Here’s a link to a very fascinating blog entry from The Wire creator David Simon concerning HBO releasing the show remastered for HD. Anyone who has seen the show will know just how special it is (myself, I’d rate it as the finest tv series I have ever seen). The complication is that the show was originally mastered for SD in 4:3 ratio (largely due to when it was made and its budget), and in remastering the film elements for HD broadcast, HBO have also decided to reformat it to 16:9 ratio to better match consumers current displays. Its a very open and in-depth account of the pros and cons, with an equally interesting comments section in which some purists air their own views and Simon responds. Its a great read and well worth anyone’s time, regardless of whether you are a fan of the show or not.
Anyway, here’s the link. Do check it out:
the ghost of 82 