To Live and Watch HD in LA

The LA Times recently posted an article about the dearth of HD channels and programming on Los Angeles area cable:

The entertainment capital of the world ranks last among the five biggest U.S. markets in the number of high-definition channels available to cable-TV subscribers. New York, Chicago, Houston and Philadelphia all get far more, as do such smaller cities as San Diego and Charlotte, N.C.

Southern California's No. 1 pay-TV provider, Time Warner Cable Inc., can't improve its systems fast enough to keep up with demand for the sharper pictures of high-definition.

The company, which serves 1.9 million customers across Southern California, has promised to add 12 high-definition channels by July 1, and nine more by the end of the year, but cynical subscribers aren't buying it.

This frustrates the hell out of me. The only cable provider in the area is Time Warner Cable, so there is no way for any of us to switch to a competitor without going to satellite. And trust me, I thought long and hard about DirecTV's 100+ HD channel lineup after getting my HD set in December, but in the end I decided it was a lot of hassle for minimal gain. The reality is I don't watch that much television; there are a few shows I follow, but all of them except for Battlestar Galactica are on the four major networks, which are in HD with TWC. Sure, I channel surf some nights, but that matters less to me – besides, having a disincentive to watch crap TV is a good thing.

If TWC intro'd Sci-Fi HD, and a few movie-type channels (maybe Bravo [soon to be Lifetime] HD for Project Runway), I'd be more than happy. I could always add HBO or Showtime, but again, I don't watch enough to justify that, especially when Netflix sends me al of the Blu-ray discs I can ask for.

My personal annoyances aside, it's embarrassing that Hollywood has such a lame HD cable lineup. This table shows just how bad we've got it.

Come on, TWC. We're making the content, and I can speak to how much of it is delivered in HD. So show it to us that way already!

[c/o Brett]

NPR On Digital Color Correction

From Hollywood Makeovers, Frame by Frame, over on NPR.org:

Nowadays, films are edited digitally, get their sound digitally — and, in just the past few years, rely on technology that can change the colors of a costume or a background digitally, without fancy lighting or painted sets.

This is a very good answer to the question "Hutson, just exactly what do you do," which always follows when I tell people that I am an "Online Editor."

No, it has nothing top do with the internet.¹

I've actually worked with Stefan; he has no idea who I am or what my name is, but on some of our Pirates of the Caribbean and National Treasure: Book of Secrets marketing pieces, we've sent our fully onlined pieces to him to correct dailies and go over our b-roll, and I've had the pleasure of seeing, on a few occasions, that he barely touched my color.

So that feels good.

I do object to the premise of this article, that yopu don't need to worry about set design, costumes, or lighting with a good colorist. Solid, seamless work (like the change of that scarf from purple to green) takes a long time to get right; it is incredibly easy, however, to make it look like crap. Plus, as someone who is always coloring stuff that wasn't dressed or lit — all of my work is on Behind-the-Scenes material — there is no substitute for getting it right in-camera.

For the record, I don't work on a Da Vinci system, but the Avid finishing systems. Usually a Symphony Nitris, occasionally an Adrenaline. Not as specialized, but we don't do features, so it makes sense for our work. My specific job is to take a final cut of a piece (known as the "offline sequence," since it was edited at an "offline" media resolution of highly compressed video), and "online" it by reproducing the cut at full resolution (be it HD or SD), color correcting it, cutting in all final graphics and mix, and finally delivering the finished piece on video tape.

Regardless of the differences, I do like seeing someone in my line of work (though far more advanced!) getting some notice over at NPR.




[ ¹ At least not directly; my work is often shown on the internet.] [⇪]

[c/o Daniel M.]

Super Bowl: Extended Reaction

Okay, the shock has worn off, so let's go through some specifics.

First off, thanks Will for hosting a great Super Bowl party; plenty of food, beer, and good times.

My overall take on the game: pretty dull, except for an exciting opening drive from each team, and an intense final 30 minutes or so.

Best play of the game: David Tyree's 33-yard catch, using his hand and his helmet, on a throw Eli Manning got off after escaping a near tackle by three Patriots. Well played, boys.

Special shout-out to Wes Welker as, in my opinion, he was the MVP if the game. But the Patriots lost, so no one is really talking about him, aside from the fact that he tied for most Super Bowl catches, with 11 receptions.

Let's talk halftime show; who else liked the vaginal beating heart under Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, which was (inevitably?) penetrated by the sperm- (and penis-) like arrow-guitar? It wasn't at the same level as Nipplegate or Prince's demon phallus, but funny nonetheless.

(Tangentially, something which is like a vaginal is "vaginal," like an ovum (or many ova) is oval (!), or like a phallus is phallic, but something which is like sperm is only "sperm-like." Bullshit.)

Plenty of good ads, and plenty of weak ones. Tops include Tide's "talking stain" ad, and Coca-Cola's "balloon" spot, while parts of both the Budweiser "Rocky/Clydesdale" and the Pepsi "Timberlake" commercials were pretty damn funny. The Doritos "Mousetrap" spot was beyond horrendous, and the two SalesGenie ads ("Panda" and "Double Sales") were offensive and borderline racist.

But my top pick for absolute worst ad goes to Toshiba's HD-DVD spot; not only was it an older spot that's been running for months, not broadcast nationally, and aired during the halftime pre-show recap, but it wasn't even in high definition! That's right, folks; Toshiba's multi-million dollar ploy to convince the country that HD-DVD is viable was a stale and uninspired commericial that was 4x3 letterboxed, small and paltry on the HD sets owned by the very people they're trying to attract as customers.

A heaping portion of Suck, with a healthy dollop of weak sauce.

Frequent readers will know that I love me my Daring Fireball, John Gruber's excellent web site/column. But to his comment on tonight's game, I have only this to say: Bite my ass, Yankees fan.

And for your daily dose of irony: on the Spike website, where I found all of these ads for your viewing pleasure, you occasionally have to watch a hosted advertisement before you can watch the Super Bowl ads. Sweet.

Demand Done Right

This is exciting news, I only hope it's true.

This is why I've been waiting until January 14th to buy an TV; it may not get updated, but now is a pretty foolish time to buy, all things considered.

Here's to hoping there's a version of these digital files available in (at least) 720x1280 resolution...

Destiny Wants HD TV In Maine

While sitting at the airport, and prowling through my daily links, I discovered this good news: Time Warner Cable has added six new HD channels to the market in Augusta, Maine!

Now, my parents only live 25 or so miles from Augusta, so I don't know if this applies to them or not. Not that it matters, as they don't have an HD set... yet.

This is frustrating for me, though, as TWC in Los Angeles doesn't have these channels, and that is where I do have an HD TV.

I'd love to see TWC match DirecTV's level of HD support, but I recognize that as pure fantasy. I'd settle for a few more, like Augusta.

Tech Specs

Word.

The problem with home video: everybody's an expert, while things are as complicated as an engineering class. Moral of this story: do your research before you start jawing.

Audio What Now?

If any of you think that it's confusing when I talk about the HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray hi-def disc format war, be warned: Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate.*

Standard definition DVD audio is already home to many formats: Stereo, Mono, Dolby Digital, Pro Logic, PCM, DTS, WTFLOL.** But what I hadn't realized (and perhaps should have) is that each format has its own "High Definition" upgrade, some with compressed and uncompressed versions. 5.1 gets upgraded to 7.1, sometimes if you can't do one the same encoded audio will downgrade itself for backwards compatibility, sometimes not, uncompressed PCM audio streams that branch... my head is already spinning.

Fortuitously, Hi-Def Digest has posted a great article detailing all of this info. Well organized and well explained, if the next level of A/V equipment and standards gets your juices flowing, this is a must-read.

But I'll be god-damned if all of this technology doesn't make for one hell of an expensive upgrade.

[* C'mon, take a guess... I bet more of you know this than you think... okay, well, it's the top search on Google.]

[** So I made the last one up. Sue me.]

Already...

Sigh. Missed a day already. But at least I'm expressing regret and, instead of ignoring the problem, dealing with it. Half the battle. Or at least I hope so...

Yesterday's absence comes with a reason, however. I went with Josh R. to the new Best Buy in Sherman Oaks, to look at HDTVs.

Now Hutson, you say, Isn't Best Buy another corporate Big Box with crappy selections and high prices? Well yes, dear reader, it is. But it is also the only place you can really see big electronics in person, and with something like a TV, you'd better believe I am going to see it before buying. Besides, this Best Buy has (in a single week!) already developed a reputation as a big store with a wonderful selection, so it seemed a good place to go.

Long story short, I fell in love. Walked right in and saw the best HDTV I have seen yet, playing one of my favorite movies, Batman Begins. A sign from heaven, confirmed when it then switched to Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Samsung LN-T4665F!

This TV has, without a doubt, the best HD image I have seen in a consumer model. Amazing blacks, very crisp images, 1080p capable, amazing color fidelity. In fact, I haven't seen any flatscreen at all that compares. And seeing as I look at this stuff every day, I like to think I have an informed opinion.

This is the set to get. It's a great value, and a simply remarkable picture. I will be getting one soon... I promised Tracy it'd be this "winter," so as soon as we hit the equinox, I am there!

Amazon is offering a deal right now, and I can't recommend this TV enough. If you can, go see it, and prepare to be amazed.