone cold, but when he smiled, you would trust him with your life.

Remember how he killed people with those "balls"??
Good God.. how crazy was that?

Couple more that came to me ... Glen Frey!! PRICELESS!
Senator Fred Thompson, Debbie Harry and Gerald Anothny (who passed away a year ago or so. )

Originally Posted by 120inna55

Yep, that's been debated before. The music was the mood of that scene and was even its own character. You can't have any other song there. It was absolutely ruined. I wonder if HDNET retains the original song?

No clue.. I guess you'll have to let us know.
Which arc are they showing?

[Adam Tyner]

Originally Posted by Septemberbaby

Which arc are they showing?

"The International Drug Ring Arc"

[Septemberbaby]

Originally Posted by Adam Tyner

"The International Drug Ring Arc"

Wait a minute!!!!
Cou(r)t Tv is airing Wiseguy on Sundays??????
(Running off to set a season pass!!!)

[120inna55]

Originally Posted by Suprmallet

...In other words, you'll never get a widescreen image by showing something open-matte. If the show is in widescreen and it isn't stretched, either the old shows had a lot of extra headroom, or they cut some stuff at the top or the bottom.

You know, now that you mention it, I actually knew that. I don't know what I was thinking. Thanks for clarifying.

Originally Posted by Adam Tyner

...If it's like Hogan's Heroes, it's a variety of tricks -- slightly stretched (probably not evenly, which makes it less noticeable), slightly cropped, slightly pillarboxed, more of the information from the negative exposed than before...

I actually haven't been "watching" it on HDNET. It was just on when I woke up this morning (~0530) and I recall seeing it on HDNET some time ago as well. I seem to recall when I saw it on HDNET in the past, that there was some noticable stretch (but I may be remembering it wrong). When I saw it again this morning (different arc/same station), I backed it up (DVR) and really scrutinized it. Mainly I watched for objects that should be perfectly circular to become oblong. Never did I witness this, even at the edges of the screen. And the clarity and color correctness was so film-like. Sure, there was some grain and scratches, but I actually like this in some cases.

Some of the OAR purists may flame me (I consider myself to be an OAR-snob), but I actually wish the DVDs looked this way. I know the DVDs can't have the rez of the HD, but the widescreen presentation was phenomenal.

[Alan Smithee]

Is SpongeBob SquarePants a bad word or something?

Apparently it is- I typed it in and it was automatically replaced with "SpongeBob SquarePants".

They should replace all references to CNN with "Chicken Noodle News" as well