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Planet Earth Is Back


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ABC has gone to the expense of buying the HD program from the BBC so it's puzzling why they didn't - possibly - show the HD version. They announced that it was high definition in the promos earlier in the day.

One aspect could be the nature of the episode with jungles, steam and soft lighting. I have the DVD set and notice that it has a different 'feel' to the other episodes that feature sweeping plains, snowcapped mountains and lots of scenes of furry animals eating each other etc.

The real 'crunch' will be next week with Shallow Seas, it looks and sounds absolutely stunning un upconverted DVD (HDMI). I'll run the DVD at the same time and see what happens!!!

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ABC has gone to the expense of buying the HD program from the BBC so it's puzzling why they didn't - possibly - show the HD version. They announced that it was high definition in the promos earlier in the day.

One aspect could be the nature of the episode with jungles, steam and soft lighting. I have the DVD set and notice that it has a different 'feel' to the other episodes that feature sweeping plains, snowcapped mountains and lots of scenes of furry animals eating each other etc.

The real 'crunch' will be next week with Shallow Seas, it looks and sounds absolutely stunning un upconverted DVD (HDMI). I'll run the DVD at the same time and see what happens!!!

It was (Planet Earth) and is transmitted from 1080i and passes via a 720 down con-verter. 100% fact.

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So was tonight's native HD any better than last week?

My display isn't good enough to tell.

All I noticed was that the difference in quality for the credits on ABC-SD vs ABC-HD looked the same as last week.

As in, you could really tell it was 576i on SD both weeks, and when switching to HD on both occasions, the motion looked pretty HD to me.

What's the consensus out here?

CK.

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Happy I didn't forget to catch it this week.

:blink:

The last episode I saw was "Ice Worlds", about 3 weeks ago & it didn't contain the "ABCHD" logo, but I couldn't tell the difference between it & tonights episode (in HD).

Both weren't as good as Nine or Ten HD, but were still brilliantly shot.

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Yeah I don't want to lay the blame at ABC's 720p and 9Mbps, especially since the static scenes aren't up to the standard of (some of) Nine / Ten HD. Heavy-motion scenes can be exempted from criticism.

Well it's going to be hard to do a direct comparison without some kind of show like CSI (etc) being broadcast on ABC HD. Right now all we can do is wonder whether Planet Earth and West Wing aren't just a bit fuzzy on the master tape. There's a little bit of supporting evidence, in that the 1080i captures of Planet Earth on BBC HD seem to point towards this.

Sure, it's still superior to 576i and 576p, but the difference needs to be (and we know it's possible to be) compellingly stark. Or else -- you'll hear criticisms of "HD is no big deal".

Which isn't fair to the format, because regardless of any mistakes made today, the format has potential to be six times better than SDTV can ever be. So if SDTV is (finally) being fully exploited only recently, perhaps it will take a while for HDTV to be fully exploited too.

The problem is, viability judgements are being made today. There need to be more "good" examples of full-HD quality pushed out for comparison, like HD sport, major events and so on.

CK.

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"Err doesn't the "HD" logo, as it does with Nine/Ten programs, indicate that it's native HD?" - Ralfi

-----------

when there is 'no' ten logo it means it is native HD

Nine have a 9HD logo when there is native HD

Seven has a HD logo regardless, if you can call it HD

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"Err doesn't the "HD" logo, as it does with Nine/Ten programs, indicate that it's native HD?" - Ralfi

-----------

when there is 'no' ten logo it means it is native HD

Nine have a 9HD logo when there is native HD

Seven has a HD logo regardless, if you can call it HD

Thanks for picking me up on channel Ten.

:D

Let's not speak of Seven again though eh.

:blink:

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I thought that the quality today was amaaaaaaaaazing?!

You must have missed the first series in HD then? :D Seriously, the quality is good, but there's not a lot of difference (other than the approx half second of delay) when flicking between Ch2 and Ch20. I haven't had any of those "Wow" (copyright of Vista?) moments that we had in the first episode or 2 of this series (I didn't have HD for the first series).

I have just watched the intro (the 'dawning') to the first 2 episodes of this series, Ice Worlds and Great Plains, that I have recorded and kept. The difference is stunning. So, if you think tonights episode was good...

Still, there are 2 episodes left to get it sorted! :blink:

I found this link I have yet to watch tonights ep.Interesting on the link site where it mentions behind the scenes footage.I find the film work amazing.OT A dvd worth owning is Baraka it also has amazing filming and soundtrack.Dork

Dork, both DVD sets (now available) have the extra footage that was probably that mentioned.

Baraka, yes, I've owned about 3 different versions of this great movie, but I can probably go one up on you... A few years ago (many, can't remember), they re-released Baraka in full 70mm at theatres. I went and saw it. I don't use the word often, but 'awesome' is the only way I can describe it.

Simon....

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I thought that the quality today was amaaaaaaaaazing?!

Compare it to an upconverted version of ABC SD using your high-def set-top-box or HDTV

(use the free-to-air version of ABC SD, not the low-quality Foxtel version).

Then do the same to some of the 1080i content on Nine / Ten, and you'll see

what should be happening.

Nevertheless, Planet Earth is a great show and has wonderful cinematography.

CK.

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I found this link I have yet to watch tonights ep.Interesting on the link site where it mentions behind the scenes footage.I find the film work amazing.OT A dvd worth owning is Baraka it also has amazing filming and soundtrack.Dork

ABC has shown Baraka back in their 1080i days upconverted .

Will ABC show it again in HD .

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You must have missed the first series in HD then? :D Seriously, the quality is good, but there's not a lot of difference (other than the approx half second of delay) when flicking between Ch2 and Ch20. I haven't had any of those "Wow" (copyright of Vista?) moments that we had in the first episode or 2 of this series (I didn't have HD for the first series).

I have just watched the intro (the 'dawning') to the first 2 episodes of this series, Ice Worlds and Great Plains, that I have recorded and kept. The difference is stunning. So, if you think tonights episode was good...

Still, there are 2 episodes left to get it sorted! :blink:

Dork, both DVD sets (now available) have the extra footage that was probably that mentioned.

Baraka, yes, I've owned about 3 different versions of this great movie, but I can probably go one up on you... A few years ago (many, can't remember), they re-released Baraka in full 70mm at theatres. I went and saw it. I don't use the word often, but 'awesome' is the only way I can describe it.

Simon....

Simon,i have seen it in 70mm also Koyansqatsi and Powasqwatsi(spelling maybe wrong).Dork

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