Top Gear in HD

flappist · 02-02-2009, 07:09 PM

For those who have not noticed, SBS has upgraded its HD channel from 576P to 720P (the same as ABC and BBC). Tonight's Top Gear should be a huge improvement in clarity.

graham_h · 02-02-2009, 07:14 PM

great info, thanks
but most of us would have already seen the episodes currently airing wouldn't we ? ;-)

Marduk · 02-02-2009, 07:20 PM

Nice, good to hear.

Daymoe · 02-02-2009, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

For those who have not noticed, SBS has upgraded its HD channel from 576P to 720P (the same as ABC and BBC). Tonight's Top Gear should be a huge improvement in clarity.

Excellent, what time is it on? Its about time SBS HD has gone up.

XR6_190 · 02-02-2009, 07:44 PM

Now they need to show us the Full episode, instead of the cut down version. It really isn't the same as the full version.

**DJM83** · 02-02-2009, 08:34 PM

Was so funny though watching them race buses

aquahead2001 · 02-02-2009, 09:01 PM

Always loved the Daytona! Another great episode...

GUTLES · 02-02-2009, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daymoe

Excellent, what time is it on? Its about time SBS HD has gone up.

7:30, I missed out!

Daymoe · 02-02-2009, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 51RTE

Was so funny though watching them race buses

That has got to be the funnyest thing I've seen in a while!

geckoGT · 02-02-2009, 09:44 PM

So funny seeing Richard smiling like he has just lost his cherry and James looking like he needs to pee blood after the riviera race.

Ghiadude · 02-02-2009, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by graham_h

great info, thanks
but most of us would have already seen the episodes currently airing wouldn't we ? ;-)

now how would one do that???:dr_Evil:
one would have to transport ones' self into the future wouldn't one?

cough finalgear cough cough
my favourite part on tonights episode was the SIARPC featuring the guy from grand designs. I would never have picked him to be a good steerer. JK has the whole reckless rocker attitude but this guy strikes me as the ultra conservative type.wow!

Daymoe · 02-02-2009, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geckoGT

So funny seeing Richard smiling like he has just lost his cherry and James looking like he needs to pee blood after the riviera race.

Also seeing huge-*** vehicles like Buses go sideways, especially that long one with the rubber thing connecting it together, I've always wondered if my school bus could go sideways haha and now I know it can

Rodp · 02-02-2009, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daymoe

Also seeing huge-*** vehicles like Buses go sideways, especially that long one with the rubber thing connecting it together, I've always wondered if my school bus could go sideways haha and now I know it can

So it was the episode with the 2 bendy buses...?

IIRC, one of those guys was almost drifting one of those buses, or at least diving into the corner and braking late and hanging the back out. Rather skillful for something that big.

The guy that was tipping the double decker must have cojones the size of bowling balls.

Pinch · 02-02-2009, 10:36 PM

I have had SBS HD 720P in Sydney for the past few months. Would prefer 1080 for my full HD though...

LOVED the Portofino to St Tropez race. My wife and I are huge Italy fans. We have already replayed it twice. How awesome was that boat too? But my wife and I will take the Daytona though every time though, James didn't look like he was enjoying himself that much. Hell if I was able to drive there right now I would settle for a Hertz Opel Corsa!

Bus race was great too.

geckoGT · 02-02-2009, 11:07 PM

That bus race! How many times did the double decker almost lay down? Articulated bus sideways, they all have brass for body parts that shall not be mentioned on family friendly forums!

bloggs24 · 02-02-2009, 11:33 PM

Very good episode, sadly i had to watch this one in crappy normal definition! For some reason it would be on for like 3 or 4 seconds before the tv lost the signal, ive got a 1080i 42" HDTV, i dunno if it was because of the updated HD or if it was because i had the PS3 running on the HDMI channel at the same time?

That boat was unreal, like something you'd see from James Bond, however the car was nice too, and it certainly got a lot of peoples attention.
The bus race was insane, doubt the Aussie crew could come up with something as entertaining as that!

BTW did anyone watch the Bugatti lap last week? I was surprised it wasnt the fastest around the track, i get the feeling the car was just too planted, as you can see by the pagani zonda's lap.

YOOT · 03-02-2009, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

For those who have not noticed, SBS has upgraded its HD channel from 576P to 720P (the same as ABC and BBC). Tonight's Top Gear should be a huge improvement in clarity.

Too bad they aren't filmed in HD, last nights broadcast was as bad as the downloaded copy I have from finalgear.com.

When you compare SBS Top gear to Terminator 3 on 9HD or the Superbowl on 10HD its like chalk and cheese. This was on a Pana 50" FullHD Plasma (850a).

colossus · 03-02-2009, 09:34 AM

Hmm I noticed Chanel 30 on my plasma (SBS HD) has dissapeared to a black screen about 4 days ago - I thought SBS were having problems....Does this mean I somehow have to reprogram the channels on the tv?

XR6TCraig · 03-02-2009, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colossus

Does this mean I somehow have to reprogram the channels on the tv?

Yes it does.

There was a message running across the bottom of the screen that this was going to change in the last few weeks. You just need to reprogram and it will be all good.

**Polyal** · 03-02-2009, 09:41 AM

Yeah, who needs drifting jap cars when you can drift a bendy bus!

TZENU · 03-02-2009, 09:48 AM

That was a pretty good episode... The bus racing was unreal..... .And that boat, bloody hell that thing moved along the water... What was it worth 1,250,000 euro???? And it even had an awesome carbon fibre toilet..

**Peuty** · 03-02-2009, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bloggs24

doubt the Aussie crew could come up with something as entertaining as that!

Problem is, that if they did do something like that, everyone would whinge and complain about how reckless and wasteful they were being.

flappist · 03-02-2009, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YOOT

Too bad they aren't filmed in HD, last nights broadcast was as bad as the downloaded copy I have from finalgear.com.

When you compare SBS Top gear to Terminator 3 on 9HD or the Superbowl on 10HD its like chalk and cheese. This was on a Pana 50" FullHD Plasma (850a).

I actually got the opposite result. I have lots of episodes of TG recorded in 576P off SBS and last night I recorded it in 720P. It is also broadcast by BBC in UK in 720P and is definitely recorded in HD.

It was far superior last night to previous broadcasts. Equip used, Wiz P1 and 60" FHD.

I cannot compare it to 1080i last night as did not watch T3 as I have it on HD-DVD or superbowl as I only watch football not video games with live actors.

PoMmYwOG · 03-02-2009, 11:55 AM

you's are all lucky, i was watching it in HD until the GF came in and decided that 2.5 men was more important, to save arguing and missing the show i had to watch it in the bedroom on my 51cm CRT analog TV:(

still awesome episode...loved the white bus drifting...

YOOT · 03-02-2009, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

I actually got the opposite result. I have lots of episodes of TG recorded in 576P off SBS and last night I recorded it in 720P. It is also broadcast by BBC in UK in 720P and is definitely recorded in HD.

It was far superior last night to previous broadcasts. Equip used, Wiz P1 and 60" FHD.

I cannot compare it to 1080i last night as did not watch T3 as I have it on HD-DVD or superbowl as I only watch football not video games with live actors.

You are incorrect, Top Gear has never been filmed in HD, however season 13 due to start in June in the UK will be the first season to be filmed in HD.

Any recordings you have in 720p are just upscaled SD, like 90% of the HD content.

Further to that SBS does not have all the equipemt to broadcast HD yet, the upscaler has been upgraded to bradcast 720p on the HD band but all the content is upscaled 576i/p. Picture quality will sharpen and improve on the channel but its not HD. There won't be native HD (1080i to 720p) on SBS for a while.

Links http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showtopic=73402

And http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2009/01/...de-coming.html

flappist · 03-02-2009, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YOOT

You are incorrect, Top Gear has never been filmed in HD, however season 13 due to start in June in the UK will be the first season to be filmed in HD.

Any recordings you have in 720p are just upscaled SD, like 90% of the HD content.

Further to that SBS does not have all the equipemt to broadcast HD yet, the upscaler has been upgraded to bradcast 720p on the HD band but all the content is upscaled 576i/p. Picture quality will sharpen and improve on the channel but its not HD. There won't be native HD (1080i to 720p) on SBS for a while.

Links http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showtopic=73402

And http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2009/01/...de-coming.html

Really? The upscaler works well on the Top Gear Blu-rays.......

mrbaxr6t · 03-02-2009, 08:43 PM

this may be a little off topic and for that I am sorry, but is there going to be a series 2 of TGA? anybody know?

**Jastel** · 03-02-2009, 08:50 PM

Yes, James Morrison the jazz trumpeter is the new host
Charlie is out

YOOT · 04-02-2009, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

Really? The upscaler works well on the Top Gear Blu-rays.......

*sigh* Yes really, please see here http://www.finalgear.com/news/2008/0...r-to-be-in-hd/

Clearly states that Top Gear is an SD production and always has been, anything mastered to Blu-Ray is upscaled from 480p. It might look good (because uncompressed SD looks 100 times better than the shait we get on free to air), but its not HD, and its definatelynot Full HD.

Only the Polar Special is in Full HD, which if you have on Blu-ray will look as good as season 13 not yet recorded.