The HD bait and switch

Have you noticed that some high definition television programs look better than others? I have. I always thought that the difference in HD quality was the result of the quality of the camera being used or the types of lenses and filtering used to produce special effects. For example, some TV shows want to look like they were produced in the 70's with that more grainy effect, or maybe they want black and white. Further, one show I can think of, "CSI: Miami", tends to have a yellowish glow through the whole show which produces a certain "look and feel" to the program. Some of these make an HD program look lesser in quality and some don't.

Well, come to find out the differences in HD quality are a result of the camera but not in the way I thought. For whatever reason, I assumed that all 16:9 aspect ratio television was high definition. It is not. Manufacturers like Sony make, and TV producers use, professional grade 16:9 standard definition cameras. I did not know that.

This explains why on Channel 5 out of Boston (WCVB), which is the first station in the region to go High Definition for its local news, has such a grainy looking picture when they show field produced pieces, whether live or on tape. It's quite jarring to see such a clear picture of the studio and then the anchor cuts to a journalist live at some "happening". The aspect ratio is correct, meaning nothing looks squished, or cut off, but the quality of the picture goes to hell. I never could quite figure it out until I read an article today on the "Broadcasting and Cable" web site.

There was an entire article there on all of the different cameras, definitions, and aspect ratios. The article talked about the different networks and what kinds of cameras they use and what they intend to use in the future. In an earlier post I wrote about ABC going to HD for its evening newscast, but the best they will be able to do for field pieces, even if they use 16:9, will be standard definition.

So don't be surprised when you are watching an HD program, or an HD network, and the picture isn't so hot. It's not you, and it's not your HDTV, it's the quality image being sent to you.