Widescreen on RTÉ

Gadgie

I e-mailed RTÉ many moons ago asking them if they were planning on broadcasting in anamorphic widescreen, and also if they were going to change the Radio 1 WRN mono feed that is on channel 892 to the stereo one carried on the RTÉ transponder. Months later (and several pestering e-mails inbetween) here is their response...

Glenn,
I have been advised this morning by Michael Cutliffe that RTE have no plans at the moment to transmit widescreen on SKY. As regards the audio on WRN Radio, this is currently under discussion.

Regards,
Colin Kennedy
(pp Bernie Pope)
RTE Network Support

I also received this from TV3 a few days after I sent the original e-mails:

We have no immediate plans.
Regards
TV3

Glenn

carrolls

Therefore if you have a widescreen tv, watch BBC/ITV/CH4/ Premier WS and Film 4 instead.

DMC

Because of the licence that the BCI have given them, they cant transmit any 16:9 material on Sky where it is in 4:3 or 14:9 on analogue terrestrial.

The signal shown on Sky Digital must mirror exactly that shown on terrestrial. So no additional features, like widescreen or text services are being allowed.

ShaneOC

Are you serious Damo?

I cannot believe that RTÉ are not allowed broadcast widescreen on Sky. There is a growing number of US programmes that are being shown in widescreen format now such as ER and The West Wing. It seems crazy that RTÉ won't be allowed to take advantage of the technology that will allow viewers with widescreen sets to see the picture properly, rather than having to zoom in to see the full picture (but loosing resolution).

I wasn't going to mention it but I couldn't help myself. What about the GAA issue?

Also isn't it ironic that all the electrical outlets were pushing widescreen sales for the world cup when there is no channel showing the matches in widescreen?

DMC

Yep, but the situation with the GAA is about sporting rights holdings rather than any technical benefit.

This has more to do with technical standards, and not allowing any extra advantage in having the Irish channels on Sky Digital, than on the analogue systems. If the channels had proper widescreen switching, that is an advantage over the other Digital offerings on NTL or Chorus. Once NTL and Chorus get the act together (deep intake of breath) then, and only then would an additional service like widescreen switching or digital text be available.

It's more keeping the wolf away from the door than anything else.

ShaneOC

Originally posted by DamoDMC
Once NTL and Chorus get the act together

Dear Mods,

Please note that Damo is taking drugs . It has been suspected for quite some time but the above statement is as good as an admission.

ShaneOC

Seriously though it is ridiculous.

Does anyone know if RTÉ have the necessary equipment to transmit anamorphic widescreen pictures? If they do they should provide the facility on every platform that supports it. Sky Digital supports it at present. I have no idea about Chorus Digital or NTL Digital. Maybe someone with those services and a widescreen TV can tell us if the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 widescreen output is correctly handled.

I'm off to the cable board to see.

smcdermo

BBC show almost 70% of their programming material in ANAMORPHIC widescreen on SKY DIGITAL, apart from the odd old film and archive footage.
RTE do this this once in a blue-moon !
I wouldn't take what RTE are saying above as gospel either, many of the movie distributors didn't know what anamorphic meant when DVD was finding it's feet and used it as a buzzword to sell their producs.

Easy way for people to identify anamorphic signals is to set your picture ratio to 4:3, if the image appears squashed to the left and right, and when you set the ratio back to auto-format and the TV instantly flashes the image to 16:9 and displays the WIDE
logo.....................bingo you have an anamorphic signal, with all the lovely lines of resolution squashed into yor screen.........

Gadgie

Originally posted by smcdermo
RTE [broadcast anamorphically] once in a blue-moon !

No. They. Don't.

Glenn

Gadgie

Originally posted by carrolls
Therefore if you have a widescreen tv, watch BBC/ITV/CH4/ Premier WS and Film 4 instead.

I wasn't aware that the aforementioned stations run a channel that mirrors exactly the output of RTÉ.

Glenn

Gadgie

Originally posted by DamoDMC
Because of the licence that the BCI have given them, they cant transmit any 16:9 material on Sky where it is in 4:3 or 14:9 on analogue terrestrial.

The signal shown on Sky Digital must mirror exactly that shown on terrestrial. So no additional features, like widescreen or text services are being allowed.

I always took it to assume that the 'mirroring' applied only to interactive services/digital text/alternate programming - the actual content is the same as broadcast on the terrestrial service.

Glenn

ShaneOC

I cannot believe that the BCI would prevent RTÉ broadcasting in widescreen. I think a wee mail will have to be sent to clarify specifically what they mean by the satellite transmission mirroring the terrestrial one.

Mossy Monk

they're obviously not too bothered about RTÉ's broadcasts on satellite and terrestrial being exactly the same. have they said anything about the GAA fiasco yet. i've heard nothing