Isn't that a question for SHAW? The previous posts were not off topic, btw.

This may or may not be what Jeff1960 was asking, but I'd like to know when CBC-HD will be available OTA out west (excluding Vancouver)

This may or may not be what Jeff1960 was asking, but I'd like to know when CBC-HD will be available OTA out west (excluding Vancouver)

The current status is -
Toronto and Montreal: On Air
Vancouver: ETA Fall of 2005
Ottawa: Planning
I can't say when the other cities will be on air with HD. When that information becomes available I will pass it on.

welcome marc nice to have some one like you abroad...your HD signal is great in port colborne 55 miles as the crow flys due south on the shores of lake erie

Marc, a few comments.

1. Do you know why Star Wars 1 & 2 were shown 16:9 instead of the original aspect ratio (OAR) of 2.35:1? The studios often produce two versions, but most videophiles prefer OAR.

2. Any idea why SW1 appeared to be grainy and soft?

3. The IPG was also incorrect for SW1, meaning that those people with DVRs missed the ending.

If you're interested, here's the link where we discussed SW1, 2.

http://digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25180

I'll have to make a few calls to get those answers. I'll reply in the Star Wars thread.

This may or may not be what Jeff1960 was asking, but I'd like to know when CBC-HD will be available OTA out west (excluding Vancouver)

Supposedly being added to Regina lineup on June 17th.

Is it true CBC will be carrying a lot of CFL games in HDTV this year? The CBC HD web site shows a disappointing total of zero HD programs over a the current 2 week schedule.

Neil,

taxtwit was asking when CBC-HD would be available in the West(excluding Vancouver) OTA. That means Over The Air, not cable.

CBC is tentatively planning on doing a few regular season CFL games in HD, plus playoffs and the Grey Cup. TSN is doing an HD CFL game every Friday night.

I'll have to make a few calls to get those answers. I'll reply in the Star Wars thread.

Hi Marc can you make another call? The middle movie last night (Road to Perdition) appeared to be 16:9 but appeared on the HD network with black bars on all sides on a 16:9 CRT. Chicken run just ahead of it was fine. Even you pdf guide said it would be widescreen.

Is it true CBC will be carrying a lot of CFL games in HDTV this year? The CBC HD web site shows a disappointing total of zero HD programs over a the current 2 week schedule.

CBC is still considering options with regard to potential CFL HD coverage.

While we are unfortunately light on true HD programming during the current few weeks, we look forward to bringing more HD in the new season to come.

On a related note, CBC's first HD mobile production unit is almost ready to hit the road. The 'ribbon cutting' is this week so you can expect to see more events shot in HD during the coming months.

Hi Marc can you make another call? The middle movie last night (Road to Perdition) appeared to be 16:9 but appeared on the HD network with black bars on all sides on a 16:9 CRT. Chicken run just ahead of it was fine. Even you pdf guide said it would be widescreen.

In Toronto, the aspect ratio was not correct. (It was fine in Montreal.) The station operator selected the wrong server content for CBLT-DT. He/she selected the SD version, instead of the HD version, which gets special handling to accommodate the widescreen content.

I've asked our maintenance group to modify the monitor wall to make aspect ratio errors more visible.

In Toronto, the aspect ratio was not correct. (It was fine in Montreal.) The station operator selected the wrong server content for CBLT-DT. He/she selected the SD version, instead of the HD version, which gets special handling to accommodate the widescreen content.

I've asked our maintenance group to modify the monitor wall to make aspect ratio errors more visible.

Thanks Marc. Is there any thing the viewing audience can do in realtime when these errors are occuring to signal the control rooms that something is very wrong? I suspect not. There is probably quite a big difference between your network control center operations and what goes on at the affiliate level ay the small stations in Buffalo. Still I thought you guys would have workflow automation for these details???

Thanks Marc. Is there any thing the viewing audience can do in realtime when these errors are occuring to signal the control rooms that something is very wrong? I suspect not.

Input from the public is handled by Audience Relations at 1-866-306-4636. They're staffed from 7:30am to 8:00pm weekdays. They will pass on viewer concerns directly to the Network Operations Centre during those hours.

Most errors are caught relatively quickly. Master Control, the satellite and cable companies and off duty CBC employees will call NOC if an on air problem persists. The aspect ratio was corrected an hour into the movie. Such a long delay is not acceptable and we're talking to the staff involved to find out what happened.

There is probably quite a big difference between your network control center operations and what goes on at the affiliate level ay the small stations in Buffalo. Still I thought you guys would have workflow automation for these details???

Yes we are automated, but the problem started when the automation was programmed with the wrong code. We got what we asked for. :( Right now, programming of the automation involves a lot of paper and handwritten notes. Come November, we will be switching over to a new system that will allow us to move program data around electronically and avoid these data entry errors.

FYI We do have sensors across the country that monitor the health of our transmitters and signal quality, but none of them know the difference between a good vs. bad aspect ratio.

Saw about 2 minutes of 'Antiques roadshow' from Toronto. It was only widescreen but still looked pretty good.

Also saw a couple minutes of an older French movie that had clearly just been stretched and looked as expected (not good).

I noticed 'The Nature of Things' tomorrow is colored sort of yellow in the program guide and the legend shows deep orange as 'HD'. Is that just a color variation or is that to indicate The Nature of Things is sort-of but not-quite HD?

NoT - HD (that's Nature of Things - will be HD) ;)

http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showthread.php?p=220151#post220151

Also saw a couple minutes of an older French movie that had clearly just been stretched and looked as expected (not good).

Do you remember the day you saw this? CBC's policy is to air black bars rather that stretch or compress images. If you saw this, it was a mistake.

is sort-of but not-quite HD?

Nah. "Sort-of but not-quite HD" is a registered trademark of CTV;)

BTW, Marc, any updates on CFL games in HD on CBC? Or when CBC might be updating its HDTV website (the newsletter pdf is still from the Winter)?

BTW, Marc, any updates on CFL games in HD on CBC? Or when CBC might be updating its HDTV website (the newsletter pdf is still from the Winter)?

Still no word on the CFL HD schedule. The game on July 9th will be SD, but our HD mobile will be there too for testing purposes.

The new HD Times is expected at the beginning of July.

I noticed 'The Nature of Things' tomorrow is colored sort of yellow in the program guide and the legend shows deep orange as 'HD'. Is that just a color variation or is that to indicate The Nature of Things is sort-of but not-quite HD?

The different shading was a typo. It will be corrected shortly.

Do you remember the day you saw this? CBC's policy is to air black bars rather that stretch or compress images. If you saw this, it was a mistake.

Sorry I mis-spoke, I shouldn't have said stretched, what I meant was it was an older lower res source blown up to the higher HD resolution, as opposed to native HD. I believe it did have appropriate top/bottom black bars but I'll watch more carefully now that it's been launched here.

I spoke with someone from CBC today and found out that recently obtained their new "HD Bus" and will begin broadcasting live HD events starting with the Grey Cup, and also they intend to broadcast 1 of the HNIC games every week if & when there is an NHL season this fall.
I told them I was a fairly new Shaw HD subscriber in Edmonton and wanted to know if they knew if Shaw could somehow pick up their HD feed for these broadcasts, they said that for the Heritage Classic game Shaw carried it on their preview channel. Is this true?
If it is, wouldn't Shaw still be able to do this? I also asked if CBC in fact had a "CBC-HD" channel to broadcast on and according to them they don't yet, however I also spoke to a Bell CSR today that said they did. So who's pullin my leg here?
CBC also said that the live HD signals will be broadcast OTA but only in TO & Montreal, and have plans in the near future to put OTA transmitters in Vancouver & Ottawa.