April 19, 2024, 07:23:30 PM

Author Topic: General LF Discussion  (Read 1123875 times)

Offline iKJames

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Re: General LF Discussion
« Reply #5325 on: March 25, 2015, 11:22:31 PM »
Storm Alert music played during the :18 LF just now.
Ended up playing again at 11:18pm ET

Offline luesjo12

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Re: General LF Discussion
« Reply #5326 on: March 31, 2015, 07:03:12 AM »
Yesterday was the last day I saw my Intellistar. Goodbye old friend.  :cry: Time Warner replaced the SD feed with a letterboxed HD Feed.

Offline Weatherman99

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Re: General LF Discussion
« Reply #5327 on: March 31, 2015, 04:23:49 PM »
At this rate, all the intelliStar systems could be extinct by next year possibly. Maybe sooner.  :cry3:

Offline texasstooge

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Re: General LF Discussion
« Reply #5328 on: March 31, 2015, 06:18:21 PM »
At this rate, all the intelliStar systems could be extinct by next year possibly. Maybe sooner.  :cry3:
And you could be right. As of today, Time Warner Cable in North Texas has done away with the IntelliStars and simulcasting the HD feed of The Weather Channel on all SD channels. I gotta admit, the transitions on the IS2 are much smoother, and the sound quality is much better than the original SD feed. Though the IntelliStar will be missed.
« Last Edit: March 31, 2015, 06:34:12 PM by texasstooge »



Offline Weatherman99

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Re: General LF Discussion
« Reply #5329 on: March 31, 2015, 11:09:49 PM »
I don't like how the IS2 feeds are letterboxed though.  I mean it's a 4:3 aspect ratio, and you have black bars filling nearly half of the screen. I mean those who have those tiny SDTVs, good luck reading the tiny letters!

Offline Eric

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Re: General LF Discussion
« Reply #5330 on: April 01, 2015, 12:43:49 AM »
I don't like how the IS2 feeds are letterboxed though.  I mean it's a 4:3 aspect ratio, and you have black bars filling nearly half of the screen. I mean those who have those tiny SDTVs, good luck reading the tiny letters!

There's only so much you can do when there are different aspect ratios.  The transition from black-and-white to color wasn't so jarring because people could continue using their old black-and-white sets for as long as they wanted, and the only difference would be the lack of color.  But digital television is an entirely different animal, and there comes a time when people are just going to have to adapt or be left behind.

I'm honestly surprised the 4:3 safe zone is still being used so much these days.  In most European countries, for example, they gave up with that long ago and now people with SD sets just have to get used to everything being letterboxed.  And also keep in mind that the average European lives in smaller quarters than the average American, which means TV sets are generally smaller, too.

Offline Weatherman99

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Re: General LF Discussion
« Reply #5331 on: April 01, 2015, 01:18:14 AM »
I don't like how the IS2 feeds are letterboxed though.  I mean it's a 4:3 aspect ratio, and you have black bars filling nearly half of the screen. I mean those who have those tiny SDTVs, good luck reading the tiny letters!

There's only so much you can do when there are different aspect ratios.  The transition from black-and-white to color wasn't so jarring because people could continue using their old black-and-white sets for as long as they wanted, and the only difference would be the lack of color.  But digital television is an entirely different animal, and there comes a time when people are just going to have to adapt or be left behind.

I'm honestly surprised the 4:3 safe zone is still being used so much these days.  In most European countries, for example, they gave up with that long ago and now people with SD sets just have to get used to everything being letterboxed.  And also keep in mind that the average European lives in smaller quarters than the average American, which means TV sets are generally smaller, too.
I see. Thanks for explaining. But yeah, it looks like Europeans must be good at squinting :P

Offline toxictwister00

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Re: General LF Discussion
« Reply #5332 on: April 01, 2015, 10:04:06 AM »
I'm glad they are running the HD feed on the SD feed. It makes sense to do so. I'm surprised it's taken this long to start doing it considering they have been in HD for almost 7 years. I guess the slow progression of IS2s may have been a factor. Also I would imagine they're saving money by getting rid of the IntelliStar in favor of running the IntelliStar2 on two feeds instead of having to operate/maintain two different STARs on two separate feeds. Besides it's not like there a major differences among the IS/IS2/heck even the IS2jr now unlike pre 2013.


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Offline luesjo12

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Re: General LF Discussion
« Reply #5333 on: April 01, 2015, 10:13:08 AM »
I'm glad they are running the HD feed on the SD feed. It makes sense to do so. I'm surprised it's taken this long to start doing it considering they have been in HD for almost 7 years. I guess the slow progression of IS2s may have been a factor. Also I would imagine they're saving money by getting rid of the IntelliStar in favor of running the IntelliStar2 on two feeds instead of having to operate/maintain two different STARs on two separate feeds. Besides it's not like there a major differences among the IS/IS2/heck even the IS2jr now unlike pre 2013.
It's true that saving money is good, but with this new HD feed simulcast, lots of the text on the screen is unreadable and Dual Feed is now gone forever. At least TWC now doesn't only use dual feed.

Offline TWCJim

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Re: General LF Discussion
« Reply #5334 on: April 01, 2015, 01:13:35 PM »
Since many headends have already discontinued the TWC SD feeds in favor of IS2/HD feed simulcasts, I imagine that it won't be long before The Weather Channel will probably start forcing the remaining headends who do not yet have the IS2 (such as mine) to get one soon.  :thinking:  In the case where a headend does not offer TWC in HD, they'll probably have to get an IS2 Jr instead.  :dunno:
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Offline Evan2015

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Re: General LF Discussion
« Reply #5335 on: April 05, 2015, 01:38:18 PM »
:thinking:  In the case where a headend does not offer TWC in HD, they'll probably have to get an IS2 Jr instead.  :dunno:
My guess is that depending on the status of your cable company's agreement with TWC, they'll be forced to carry it at some point. For instance, when the agreement one before last was signed here (2010), HD carriage was pretty much mandatory. They didn't get the IS2 for another 6 months, but still. I don't think TWC would want to use an IS2Jr. because their end goal is probably full-time 16:9 much like the other major news channels (all 3 C-SPANs, FOX News, CNN/HLN, MSNBC, both CNBC and FBN. Only one not letterboxed around here is Al Jazeera America).

Offline gt1racerlHDl

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Re: General LF Discussion
« Reply #5336 on: April 05, 2015, 03:30:52 PM »
I'm wondering how long these graphics are going to be used on the locals? really wish they had a concept much like the 1st version of the IS2

Offline colonieweather

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Re: General LF Discussion
« Reply #5337 on: April 13, 2015, 04:52:22 PM »
Time Warner discontinued SD feed here in Albany, NY... SD channel now showing HD/IS2 feed.  I was away last week and just noticed it today.. not sure when switch occurred.

Offline Mike M

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Re: General LF Discussion
« Reply #5338 on: April 13, 2015, 05:16:38 PM »
I don't like how the IS2 feeds are letterboxed though.  I mean it's a 4:3 aspect ratio, and you have black bars filling nearly half of the screen. I mean those who have those tiny SDTVs, good luck reading the tiny letters!
Letterboxing is the thing nowadays. Besides, most people have HD service by now anyway so it's not going to affect the normal viewer.

Offline weatherfan_2013

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Re: General LF Discussion
« Reply #5339 on: May 15, 2015, 11:23:59 PM »
Remember 3 years ago we all feared this would happen.  :rofl2:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0v9uS5qPgA&feature=youtu.be