# SciFi Channel in HD?



## purvis (Sep 3, 2007)

Any word on when Scifi channel will be offered in HD? We are getting to the point where all the major channels will be in HD and that is the only major one I can think of that is out of the loop


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## coldmiser (Mar 10, 2007)

After watching clips of BSG in HD on an awards show, I'm foaming at the mouth for SciFi in HD. I know BSG is going away soon, but with Dresden and Eureka I want SciFi in HD NOW!


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## Alan Gordon (Jun 7, 2004)

coldmiser said:


> After watching clips of BSG in HD on an awards show, I'm foaming at the mouth for SciFi in HD. I know BSG is going away soon, but with Dresden and Eureka I want SciFi in HD NOW!


Dresden was cancelled.

~Alan


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## jimborst (Jun 13, 2006)

coldmiser said:


> After watching clips of BSG in HD on an awards show, I'm foaming at the mouth for SciFi in HD. I know BSG is going away soon, but with Dresden and Eureka I want SciFi in HD NOW!


Why just watch clips, BSG has been on either HDNET or UNIHD. They are a season behind and not currently on but they will probably start when BSG starts up again.


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## DBS Commando (Apr 7, 2006)

I've heard mid-September but I'm not sure if that is fact or fiction.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Last time I looked on the SciFi Web site, they have absolutely nothing to say about HD at all. In fact the last FAQ type answer you can find says "we have no plans at this time"... and I remember them being surprised when DirecTV announced they would be carrying SciFi in HD since they had not made any plans yet to go HD!

That said... it would be nice to see... but I have no clue at all when this will happen.


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## Mike D-CO5 (Mar 12, 2003)

I am thinking that if Sci-fi does indeed do an hd channel ,it will be upconverted like Tlc and Animal Planet is today. It will look good but it won't be true hd, yet.


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## DBS Commando (Apr 7, 2006)

Mike D-CO5 said:


> I am thinking that if Sci-fi does indeed do an hd channel ,it will be upconverted like Tlc and Animal Planet is today. It will look good but it won't be true hd, yet.


Why won't shows like Eureka and Stargate look good? You can tell they are shot in HD by the black bars on the top and bottom of the screen.


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## Galaxie6411 (Aug 26, 2007)

DBS Commando said:


> Why won't shows like Eureka and Stargate look good? You can tell they are shot in HD by the black bars on the top and bottom of the screen.


Just because they were shot in 16:9 doesn't mean they are HD does it? B5 was shot in widescreen over 10 years ago and definitely wasn't HD

I would love to see BSG and a few other shows in HD but all their crappy Saturday movies would be a waste of bandwidth. If only they were still making Farscape and it was shot in HD. :icon_cry:


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## shortkud (Jan 24, 2007)

Galaxie6411 said:


> Just because they were shot in 16:9 doesn't mean they are HD does it? B5 was shot in widescreen over 10 years ago and definitely wasn't HD
> 
> I would love to see BSG and a few other shows in HD but all their crappy Saturday movies would be a waste of bandwidth. If only they were still making Farscape and it was shot in HD. :icon_cry:


They are shot in HD because they are aired in HD in the UK.


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## thejunker (Apr 15, 2007)

Galaxie6411 said:


> Just because they were shot in 16:9 doesn't mean they are HD does it? B5 was shot in widescreen over 10 years ago and definitely wasn't HD
> 
> I would love to see BSG and a few other shows in HD but all their crappy Saturday movies would be a waste of bandwidth. If only they were still making Farscape and it was shot in HD. :icon_cry:


B5 was shot in 35mm, technically equal and in many cases superior to HD. Re-mastering them for HD would not be that hard to do.

Many shows meet this requirement as well, the studios just need to get on with converting them, which I expect will increase as the popularity of the HD home market blossoms.


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## coldmiser (Mar 10, 2007)

Alan Gordon said:


> Dresden was cancelled.
> 
> ~Alan


Interesting. I just recently looked at SciFi channels website and they had a date listed for it to come back. I can't check right now since my work web filters block SciFi, but I'll check later.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

DBS Commando said:


> Why won't shows like Eureka and Stargate look good? You can tell they are shot in HD
> by the black bars on the top and bottom of the screen.


Black bars are not a reliable indicator of whether or not a program is being broadcast in HD. I 
have watched many a movie in SD that had black bars top and bottom which usually indicates
a higher aspect ratio, such as 2.35:1, not necessarily HD.

The way you can tell a program is being broadcast in HD is by actually looking at your STB's res
numbers and by observing the picture quality (resolution) - unlss it's an ABC or NBC program,
then you are likely to see an HD broadcast that is highly filtered or down-rezzed to soften detail
solely for cosmetic reasons.

With a properly-tweaked HD display, if you can't tell an HD program is in HD, then it probably
isn't unless your eyes are bad.


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