[marshallp]

Probably the best program the BBC produce and it's gonna be in HD.




Top Gear in HD from November | Join Freesat

[Easybourne]

That's nice and everything, but with the ongoing bit-rate reductions on BBC HD, you'll hardly notice the difference.

[Adama]

WOOHOO!!!!

[Starburst]

A headline show but a niche one yet it's the type of show that will sell HD perhaps far more so than the more popular audience wise Eastenders.

[jegan111]

I don't see how Jeremy Clarkson in High Definition could ever be a good thing.....

[Halloway]

Originally Posted by marshallp

Probably the best program the BBC produce and it's gonna be in HD.

You could transmit 'Top Gear' in 3D sensurround superfeelyvision and it would still be puerile rubbish.

(No offence intended to anyone.)

[Kitjunky]

Originally Posted by darren204

That's nice and everything, but with the ongoing bit-rate reductions on BBC HD, you'll hardly notice the difference.

Must agree with this comment, I have noticed quite a drop in picture quality recently and BBCHD is slowly loosing that awsomb HD look and becoming a good quality SD instead. all in all it is very sad that HDTV is going the same route as dab, all thanks to the bean counter mentality of management. rant over

Still I will be very happy to see topgear in HD :-)

[IanW]

OMG about bl**dy time!!!!!

[mike7]

Originally Posted by Halloway

You could transmit 'Top Gear' in 3D sensurround superfeelyvision and it would still be puerile rubbish.

(No offence intended to anyone.)

It's called 'entertainment' !. It's highly popular and sells all over the world hence the change to HD. Makes a refreshing change from endless 'talent', cooking and 'reality' shows. Top Gear is not meant to be taken too seriously. I'm sure Jeremy Clarkson found all that manure that was dumped on his doorstep last week by misinformed eco-freaks useful. He is very keen on using his land to grow vegetables.

[Snapman]

Originally Posted by marshallp

Probably the best program the BBC produce and it's gonna be in HD.




Top Gear in HD from November | Join Freesat

I'm realy not trying to be offensive but I don't agree and wouldn't have thought this was a forum in which to say which programmes are tops and which aren't.

I wouldn't watch Top Gear if it were in 3D and smellyvision.

David

[didgerman]

Originally Posted by mike7

It's called 'entertainment' !. It's highly popular and sells all over the world hence the change to HD. Makes a refreshing change from endless 'talent', cooking and 'reality' shows. Top Gear is not meant to be taken too seriously. I'm sure Jeremy Clarkson found all that manure that was dumped on his doorstep last week by misinformed eco-freaks useful. He is very keen on using his land to grow vegetables.

This is true, there are fat oafs all over the world that love Jeremy. Ideally they'd have their own channel, but one program a week is allowable.

[Phil Reid]

Originally Posted by darren204

That's nice and everything, but with the ongoing bit-rate reductions on BBC HD, you'll hardly notice the difference.

Is this just based upon what you see with your own eyes, or this there some factual evidence?

Thanks...

[Easybourne]

Originally Posted by Phil Reid

Is this just based upon what you see with your own eyes, or this there some factual evidence?

Thanks...

Actually, it's both.

I had been merely wondering about it lately - thinking to myself that BBC HD seemed soft and blocky campared to how I remember it being when I first got it. It got to a stage where I started Googling....

I found this,

this

and this

Bsically, since early August, the bit rate has dropped by around 40%. The resolution IS NOT 1920 x 1080, but much lower (I believe 1440x1080), a new encoder is being used with less than optimal settings, etc etc etc.

Good innit. Some showcase.

[SlinkDaddy]

I for one am really pleased that this will be in HD. Some of the camera work is really nice on Top Gear and this should look really good in HD. Not to mention that I am one of the "fat oafs" that like the show. I guess that must make me stupid, oh well.

[didgerman]

Originally Posted by mhsslinky

I am one of the "fat oafs" that like the show. I guess that must make me stupid, oh well.

Not at all, you guessed correctly.
Seriously, Top Gear? C'mon......

[Snapman]

Can this thread be closed please - it's becoming rather silly.

David

[didgerman]

Originally Posted by Snapman

Can this thread be closed please - it's becoming rather silly.

David

Why? The majority of it is discussing the worth of putting a minority interest program {with an un-certain future owing to the continual abusive attitude of it's main presenter} on to a channel with little enough room as it is.
I'm sorry if you're a fan of fat oaf Clarkson and are getting upset, but surely if you *are* a fan, then you can take some rough and tumble verbally. If you're not, why not just move on?

[Starburst]

Regardless of what anyone thinks of this specific show more HD (especially free) can only be a good thing as it will certainly encourage the expansion of broadcast hours on BBCHD and by extension encourage more HD from other channels as the number of HD homes increases.
Top Gear like it or not is a popular show on it's channel and a good product for the commercial side of the BBC and thus moving to HD is a fairly easy decision and may cost wise be a better investment that rebuilding the Eastenders sets.

[tcrown]

When you consider that TG regularly has 7-7.5m viewers it's hardly niche.

[Starburst]

Originally Posted by tcrown

When you consider that TG regularly has 7-7.5m viewers it's hardly niche.

Good point, it's easy to forget that the move to a more light weight entertainment programme while diminishing it's factual heritage has raised it's viewing numbers considerably and perhaps any show with X amount of viewers should be high on the list for an HD production upgrade.

[SlinkDaddy]

Originally Posted by didgerman

Not at all, you guessed correctly.
Seriously, Top Gear? C'mon......

You really are trying to start on a real high with your first few posts on the forum aren't you? Are you sure this is the right forum for you? Isn't there one that caters for bickering and put downs somewhere in teenager land that may suit you a little more?

Originally Posted by didgerman

Why? The majority of it is discussing the worth of putting a minority interest program.......

Do you have a clue what your are talking about? Top Gear isn't a minority interest program, as mentioned above it has large viewing figures in the UK. More importantly the BBC sells it to more than 100 countries around the world. It is the BBC's biggest export and a big money maker for them, why wouldn't they want to make it in HD? See the link below:-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008...bbc.television

Also a large portion of the show is studio based and the rest can be done with relatively few cameras, making the show really easy and inexpensive to produce in HD.

We get that you don't like Top Gear, you can stop banging on about it now if you want and also stop putting down the people that do.

[Rob.butters]

If you don't like it don't watch it......

Strangely enough it's one of the only shows that me and my missus sit down and watch together. I'm not to fussed that it's in HD although if it's half as good as the Polar Expedition they did in HD the other year then well done the BBC.

[steve.r]

For all us Top Gear fans, the excellent Polar special is being shown again on BBC-HD next Wednesday (7th) at 22:00

[ozzzy189]

Be nice if the thailand and africa specials were on bbc hd at some point. Although, they really need to sort out the PQ, it's definately not good enough for HD.

[nstokes]

woohoo finally

[Dr Evilest]

About bleeding time!

BTW, I bet there's a fair few of that 7million audience figure that watch the programme out of habit. I tend to record it & fast forward through the not-so-interesting bits. Some of the challenges are good; some daft & repetitive.

As for Clarkson, well he's annoying & amusing in equal measures.

[nokmond]

Jezzer is a legend, if he was our PM our country would be a far better place.

[mike7]

They were in Norwich earlier this week flying a caravan (containing James May) under an airship balloon. This was a second attempt as they had previously tried it at a Cambridge airfield when the stunt went slightly wrong. The balloon was pursued by 2 helicopters, one from the local police force and the other had 'HD TV' on the side. Nobody was injured ! Pictures can be seen on the Norwich Evening News Website.

[dancingmatt]

I can't drive. No licence. Can't afford a car anyway. And am an environmentalist blah blah blah.

Love Top Gear though. It's entertaining, it knows its place, and (as a Graphic Designer and Video Editor) I love how they shoot it too. Yes, it's a style that won't appeal to everyone but the way they cut and post-process their outdoors stuff... well, I love it. Very pleased it's coming to HD.

It's got a massive following and they're not all car-nuts, it's just an entertaining and well-made programme.

[supraking]

little bump for this, anyone have a date of the first episode?