U getting Universal HD?
by Richard Lawler 
posted Feb 10th 2006 at 12:08PM
HDBeat reader Chris wrote in this morning to tell us they're getting Universal HD on Time Warner
in the Los Angeles area now; I also saw it on my channel lineup last night on Comcast here in Michigan, but we knew that was
coming.Oddly, I'm much less excited about watching the Winter Olympics than I am about seeing The Equalizer in high definition. Does anyone know how the show was originally recorded? Apparently all content on Universal is 1080i and not upconverted, but I wouldn't have expected that show to be shot on film.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Pete @ Feb 10th 2006 2:12PM
UHD showed up on 846 or 843 last night on Comcast in NH
zelig2 @ Feb 10th 2006 2:29PM
Ours in Columbus, Ohio got turned on today. Hopefully it'll stay on for good this time.
Jason Aumount @ Feb 10th 2006 2:58PM
The Equilizer as well as most hour-long dramas have almost always been shot on film. Only recently (obviously) have shows been shot on video, and that video is HD. But your Dukes, A-Teams, BJ & Bears, etc. were on film, so if the networks/studios still have the negatives (which they should), they can scan them in at 1080i.
-JA
Wayne @ Feb 10th 2006 3:19PM
I've seen some random cancelled TV shows in HD on HDNet before: Greg the Bunny (2003), That's Life (2001 !!!) and Blind Justice (I think that's the name, 2004).
I was most surprised to see an episode of sitcom from 2001 in HD.
As far as I could tell they were all filmed in HD. There was no visual evidence of upconverting. Sometimes old movies on HDNet Movies look worse than current ones due to upconverting the original source. These shows all looked great.
Michael @ Feb 10th 2006 3:20PM
Ours started up yesterday in Connecticut but at the same time INHD2 was turned off saying it was for the olympics which we could view on UHD im just worried that when olympics are over and INHD2 is back on UHD will be gone
Mark @ Feb 10th 2006 4:09PM
Time Warner Cable in Northeast Wisconsin (Green Bay/Appleton market) just got Universal HD this week (Ch 721 I think). Night Rider in HD is eerily satisfying.
Michael @ Feb 10th 2006 4:13PM
I would guess they are 35mm converts which is very high quality to start.
Ryan @ Feb 10th 2006 11:28PM
Im an installer for Insight in Peoria, Illinois and we've had UHD on the lineup for quite some time now, although it recently moved into our 7.99/month HDPack. Previously in was bundled free with the HD local channels.
Carlos @ Feb 11th 2006 4:03AM
Universal HD was added to the Cox Communications, Orange County HD lineup this Tuesday. Sadly, I wish they would have added MHD since Cox is one of the primary partners for the network, but whatever. I'm happy it's going to be there for the Olympics, but after that, I hope it doesn't effect getting other networks. The programming on it sucks, quite frankly. Is there really somebody requesting that Knight Rider and Quantum Leap are on like five times a day? There are hardly and decent movies on and while I love the show Monk, that's not enough to make it a worthwhile network.
rapture @ Feb 11th 2006 12:44PM
Huntsville, AL has Universal HD now on Comcast HD. Looks like it showed up about 48 hours ago.
Pete @ Feb 13th 2006 9:22AM
From what I've been hearing UHD will go away on Comcast on the 27th after the olympics are over. =(
Justin @ Feb 28th 2006 11:59AM
70mm films such as IMAX are better quality than any HD camera out there when transfered to HD. A 70mm print is twice the size of a 35mm print (duH) and has twice as much detail.
Film contains so much more RAW uncompressed information than video, and when transfered to HD (through a machine with a camera that shoots HD from the negative) it will produce AMAZING results!
Alot of your PRIMETIME Law and Order type shows are shot in 16mm and then transferd to HD, as it's almost as cheap as video, and the results look great! and you have a long lasting negative to boot..
Film will always have a certain look.. Video HD will always be sharper.
Excuse any spelling errors..