Tacky

Boo-Ray

If the length of time it took to transition to digital television is any indication; don't expect it anytime soon.

Piggie

Welcome Tacky!

OTA standard is 13 years old this year. It took 13 years to transition. In major markets there were digital transmitters back to 2001, but yet few TVs and only very expensive converter boxes until a year ago when the CECBs were introduced.

The OTA transition had little to do with cable as you say you mostly watch cable.

SD programming is around now, and new shows are still being made in SD. Resolution had nothing to do with the transition on OTA to digital.

Hence really three separate issues. But I too think it will be years before all new shows are in HD. I don't think there is a big enough demand for the low budget shows to upgrade. Heck even a lot of the network shows are SD, which boggles my mind. CBS News Up To the Minute is still SD and that set could easily be moved to their HD studio. That set is just a table. ABC News this Morning is the same. Why has CBS left Craig Ferguson in SD? The list goes on and on....

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The more I understand, the less I know.

Yes616

I see more and more new shows going HD. Most recently, General Hospital & Dr. Phil though some stations are still showing some HD shows in SD on their HD feed. I don't know why but I see it.

An example of this is Entertainment Tonight on WYOU in Scranton. ET is in HD on WCBS 2 from New York but not WYOU. WYOU carries it at 11PM and at 11:35, The Late Show is in HD so it's not like they can't do it.

I think they will all come around pretty soon. I don't see more than one HD feed per channel so there will continue to be SD extra sub-channels for a long time to come.

Piggie

There are a lot of syndicated shows on my locals that are in SD that I know are shot in HD, because on other channels I have seen them in HD when conditions permit.

I believe either they don't pay for an HD feed or they can't record in HD. I am not sure which.

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The more I understand, the less I know.

EscapeVelocity

Lower resolution video will thrive just like lower quality audio...mp3 is a prime example.

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bicker

That's a really good point: Our PBS station didn't have the capability to capture HD off their network feed and broadcast it sometime later, until several months ago. It was so frustrating to have this huge HDTV, only to have This Old House shown as a little postage stamp (letterboxed and pillarboxed) in the middle of the screen.

HTNut

boy is that ever true. i fear that same issue will hold true with online streaming content. the whole "who cares about quality, as long as I'm getting it for free" mindset goes completely against what i want and the equipment i've spent money on to view such content.

Tacky

Very disappointing to hear but very informative. I guess I could be happy that the digital transition at least went through. Just like Bicker, I can't stand letterboxed and pillarboxed shows either.