New BBC UK releases are 1080p and 24fps?

[McCrutchy]

This seems concerning to me.

First we had the duplicate American versions of the first four series of the new Doctor Who, then I noticed that Series 9, Part 1 was also listed as "1080p" for the UK release. Now I am also seeing the new Sherlock special is indicated as "1080p" (and will likely be locked Region B, too):

[Show spoiler]

Meanwhile. the UK-only releases, like Peter Kay's Car Share (which is also Region B as indicated), The Hunt nature documentary, and the upcoming Series 4 of Luther (which is still going DVD-only in the US) are all listed as "1080i", and in the case of the former two, they are indeed 50Hz, as broadcast in the UK.

Does anyone know what is going on? Have the BBC started to produce some "big" shows at 24 fps, meaning they broadcast them incorrectly in the UK, or are they just cutting corners on BD, using one master for releases that come out in the US and UK?

If we are getting sped-down releases of Doctor Who and Sherlock from now on, I would be very ticked off with that...

[David M]

Can't answer your question, but it all makes you wish this 50/60hz stuff had been killed in the transition to HD. That sadly wasn't practical though...

[schan1269]

Broadcast standard is 1080i50/60.

So...are "they" complaining when native discs are imported over there at 1080i60?

Probably not.

Probably just you.

[David M]

Originally Posted by schan1269

Broadcast standard is 1080i50/60.

So...are "they" complaining when native discs are imported over there at 1080i60?

Probably not.

Probably just you.

No, they're not, because all HDTVs sold in Europe support 50 and 60hz natively, so there would be no need to do damaging standards conversions.

[Pecker]

Originally Posted by Lyris

Can't answer your question, but it all makes you wish this 50/60hz stuff had been killed in the transition to HD. That sadly wasn't practical though...

Can you imagine it.

Coronation Street on ITV1 SD finishes a couple of minutes earlier than on ITV1 HD.

They could have stuck an extra advert on, which might have encouraged people to switch to HD earlier.

What would happen with the footie would be anyone's guess.

Steve W

[Indiana Jones]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

This seems concerning to me.

First we had the duplicate American versions of the first four series of the new Doctor Who, then I noticed that Series 9, Part 1 was also listed as "1080p" for the UK release. Now I am also seeing the new Sherlock special is indicated as "1080p" (and will likely be locked Region B, too):

[Show spoiler]

Meanwhile. the UK-only releases, like Peter Kay's Car Share (which is also Region B as indicated), The Hunt nature documentary, and the upcoming Series 4 of Luther (which is still going DVD-only in the US) are all listed as "1080i", and in the case of the former two, they are indeed 50Hz, as broadcast in the UK.

Does anyone know what is going on? Have the BBC started to produce some "big" shows at 24 fps, meaning they broadcast them incorrectly in the UK, or are they just cutting corners on BD, using one master for releases that come out in the US and UK?

If we are getting sped-down releases of Doctor Who and Sherlock from now on, I would be very ticked off with that...

Another likely explanation is that the packaging is just wrong, I have several BBC releases that state the wrong picture and/or audio details.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by Indiana Jones

Another likely explanation is that the packaging is just wrong, I have several BBC releases that state the wrong picture and/or audio details.

Yes, I had thought of that, but it would be nice to get some sort of confirmation, particularly as these involve shows getting both UK and US releases.

Just to complicate things a bit further, It looks like the new Sherlock special is also getting a simultaneous UK cinema screening, but obviously, with modern digital cinema, it could easily play at either 24fps or 25fps, so not even that provides an answer.

[JayEmm]

Actually there is no support for 25p in the DCP standard, so playing 25p in most cinemas is basically impossible.

[David M]

Originally Posted by JayEmm

Actually there is no support for 25p in the DCP standard, so playing 25p in most cinemas is basically impossible.

Actually 25p is buried in the DCI spec... But it's not mandatory for projectors to support it. Which is close to useless!

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by Fnord Prefect

So the Doctor Who series 9 blu-rays will be 24fps while the broadcast versions were 25fps? Looks like I'll be saving £10+ and buying on DVD instead...

I was only asking the question, based on the back cover info, which is all we have right now. Though, hopefully, someone who bought Series 9, Part 1 could confirm before Part 2 is released.

As I don't watch Doctor Who, I haven't bought any of the BDs, though it's been well documented that the Series 1-4 upscaled Blu-rays are 1080p24 like the US editions, and there was also an incident with The Day of the Doctor that resulted in the BBC offering a 25fps replacement BD for the 2D version.

[JayEmm]

Yes, whenever I have been involved in creating a DCP we always have to go to 24fps.

I always gathered 25p content for Blu Ray was distributed at 50i? Not a disaster as a lot of material is still 25PsF.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by JayEmm

Yes, whenever I have been involved in creating a DCP we always have to go to 24fps.

I always gathered 25p content for Blu Ray was distributed at 50i? Not a disaster as a lot of material is still 25PsF.

It is, but people tend to get confused when you talk about 1080/50i, or 1080i50, etc., so I just used the fps rates.

And I don't doubt that most or all BBC content has been produced at 25p (progressive), because the interlacing is just a container that is within the BD spec, and all of the 1080/50i BBC BDs I have look fantastic, with no interlacing or combing issues.

[JayEmm]

Yes the only issue is with players or screens that de interlace poorly. Something that concerns me as I have ditched my PS3 for a PS4 and it apparently does not de interlace well

[oddbox83]

Doctor Who Series 9 Part 1 is 1080i50.

I know. I've watched it.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by oddbox83

Doctor Who Series 9 Part 1 is 1080i50.

I know. I've watched it.

Excellent, so hopefully that means this is just an issue of incorrect cover art, and that the new Sherlock is indeed 25fps, too.

[Indiana Jones]

Originally Posted by oddbox83

Doctor Who Series 9 Part 1 is 1080i50.

I know. I've watched it.

Nice to have it confirmed, doubted they would go screw it up after they made a special effort to fix the 50th Anniversary disc.

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by Indiana Jones

Nice to have it confirmed, doubted they would go screw it up after they made a special effort to fix the 50th Anniversary disc.

Their Xmas Specials set is all 24p though. Even the episodes available elsewhere in 1080i50.

New releases tend to be 50i, but back-catalogue Who seems to recycle the US masters. They're not the exact same discs though, they are region B & C locked. Which seems to defeat the point of recycling the US masters but the BBC are no stranger to odd decisions. Their Blu-ray history isn't a great one. I'm still waiting for a 50i Torchwood. Hell, I'd even take 24p conversions over the smeary mess of current discs.

[Indiana Jones]

Hadn't even heard of an Xmas Special set, seems pretty pointless as aren't they all included in the series boxsets?

[ElimGarak]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

Excellent, so hopefully that means this is just an issue of incorrect cover art, and that the new Sherlock is indeed 25fps, too.

Just got the UK disc of Sherlock: The Abominable Bride, and it is 1080p24 after all... so slowed down and running 93 minutes. Pitch-correction appears to have been applied so the voices and music are not lower sounding, but the slowdown is still apparent when you know it's there. Disappointing when all previous UK Sherlock discs were 1080i50 at the correct speed...

[oddbox83]

Does it have Dolby Atmos like the US disc? Maybe That would explain it being "cinema" speed? .

Really though, it's probably because they don't care. BBC in the UK seem to have a contempt for doing physical media as the best they can be these days.