Standard def reruns aired on HD [was Re: Todd Gross let Go??]

[John Francini]

> Most of the network stuff is HD.  A lot of the local stuff, spots, etc,
> hasn't made the transition yet.  As much as I despise football, seeing
> the blades of grass or the beads of sweat on the player's foreheads was
> pretty amazing.  Watching CSI:  Deluth was pretty cool.  Reruns of MASH
> on the same set looked like crap.

Part of the problem may be that what's being re-run is a standard-def
videotape made some time in the past, or a standard-def telecine is being
used.  (Do stations that air reruns of series shot on film have actual reels
of film in their library, or do they have videotapes?)

35MM motion-picture film has higher resolution (in terms of the equivalent
of pixels-per-inch) than any video format, even HD.  What they'd need to do
is re-do the telecine process with HD equipment. Even if it ends up being
shown letterboxed, it'll still be a significantly better picture than
standard def.

John