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View Full Version : Thunderbirds/Stingray in HD. On TV!


Kern
25th January 2011, 09:17 AM
Random sleepless nights tend to have me wandering the TV channels in search of something to drop off to. Well, I know that the SyFy Sky channel over here show Thunderbirds and Stingray at silly o'clock in the morning, so thought would catch those.

Then I had the thought that SyFy has a HD channel, and maybe they were also showing there.

I almost needed sunglasses, things were so vibrant.

I don't know where they got their film stock from, but it's glourious. Bright, vibrant colours, sharp images, everything in focus and not looking stretched. Even the engine smoke, usually a give away, was smooth and rolling.

Virgil crashing has never looked better. And as for Ned Cook - well, you could see each and every hair on his head.

The only downside is that some things are more noticable - for example, it seemed that when Scott was talking to Ned through the window in TB1 in longshot, he seemed to be little more than a picture stuck to where the window is.

Stingray was pretty much the same. Good quality, bright and vibrant, to the point where you could read the labels on controls at the back of the Tower when it was a full length room shot.

So, in closing - an impressive showing from a channel known for its ultra-low budget shows and films.

mrthunder
25th January 2011, 12:05 PM
I didn't think Stingray has been remastered in HD...or has it ? I thought only Thunderbirds, UFO and 1999 had. Could be wrong...

Derek Eaton
26th January 2011, 07:15 PM
I agree Mr Thunder Stingray from the Syfy channel through a normal sky+ box not HD looks better than my Carlton release!

Also the Thunderbirds being broadcast looks cropped at the top and bottom and slightly wider at the side. TB2 nose on the first appearance in titles normally gives the width away to me.

phelings
27th January 2011, 10:46 PM
I agree Mr Thunder Stingray from the Syfy channel through a normal sky+ box not HD looks better than my Carlton release!

Also the Thunderbirds being broadcast looks cropped at the top and bottom and slightly wider at the side. TB2 nose on the first appearance in titles normally gives the width away to me.

ITV's HD remastering of Thunderbirds is in 16:9 so top and bottom are cropped.

I've not seen Stingray on the SFC but if it's still 4:3 then I'd say it's not been remastered for HD
I'll see if I can record one on the V+ to sample

Kern
28th January 2011, 05:38 PM
Be on at 5:30am Saturday morning this week.

Almost tempting to get up for work half an hour earlier...

Derek Eaton
28th January 2011, 05:47 PM
Or watch it twice with the +1 channel as well

phelings
28th January 2011, 10:35 PM
No +1 channels for HD yet