BuckNaked2k

As of May 17, the Cartoon Network (and other Turner Networks, I presume?) have started stretching all 4x3 content on both the HD feed as well as the SD feed.

It was bad enough before that they did this on the HD feed, but there was a work-around. By keeping the SD channel in my lineup, I could switch over and watch a 4x3 show in its OAR. No more. Now the stretched 4x3 image from the HD feed is being broadcast on the SD feed as well, black bars and all.

This network really needs to pull their head out of their ass, and figure this out. In this day and age, shows should be broadcast in their ORIGINAL aspect ratios. If an episode was shot in 16x9, show it in 16x9. If it was shot in 4x3, by God, show it that way as well. Stop stretching, cropping, letterboxing, and generally assing up the image.

PhantomStranger

If you don't know by now, the people running Cartoon Network aren't top-flight geniuses. I wonder if this affects Boomerang, which mostly consists of older 4:3 content?

Lastdaysofrain

I suspect it probably doesn't effect Boomerang because I think Boomerang is only an SD channel.

Astrofan

Buck, I have bad news for you, the vast majority of Americans don't give a crap. They watched pan and scanned VHS for almost two decades without complaint and if DVD's were also they would say a word.

Dragon Tattoo

Which word would it be?

Eddie W

How are they stretching the SD channel since it's native aspect ratio is 4x3? Are they stretching & then letterboxing or something?

BuckNaked2k

The 4x3 image is streched & distorted to 16x9. This "fills the screen" on the HD feed. That image is then ported over, and letterboxed to fit the SD channel. On an old TV, you have a streched/distorted image with black bars top & bottom. On a widescreen TV, you have a stretched/distorted image in a windowboxed presentation.

In the past, I could watch the 4x3 OAR episodes on the SD feed with the proper pillarboxed image. This is no longer an option.

Alan Smithee

People didn't complain about the logo always being on the screen, they're not gonna complain about this either. (I see their bug has been a big "CN" for a while- isn't Ted Turner afraid people are going to get that confused with CNN? ) Just one more reason for me to never have cable. (And why are so many cable channels still doing separate standard-def feeds anyways, when most broadcast stations stopped doing that 4 years ago?)

TheKing

I just checked a few Turner networks, and didn't see the problem. TNT is showing Castle in 4X3 on SD, but 16X9 in HD. TruTV is showing It Only Hurts When I Laugh the same way. TBS is fine with Friends.

However, it does seem that they have dropped the SD feed of Cartoon Network and are just using the HD feed now. I couldn't tell at first since they're showing a live action show and I thought it was a commercial.

I do wish the Turner networks would respect OAR, but since I no longer watch SD channels this particular issue wouldn't bother me, but the underlying issue would.

The sad part is that if they did use OAR on the HD feed, then they'd have a black border on all 4 sides on the SD feed on 4X3 TVs. I've seen that a few times.

Drexl

"Whatever."

BuckNaked2k

My God, a stretched 4x3 episode of an old American Dad makes Stan Smith's chin bigger than Texas.

bluetoast

You'd think the nerds who write the Adult Swim captions would know what to do. Maybe they could send an email to the higher ups or something.

But seriously they're idiots if they can't show it correctly.

Lastdaysofrain

Adult Swim is considered a totally different channel. It's like when Nickelodeon and Nick at Nite shared a channel, but were really two different networks.

Nick Danger

"The last time I checked, I owned the films that we're in the process of colorizing," said Ted Turner. "I can do whatever I want with them, and if they're going to be shown on television, they're going to be in color."

Ted Turner on colorizing black-and-white movies in 1986.

My Other Self

When have they not?