Am I the only one

[ZenMaster]

who doesn't like watching shows and movies in HD?

It sort of looks too real for me, being able to see the depth in the sets feels like I'm sitting in a theater and it loses that movie feeling.

[ZenMaster]

Thought it was overrated at first but once you see shit in HD, you can't go back. Shit becomes fuzzy and awful. Ruined everything.

I love watching sports in HD, but movies are something else for me.

[miller-time]

Depends on the show. Most comedies I don't need HD. But for shows like Game of Thrones or Mad Men it is a must. Game of Thrones because it is epic and Mad Men because there is a lot of detail in the show they you might miss in SD.

[Bosnian Sajo]

Are you kidding? Thank god for HD, picture looks crystal clear perfect. What is even better is the new 3d tv's, I got a sony 60" 3d tv in my living room....absolutely orgasmic.

[red1]

Standard definition is a clear downgrade from hd. There is never a situation where I would choose sd

[Rake2204]

When I first watched The Office on my family's HD a few years ago, it really did kind of kill the immersion. It suddenly felt like it was just a bunch of actors on set. And I mean, that's what it is, but everything looked almost too real for it's own good I guess is my point. I don't know if it's because of the type of HD TV or what. But over time either the TV settled in a little or we all just got used to it and the immersion returned.

All that said, in contrast to many, I'm not really phased by standard television. I obviously prefer HD, and if I spend an extended amount of time at my family's house (a week or so), the return to standard television is startling, but after 15-20 minutes of being back home, I pretty much re-acclimate myself to the lower quality and don't give it another thought.

[ZenMaster]

When I first watched The Office on my family's HD a few years ago, it really did kind of kill the immersion. It suddenly felt like it was just a bunch of actors on set. And I mean, that's what it is, but everything looked almost too real for it's own good I guess is my point. I don't know if it's because of the type of HD TV or what. But over time either the TV settled in a little or we all just got used to it and the immersion returned.

All that said, in contrast to many, I'm not really phased by standard television. I obviously prefer HD, and if I spend an extended amount of time at my family's house (a week or so), the return to standard television is startling, but after 15-20 minutes of being back home, I pretty much re-acclimate myself to the lower quality and don't give it another thought.

In my OP I almost wrote "it's like filmed theater", but I settled on it being the depth of the set, but I had the excact same thought.
I just can't shake it, 3D television sounds interesting though.

@ Miller time

Interesting, I'm a huge Mad Men fan. Coul you give examples of what you mean?

[outbreak]

I agree for some shows it just looks odd in HD.

I read an article awhile back about filming at higher frame rates for better quality but they stopped using it because it caused the show to feel more like a soap opera than a big budget movie. I think it mentioned something about one of those shows like days of our lives being shot with the better frame rate?

[Rake2204]

I agree for some shows it just looks odd in HD.

I read an article awhile back about filming at higher frame rates for better quality but they stopped using it because it caused the show to feel more like a soap opera than a big budget movie. I think it mentioned something about one of those shows like days of our lives being shot with the better frame rate?Now that you mention it, that's how a lot of shows looked when I first began watching HD extensively a few years ago (though you're talking movies). When I mentioned The Office, you're right, it felt like a soap opera and I didn't know why.

[T_L_P]

I could only imagine you trying to watch a film on a 35/70 mm projection.

[9erempiree]

I agree with OP.

Movies in HD are horrible. I remember watching Dark Knight and Rises in the theaters and had no complaints. It felt like a normal movie.

Once it was released in HD, the movie feeling was gone. It felt like a commercial as they are cutting from scene to scene.

The intent of cinematography is lost in HD. While a scene may focus on the subject and blur out the background, in HD, everything is clear and it takes away from a scene.

[DonDadda59]

I can see the argument from both sides. A lot of filmmakers, even the old school preservationists like Scorsese, are making the exodus from film to digital which leads to HD picture quality of course. I think it works perfectly for movies that are more effects driven, ie Gravity, but not so much for more traditional dramas. Like I remember there was a big controversy over Michael Mann choosing digital cameras instead of film for 'Public Enemies'. Judging by the result, it was a poor choice. It was a period drama but felt too 'real', very 'plastic' and modern. Compare that to Boardwalk Empire which deals with the same time period but is shot exclusively on film and you can see why digital/HD is not always the right aesthetic choice.


The intent of cinematography is lost in HD. While a scene may focus on the subject and blur out the background, in HD, everything is clear and it takes away from a scene.

Bokeh is still possible with HD, is it not? :confusedshrug:

[Upgrayedd]

who doesn't like watching shows and movies in HD?

It sort of looks too real for me, being able to see the depth in the sets feels like I'm sitting in a theater and it loses that movie feeling.

Seriously? :wtf: