Capture/DVR Projects -- TV Movies: Star Wars Trilogy(s)

[vhelp]

This just in.. While I was doing a tv guide search, my eye cought the following:

We all have these movies on VHS; Laserdisc; or DVD's; but we still like to have fun trying our hand
on broadcast stuff. Anyway. So, get out your DVR's or Capture cards and play around. The way
I am figuring, these are prob going to be telecined for TEC (time expansion/compression) and I'd
like to know out of curiosity purpose what'if scenarious

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Title: Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace
Description: Young Anakin Skywalker comes under the tutelage of Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Jedi master, as an enemy threatens the peaceful Galactic Republic.
Showing: Date Time Channel
4/4/2008 8:00PM 41 SPIKETV
4/5/2008 5:00PM 41 SPIKETV


Title: Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones
Description: Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, protect the former queen from political separatists.
Showing: Date Time Channel
4/5/2008 8:00PM 41 SPIKETV
4/6/2008 4:30PM 41 SPIKETV


Title: Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith
Description: Seduced by the dark side, Anakin Skywalker turns against his mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi and becomes Darth Vader.
Showing: Date Time Channel
4/6/2008 8:00PM 41 SPIKETV
4/7/2008 4:30PM 41 SPIKETV


Title: Star Wars IV: A New Hope
Description: Robots and other allies help a youth and a space jockey rescue a rebel princess and battle dark forces bent on intergalactic rule.
Showing: Date Time Channel
4/11/2008 8:00PM 41 SPIKETV
4/12/2008 5:00PM 41 SPIKETV


Title: Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back
Description: Yoda teaches Luke Skywalker to be a Jedi knight, and Han Solo woos Princess Leia, as Darth Vader returns to threaten the rebel forces trying to save the galaxy.
Showing: Date Time Channel
4/12/2008 8:00PM 41 SPIKETV
4/13/2008 5:00PM 41 SPIKETV


Title: Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi
Description: Luke Skywalker, now an experienced Jedi knight, tries to discover Darth Vader's identity.
Showing: Date Time Channel
4/13/2008 8:00PM 41 SPIKETV
4/14/2008 5:00PM 41 SPIKETV

-vhelp 4631

[yoda313]

I was bumbed that COMCAST here in Michigan isn't offering SPIKE in HD yet!!! Man what a waist. I still have yet to see the sequels or prequels in high def. Can't wait for BLURAY!!!!!

No point for me recording full screen analog caputres. I have all on dvd. I watched Phantom Menace on disc last night for the first time in a long time. FUn movie and hard to believe next year it will be 10 YEARS OLD!!! Damn - 1999 was almost that long ago now????? Yikes...

[vhelp]

yeah, when I write this post (it was pretty late for me) I wasn't thinking about the 4:3 or 16:9
or letterbox format. I guess I was assuming that it would be this time, so I overlooked it.

Anyway. In this case, I am mainly curious if they will keep it in its original 3:2 telecine format
or not. The last time I captured the trilogy was during my Satellite days. But, I remember
these programs being glitchy in the telecine. Back then, I thought it was Cuts and Edits, but
today, it was prob time expanded/compressed for fitting in a given timeslot. So, naturally I
want to see this true/false for myself, and see if they did anything else or mabe they will air
them all (or some of them) in letterbox format.

Plus, I am studying time expansion/compression cadence applied to telecine sources. And so
knowing the outcome of this will help me in my programming project for this function.

-vhelp 4633

[vhelp]

FWIW, TNT is broadcasting LOTR trilogy's as well, though I haven't obtained any of these on DVD's,
yet. Well, except for the first one. I have it on VHS and DVD. The remaining 2, I do not.

-vhelp 4634

[Conquest10]

The trilogies have been shown before on HBO and Cinemax in HD. They've also been on Comcast's HD OnDemand.

Are you sure these will be broadcast in HD? Just because Spike has an HD channel means nothing really.

[vhelp]

Unfortunately, they are broadcasting these programs in 4:3 mode. But that's alright.

Plus, I am studying time expansion/compression cadence applied to telecine sources. And so
knowing the outcome of this will help me in my programming project for this function.

I had the notion that this program's telecine was going to be TEC 'ed, and it looks like I was correct.
After a careful analysis of the cadence, the usual pattern for 3:2 film source was not what it seemed,
though they were 3:2 alright, but they were set up to manipulate the video's play time to fit the time
slot. However, I am happy to report that the tec cadence pattern is consistant, and will produce a
clean restore back to 24p with ease.

I am going to look at the reaming trilogies because I think it will help me in my tec project and I'd like
to see if they changed the telecine as was used for original trilogy from past years to see if the finished
application reveals consistancy throughout the telecined video.

TEC telecine has become a challenge to me in the past few years now. So all this is very interesting
and important to me. And I'm just being my usual self over-sharing this aspect of my knowledge and
interests with you all, here.

-vhelp 4635

[vhelp]

Looks like they followed the same TEC script. The II movie was a perfect restore back to 24p.

I just finished watching star wars. Even though it was 4:3 fullscreen, I rather enjoyed it for what
it was worth. It kept me entertained. Even the fight scene with Qui-Gon Jinn still kept my heart
pumping to this day. I love it. Anyway. I thought I would consider doing throwing together a
few edited scenes to disk for bravery, but I thought I would wait to finish up on tomorrows III.
Otherwise, I was just thinking about doing it

-vhelp 4636

[yoda313]

The trilogies have been shown before on HBO and Cinemax in HD. They've also been on Comcast's HD OnDemand.

Are you sure these will be broadcast in HD? Just because Spike has an HD channel means nothing really.

I hadn't thought about on demand possibilities. But it's insane for me to pay 6.00 per movie for a one time viewing when I own the dvds. THOUGH if they had Episode 3 in HD On demand that might be worth a rental....

Also I have a feeling SPike was broadcasting them in HD becasuse that would be a reason to do all 6. Why else push an add campaign if your starting an hd feed and not do a hd broadcast? Unfortunately no SPIKE HD channel for us Comcast Michigan customers yet..... Maybe TNT will get Star Wars/?? They are in hd on comcast....

[vhelp]

I don't know yoda313, but from what I understand, when movies are slated from broacast
they usually indicate whether it be "edited for picture format/content/time slot.. yada yada" but
so far these showings have not indicated it and they all have been 4:3 fullscreen. About the
only good thing with these last two broadcasted movies (will be checing this evenings also) is
the fact that they broadcasted a clean telecine, though there may have been some cuts of
unimportant scenes to fit the timeslot, the cadense was at least, perfect! And even that makes
it all the while for capturing it, though I mostly captured parts. Spike did mention they would
be brodcasting it ongoing for this month, at least.

Course, you know I'm on analog cabletv so that may reveal the usual (and even non-letterbox)
4:3 fullscreen format. But, (with respect to this) I have noticed that on other channels, for
example, when TBS airs "The Matrix" it is in 4:3 fullscreen, but when USA or AMC air's it, it is
presented in windescreen 4:3 letterbox. So, your notion about other channels is prob correct
But there have even been rare instances where they (certain channels) would broadcast in
another format in our favor. Just thought I would add that because I have seen this in at least
"The Matrix" broadcasts since many channels seem to air it.

-vhelp 4643

[Conquest10]

The trilogies have been shown before on HBO and Cinemax in HD. They've also been on Comcast's HD OnDemand.

Are you sure these will be broadcast in HD? Just because Spike has an HD channel means nothing really.

I hadn't thought about on demand possibilities. But it's insane for me to pay 6.00 per movie for a one time viewing when I own the dvds. THOUGH if they had Episode 3 in HD On demand that might be worth a rental....

Also I have a feeling SPike was broadcasting them in HD becasuse that would be a reason to do all 6. Why else push an add campaign if your starting an hd feed and not do a hd broadcast? Unfortunately no SPIKE HD channel for us Comcast Michigan customers yet..... Maybe TNT will get Star Wars/?? They are in hd on comcast....

The Star Wars OnDemand were actually free if you had HBO or Cinemax. Not extra charge.

I was reading the forums last night and it appears the showing was horrible. Soft picture, not in OAR nor was it in 5.1. Looked like upconverted SD.

Also, don't be fooled by advertising. The vast majority of new HD channels that DirecTV has broadcast little to absolutely no actual HD.

[vhelp]

I don't know if this matter to most of you all but have you noticed that some channels are
broacasting more and more letterbox programs ??

So far I've seen USA and AMC showing a lot more widescreen (letterbox) versions of programs
than any other channel. But then again, I don't watch a lot of tv, so there could be a few
that I am not aware of, yet.

Personally, I don't mind letterbox, because you can work those out to some degree, sometimes
much better than 4:3 fullscreen stuff.

Hay, because Episode III is the so called, world premier (first time broadcast) maybe they'll
show it in 16:9 (or letterbox) presentation. I wouldn't mind that. I know.., wishful thinking. But,
I don't have Epsisode III on DVD, as part of my collection, yet. I suppose we shall know in a half
or so.

-vhelp 4644

[yoda313]

Yes vhelp I have noticed more and more letterboxed shows. That is actually good for me. When I have a channel that is showing a letterboxed program that does NOT have a HD counterpart on my box I can watch the analog feed and stretch the screen appropriately.

Most are 1.85 approx so when I go to 25% overscan it fills the screen without distorting. Occasionally shows like THE UNIVERSE on The History Channel are closer to 2.35 approx aspect ratio. When those are stretched fully they leave a larger black border similar to movies like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.

The nice thing of my dvr box is it outputs regular analog channels at 480P so it is closer to a dvd presentation sans 5.1.

I have a split analog signal also going to my hdtv for the plain analog channels and so those are a bit softer being 480i instead of p without the box. (in case your wondering that is so I can watch another channel while recording on the dvr - even though its a dual tuner dvr - on some occasions I do have two shows going at once though rare - this way it is like the tv/vcr button on a vcr setup to watch the tv without the vcr recording signal)

[greymalkin]

man..id love to get my hands on the LOTR HD stuff. I have the EE boxes right now...

[vhelp]

man..id love to get my hands on the LOTR HD stuff. I have the EE boxes right now...

Me too! I'd like to 'ov ben able to capture them (for dvd) instead of buying them. That would
have made all the difference in this case. But they too have been broadcasting all of these
over the last couple of weekends in 4:3 fullscreen

Anyway..

This weekend they [s:a22de2ed5a]are[/s:a22de2ed5a] been airing the 4/5/6 episodes. Yes, still in 4:3 fullscreen. Oh well. Anyway.

I do have an ajenda, specially for these last three episodes. You see, the last time I recorded
this (was using my TRV-22 cam at the time of my Satellite serv) to DV tapes I had procblems
with them in post-processing attempts for ivtc-ing them back to 24p frame rate.

I specially do remember where it was breaking up a lot in one of the scenes I had most trouble in.
The scene was where they were fighting around the Death Star, and in various other parts. Now,
I want to review those scenes to see if they changed the telecine on it as well. I'm pretty sure
that they did and that *ALL* these broadcasts episodes can finally be restored back to 24p.

So, i'm watching, capturing, and reviewing all these broadcasts so I can satisfy my curiosity of the
errors they once contained long ago once and for all

So far, we can fully restore back to 24p frame rate (the 4:3 fullscreen versions) for:

[yes] ... Episode I
[yes] ... Episode II
[yes] ... Episode III
[yes] ... Episode IV
[yes] ... Episode V
[yes] ... Episode VI

Well, its really too bad they were teasing us with the widescreen preview, in an effort to entise
us ta tune in and watch it.

-vhelp 4652

[vhelp]

Ok. This just in..

I noticed that the SpikeTV logo is different now. It's now a hologram logo. A sign of new changes,
I guess. Since yesterday, I noticed that some programs were in widescreen and the logo was different,
as in the above.. a hologram type. I'm not thinking that they may have changed things how movies
and shows are being broadcasted in widescreen, letterbox.

Today, the tv series, CSI was presented in widescreen. I always thought they were in fullscreen
presentation, but maybe they originate in widescreen presentation. I don't have the DVD releases
of that series, so I don't know.

The Star Wars IV An New Hope is being presented in widescreen letter box @ 1.78AR as I write
this post to you all

Also, so far, even with these new (edited for television) widescreen versions, the ivtc is fully
restoreable back to 24p. The audio sound is a littel different, too, though I'm not sure.

But, its sure good to know that SpikeTV is now going (seemingly) widescreen

-vhelp 4684