# The Wire is in HD and Widescreen on Amazon Prime Streaming



## GoPackGo (Dec 29, 2012)

Just noticed that The Wire plays in 16:9 when viewed on Amazon's Prime Instant Streaming service. 

I assumed that this was Amazon matting the original 4:3 frame, but to be sure I started S01E01 from the DVD on my TV, and the same episode from Amazon on my phone. 

Amazon's image isn't cutting off anything from the top and bottom of the image - it's actually a true widescreen frame with more image on the left and right. 

Also, Amazon's picture quality is better than the old DVDs (YMMV depending on bandwidth, I guess). 

I skipped ahead a few seasons on Amazon and they look to be 16:9 the whole way through. Time for another rewatch!


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## GoPackGo (Dec 29, 2012)

Did a screen cap of S01E02 from the DVD and from Amazon, showing the difference.

DVD:









Amazon:


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

That is awesome! 

My wife and I were just talking about going back and binge watching it.


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

It's interesting that it's widescreen on Amazon and 4:3 on HBO GO.


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## trainman (Jan 29, 2001)

GoPackGo said:


> I assumed that this was Amazon matting the original 4:3 frame...


This 16:9/HD version aired on DirecTV's Channel 101/Audience Network a couple years ago, so Amazon wasn't responsible for it -- they must have just gotten their hands on the same "remastered" version that DirecTV used.


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

The show was probably shot on widescreen film, but framed for 4:3. So, there could be stuff that you see on the sides that you weren't meant to see. 

Buffy was like this. I remember a scene where you could see an arm shaking this vine that the actors where trying to get thru. You couldn't see that arm in the 4:3 version because it was outside of the frame.

I've never seen The Wire, but have always meant to. Maybe I'll finally break down and watch it.


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## GoPackGo (Dec 29, 2012)

trainman said:


> This 16:9/HD version aired on DirecTV's Channel 101/Audience Network a couple years ago, so Amazon wasn't responsible for it -- they must have just gotten their hands on the same "remastered" version that DirecTV used.


I remember when that aired, but I thought the consensus was that DirecTV was actually matting the 4:3 frame and you were losing image.

EDIT: Here's the old thread about it. No one really reached a final verdict except for some anecdotal comments saying that heads look chopped off in some shots.


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

As someone who was just about to start watching the show for the first time, I'm now confused about which version I should stream. I did a quick Google search, and I came up with this article that gives some insight into the situation:

http://library.creativecow.net/articles/griffin_nick/hbo_the_wire.php

It appears that the show was indeed framed for 16x9, but it was only ever intended to be shown in 4x3.


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## GoPackGo (Dec 29, 2012)

NEVERMIND! It's only the first 2 seasons, although I SWEAR I wasn't tired enough this morning to not notice that seasons 3-5 were 4:3 when I checked them, but I must have been.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

It's not in HD, whatever the aspect ratio.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Peter000 said:


> It's not in HD, whatever the aspect ratio.


It could be, if they have the original film. Which I assume they do...


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> It could be, if they have the original film. Which I assume they do...


While if that were the case it could be, it's not, unless Amazon made a mistake labeling the show. If it were HD, there would be an HD banner across the bottom of the show icon.

And I couldn't find _any_ source, legal or not, that had HD digital copies of the show. But I don't have the most obvious source, HBO Go, so I don't know if they are or not.


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## pahunt (Apr 7, 2003)

Some interesting stuff right at the end of this article about HD and aspect ratios from the directory of photography. Not conclusive about whether there could be a real HD version or not but does confirm that the first 3 season were shot in 16:9 and then reframed to 4:3 for broadcast.

http://library.creativecow.net/articles/griffin_nick/hbo_the_wire.php


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

There is no doubt whatsoever that there COULD be an HD version (the series was shot on film; film is higher def than HD); the only question is whether they did the work of going back to the film and rescanning it to HD.

Somebody upthread says they saw an HD version of it. That could have been upconverted from the SD version, or it could be true HD scanned from the original film.


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> There is no doubt whatsoever that there COULD be an HD version (the series was shot on film; film is higher def than HD); the only question is whether they did the work of going back to the film and rescanning it to HD.
> 
> Somebody upthread says they saw an HD version of it. That could have been upconverted from the SD version, or it could be true HD scanned from the original film.


Articles in this thread seem to indicate that they did some upconverting and it looks better than a typical consumer-TV-driven upconvert.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

All I'm saying is "The Wire" streaming from Amazon is not HD.


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

Peter000 said:


> All I'm saying is "The Wire" streaming from Amazon is not HD.


It's not. I just watched the first episode last night. It did look good, though. It will be weird if it suddenly switches to 4:3 for the last two seasons.


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## xuxa (Oct 8, 2001)

GoPackGo said:


> NEVERMIND! It's only the first 2 seasons, although I SWEAR I wasn't tired enough this morning to not notice that seasons 3-5 were 4:3 when I checked them, but I must have been.


They stopped framing for 16x9 after the first three seasons once they decided to keep the show 4x3 for the entire run. They framed the initial seasons to future proof just in case. The producers intention is for the show to be in 4x3.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

gweempose said:


> As someone who was just about to start watching the show for the first time, I'm now confused about which version I should stream. I did a quick Google search, and I came up with this article that gives some insight into the situation:
> 
> http://library.creativecow.net/articles/griffin_nick/hbo_the_wire.php
> 
> It appears that the show was indeed framed for 16x9, but it was only ever intended to be shown in 4x3.


Fascinating article. Thanks for posting.


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## dslunceford (Oct 19, 2000)

So, GoPackGo, you got an image credit in the Verge today: http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/2/6096833/hbo-the-wire-hd-marathon


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

HBO is remastering "The Wire!"
http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/09/02/h.../?hootPostID=501262ccc283fd1fe2bd2ed1b3e71908


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

Great news, but now I'm asking myself if I should wait to watch it for the first time HD?


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## GoPackGo (Dec 29, 2012)

dslunceford said:


> So, GoPackGo, you got an image credit in the Verge today: http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/2/6096833/hbo-the-wire-hd-marathon


OMG!


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## Jim_TV (Mar 4, 2006)

I never watched this show, so if this remaster does indeed come to fruition I'll finally give it a try.


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

gweempose said:


> Great news, but now I'm asking myself if I should wait to watch it for the first time HD?


I have been threatening to watch this show for years. I might as well hold off until it is available in HD.


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

Here's how Slate thinks the digital enhancement might go. Spoiler death of a major character.



Spoiler


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

Turtleboy said:


> Here's how Slate thinks the digital enhancement might go. Spoiler death of a major character.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler


I realize that is spoiler tagged, but if you have never seen The Wire, DO NOT CLICK ON THAT SPOILER. Seriously. No, really seriously. I'm not kidding. Do. Not. Click. 

If you have seen The Wire, click it.


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

From HBOWatch and TVLine:

"UPDATE: HBO has finally given us a premiere date for The Wire HD! THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS 2014! December 26th, that is. Heres the info straight from HBO:"

http://hbowatch.com/the-wire-being-remastered-rebroadcast-in-hd-by-hbo/

http://tvline.com/2014/12/02/the-wire-high-definition-remastering-december-2014-marathon/



> The Wire: The Complete Series in HD will be available for the first time as a full series purchase at iTunes, Google Play, X-Box Video and Vudu on January 5. Individual episodes and seasons will be available through all of HBOs Digital HD retailers.
> 
> To celebrate the HD launch, HBO Signature will air the entire series consecutively, one season per day starting with season 1 on Friday, December 26 at noon. The marathon will wrap with season 5 on Tuesday, December 30.
> 
> ...





> According to the cabler, all 60 episodes of The Wire have been remastered for a tighter fit on widescreen TVs and computer/tablet screens. The original negatives were scanned, edited, dust-busted and color-corrected with great care and attention taken to stay true to the look and feel of the original Standard-Definition 4×3 version.


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

A little more info from Alan Sepinwall:

http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-wa...re-gets-a-high-definition-widescreen-makeover


> "The Wire" is finally entering the world of high-definition  even if it's not the way the series was originally meant to look.
> 
> HBO announced today that they had completed the high-definition re-mastering of all five seasons of "The Wire," which will debut in December on HBO Signature and HBO Go, be sold in digital HD (through iTunes, Google Play, etc.) starting January 5, and on Blu-ray starting next summer. As the press release notes, "The entire series has been beautifully re-mastered in 16x9 Full-Frame HD from more than 8,000 reels of original 35mm camera negative, allowing for a tighter fit on widescreen TVs and computer/tablet screens. The original negatives were scanned, edited, dust-busted and color-corrected with great care and attention taken to stay true to the look and feel of the original Standard-Definition 4x3 version."
> 
> ...


David Simon writes about "The Wire in HD":

http://davidsimon.com/the-wire-in-hd/


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

That's awesome that Simon took over the process.


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

A bit upset that I finally got around to watching the first 4 seasons over the summer. At least I still have one left.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

After reading the Simon article, I think I'll just stick with the DVDs.

It's a little sad how we've come full-circle...there was a time when the public insisted on 16:9 movies being cropped to 4:3 so there wouldn't be "wasted space" on their TVs. Now, it seems HBO believes the public insists on 4:3 shows being reformatted to 16:9. Now as then, I wonder why we can't just accept the image as it was created and intended to be seen. I would buy an HD 4:3 The Wire if it was scanned from the original film.


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> After reading the Simon article, I think I'll just stick with the DVDs.
> 
> It's a little sad how we've come full-circle...there was a time when the public insisted on 16:9 movies being cropped to 4:3 so there wouldn't be "wasted space" on their TVs. Now, it seems HBO believes the public insists on 4:3 shows being reformatted to 16:9. Now as then, I wonder why we can't just accept the image as it was created and intended to be seen. I would buy an HD 4:3 The Wire if it was scanned from the original film.


People are dumb.


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

I guess it's time to put your DVD copies on eBay before the general market finds out.


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## johnh123 (Dec 7, 2000)

Amazon streaming has all seasons in 16:9 - and it sure looks like HD.


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

johnh123 said:


> Amazon streaming has all seasons in 16:9 - and it sure looks like HD.


Read the earlier posts. It's not HD although it is framed in 16:9. That of course will probably change.


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## gossamer88 (Jul 27, 2005)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> After reading the Simon article, I think I'll just stick with the DVDs.
> 
> It's a little sad how we've come full-circle...there was a time when the public insisted on 16:9 movies being cropped to 4:3 so there wouldn't be "wasted space" on their TVs. Now, it seems HBO believes the public insists on 4:3 shows being reformatted to 16:9. Now as then, I wonder why we can't just accept the image as it was created and intended to be seen. I would buy an HD 4:3 The Wire if it was scanned from the original film.


But the original film contains more content as shown by the screenshot above. Seinfeld also got the 16:9 treatment and wished my collection was WS. And no it is not dumb to feel that way.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

Comcast on demand offers to show The Wire "remastered in HD" but what they show is 4:3.


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## trainman (Jan 29, 2001)

pdhenry said:


> Comcast on demand offers to show The Wire "remastered in HD" but what they show is 4:3.


4:3 can be HD (but it's obviously not the remastered version being discussed in this thread, and I wouldn't trust Comcast for anything anyway).


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

Looks like HBO Go replaced the original ones with the widescreen HD version. So now you can't see the original ones. 

I would have thought they would have put both up there, but I guess the public is too stupid to deal with that.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Turtleboy said:


> Looks like HBO Go replaced the original ones with the widescreen HD version. So now you can't see the original ones.
> 
> I would have thought they would have put both up there, but I guess the public is too stupid to deal with that.


I can only hope that someday they'll do a 4:3 HD blu-ray, so I can upgrade my DVDs. Which I would gladly do.

Until then, my money stays in my pocket!

(Well, that's not true. It just goes somewhere else...)


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

HBO is doing a marathon on one of their stations of all 5 seasons this week with the new HD widescreen version (I think).
Season 1 was yesterday.
Season 2 is today starting at noon.


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

Cainebj said:


> HBO is doing a marathon on one of their stations of all 5 seasons this week with the new HD widescreen version (I think).
> Season 1 was yesterday.
> Season 2 is today starting at noon.


Yes, HBO Signature. I was going to Tivo the marathon, but then I realized that I had it all available streaming from HBO Go.


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

They do look better. More pleasant to watch, etc. I've only watched maybe 30 minutes so far.

I am recording them all. I'm not really sure why.

I do find myself looking at how the shots were framed. I'm surprised that some of the framing still worked in 4:3.


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## Jim_TV (Mar 4, 2006)

I never saw this when it was first on, but I set up my secondary DVR to record the whole series, so hopefully it has space for all 60 hours. I'll see when I get home from visiting family for the holiday.


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

I'm recording them all. I'd rather watch them from a TiVo recording than streaming.

I watched the pilot yesterday. Pretty darn good, especially considering all the attendant challenges that come with a pilot episode. It moves so fast I'm not sure I know who's who yet. Ya' feel me?

1 down, 59 to go...

:up:


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

Alan Sepinwall has posted a page with links to all his reviews of The Wire. :up:

http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/the-wire-links-for-reviews-to-every-episode


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

astrohip said:


> I watched the pilot yesterday. Pretty darn good, especially considering all the attendant challenges that come with a pilot episode. It moves so fast I'm not sure I know who's who yet. Ya' feel me?


I ended up watching the pilot episode three or four times. It really helped with understanding who was who.

This was due to various attempts at starting the series, but then never getting to it so starting over again after months of not watching.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

astrohip said:


> Alan Sepinwall has posted a page with links to all his reviews of The Wire. :up:
> 
> http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/the-wire-links-for-reviews-to-every-episode


I strongly recommend reading his recaps after watching each episode. I got so much more out of the show by doing so than I would have had I simply watched.


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

astrohip said:


> I'm recording them all. I'd rather watch them from a TiVo recording than streaming.


Me too - I started on HBO GO over the summer and then stopped
I think if they are on my TiVo I will be more apt to binge watch them


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

Does anyone know if the sound is any different? 

We're the original 4:3 SD broadcasts in 5:1 surround?


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## heySkippy (Jul 2, 2001)

I've watched a few of the the eps from the current HBO marathon and the picture quality is pretty damned good!


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

heySkippy said:


> I've watched a few of the the eps from the current HBO marathon and the picture quality is pretty damned good!


Agreed. I think I understated that in my post.


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## smak (Feb 11, 2000)

Turtleboy said:


> Yes, HBO Signature. I was going to Tivo the marathon, but then I realized that I had it all available streaming from HBO Go.


Like others, I'm recording them. I feel like I'll watch them more often if they're on my list of programs on my DVR then if me going into HBO.

-smak-


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Season 4 is the best thing I've ever seen on tv.


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## Howie (May 3, 2004)

I've only ever seen Season 1 and that's been awhile back, so I just started it over again. I've only been through 2 eps so far.


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

Had a houseguest and so we started binging on the Amazon version. Just switched to the HBO version and the picture quality is noticeably better. Crisper, better colors, etc.

But, maybe it's just my HBO Go app for the PS3, but the camera movement is less fluid. It feels like those early 120hz LCDs where they do some weird stuff to fill between the 24fps. Or maybe it's just slightly stuttery streaming.

I doubt this is a PS3 thing but they somehow seem to have made it more shaky cam than it was before in some of the street-level scenes.


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## Jstkiddn (Oct 15, 2003)

cheesesteak said:


> Season 4 is the best thing I've ever seen on tv.


I've tried to watch the pilot episode about 3 times and I never make it through, but then I read stuff like this and I keep wanting to try again.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Jstkiddn said:


> I've tried to watch the pilot episode about 3 times and I never make it through, but then I read stuff like this and I keep wanting to try again.


Turn on closed captions and then read Sepinwall's recap after each episode. It's a very dense, involved show and takes a higher level of concentration than most viewers are used to. In addition, it's not a show that tells a story start to finish in each episode, so it can frequently seem like nothing is happening, but then things get paid off in later episodes.

Bottom line: You can't judge whether you'll like the show after just the first episode. There's so much introduction to characters, storytelling style, environment, etc. that you won't really have a good idea of what's going on for 3-4 episodes, so I'd recommend buckling down and getting through that many before you make any decisions.


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## heySkippy (Jul 2, 2001)

Jstkiddn said:


> I've tried to watch the pilot episode about 3 times and I never make it through, but then I read stuff like this and I keep wanting to try again.


I don't really get all the love for this show. It's okay, but not all that. I've still never watched the last half of the final season.


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

Jstkiddn said:


> I've tried to watch the pilot episode about 3 times and I never make it through, but then I read stuff like this and I keep wanting to try again.


I said the same thing. I'm still not sure since I haven't gotten that far but I do remember watching the first few episodes and thinking "I don't get it" - all the love that is...

But binge watching? Somewhere after 4 or 5 episodes it becomes addictive.

p.s. I don't know what they did to it but I agree it looks great on HBO Signature.


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

_{pulling my eyeballs away from the TV long enough to post this...}_

I've made it thru 11 episodes in two days. Two more and Season One is done. Holey Moley, how have I not watched this before?!? Yeah, it's thick, dense and everyone looks alike at first, white guys and black guys both. And they have names like WeiBei, D, Pooh and Stinkum. But after 3-4 eps, it starts to click and fall into a rhythm. And you find yourself entranced by the story, you can't pull away.

Every once in a while, a series finds magic. When the casting is perfect, the actors nail it, and the writing strong enough to support it all, you have TV magic. Breaking Bad, Sopranos, LOST and a few others. Now I can see why The Wire is considered by most to be one of the top series ever.

Ok, enough wasting time with you guys, yo. Every second here is a second I could be watching the next episode. Feel me, *****?


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## Jim_TV (Mar 4, 2006)

I never saw the original series, so I don't have anything to compare this re-mastered version to. But does anyone who saw it on tv years ago have an opinion on the conversion to 16 x 9? I understand that the footage wasn't simply cropped into to make the 16 x 9 version but that they had extra footage from the original film masters to work with. So the shots- at least many of them- should indeed be wider and contain more screen information than the way it was broadcast on tv.


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## waynomo (Nov 9, 2002)

Jim_TV said:


> I never saw the original series, so I don't have anything to compare this re-mastered version to. But does anyone who saw it on tv years ago have an opinion on the conversion to 16 x 9? I understand that the footage wasn't simply cropped into to make the 16 x 9 version but that they had extra footage from the original film masters to work with. So the shots- at least many of them- should indeed be wider and contain more screen information than the way it was broadcast on tv.


I've only watched a bit here and there, but the the HD is really pleasant to watch. I'm pleasantly surprised. Looks like they did a nice job converting.

As to the scenes I find myself looking to see differences. Quite often I am wondering how they fit it all in in the original 4:3 version. What I'm saying is that there doesn't necessarily appear to be a lot of wasted space at the edges. For sure, it's there, but it definitely works in 16:9.


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## Jim_TV (Mar 4, 2006)

waynomo said:


> I've only watched a bit here and there, but the the HD is really pleasant to watch. I'm pleasantly surprised. Looks like they did a nice job converting.
> 
> As to the scenes I find myself looking to see differences. Quite often I am wondering how they fit it all in in the original 4:3 version. What I'm saying is that there doesn't necessarily appear to be a lot of wasted space at the edges. For sure, it's there, but it definitely works in 16:9.


I'm recording the whole 60 episodes on one of my DVRs to watch for the first time when it's finished. But having just glanced at a few episodes I also had the same thought- essentially, "How the hell did they ever fit this in 4x3 in the original version?" I agree that there didn't appear to be a lot of wasted space on the edges of the screen really.


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

Jim_TV said:


> I'm recording the whole 60 episodes on one of my DVRs to watch for the first time when it's finished. But having just glanced at a few episodes I also had the same thought- essentially, "How the hell did they ever fit this in 4x3 in the original version?" I agree that there didn't appear to be a lot of wasted space on the edges of the screen really.


I believe they shot on film; in which case the unless you are using anamorphic lenses the way you make 4:3 into 16:9 is to crop the top and bottom. So the "wasted space" would be in the top and bottom of the original 4:3, not the sides of the new 16:9.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

ej42137 said:


> I believe they shot on film; in which case the unless you are using anamorphic lenses the way you make 4:3 into 16:9 is to crop the top and bottom. So the "wasted space" would be in the top and bottom of the original 4:3, not the sides of the new 16:9.


Often, film isn't 16:9, it's an intermediate ratio (Super-35, which is 1.65:1). To get 16:9, you crop some off the top & bottom; to get 4:3, you crop some off the sides. When you're filming, you "mask" the part you're not going to use.

If you're future-looking, as on Babylon 5, you shoot for 4:3 but frame it so it will also work in 16:9 (i.e., you can crop either way without damaging the picture). But as we see on Babylon 5, that doesn't always work out very well; you either end up with everything floating in the center (if you do it right), or bad cropping (if you do it wrong). There's a lengthy discussion of the Babylon 5 process here, although it's not very well illustrated; see the pictures at 7.1 for one example.

From the pictures shown earlier in this thread, it looks like The Wire was shot on that kind of film, but framed purely for 4:3. So what they've done here is the best job they can reframing it for 16:9 without letting background stuff that would not show up in the 4:3 version seep in.


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## cherry ghost (Sep 13, 2005)

astrohip posted this on page one of this thread

http://davidsimon.com/the-wire-hd-with-videos/


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

So far I am very pleased with the widescreen format. It feels right to me... adds depth to the backdrops.


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## Jim_TV (Mar 4, 2006)

ej42137 said:


> I believe they shot on film; in which case the unless you are using anamorphic lenses the way you make 4:3 into 16:9 is to crop the top and bottom. So the "wasted space" would be in the top and bottom of the original 4:3, not the sides of the new 16:9.


Looking at the two sample pics on page one of this thread of the old man corpse on the gurney, it appears that the 16 x 9 is at least as tall as the 4 x 3 and also much wider. Those two comparison screencaps seem to be a few frames off, but are pretty close to an exact comparison, and it's pretty clear that they didn't crop the top and bottom of the 4 x 3 version to make 16 x 9. It seems to be a net gain of information on all four sides of the image- top, bottom, left and right.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Like I said, Super-35.


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

Almost done with S3 and still very impressed with the picture quality and framing. It is so much more of an immersive feel


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

Just finished S2. Came up for air, a turkey sandwich, a shower... and now on to Season Three.

'nuff said.


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## Jim_TV (Mar 4, 2006)

I recorded the whole 60 episodes on my spare DVR. Hope to start watching it soon.


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## SoupMan (Mar 1, 2001)

I've watched the whole series probably three times, but *still* got sucked into watching way too many episodes last weekend during the marathons. I found myself rewinding scenes to appreciate the dialog again. 

My HBOsig channel isn't HD on my cable provider, so all I got was the widescreen part. Anyone hear of plans for a Blu Ray widescreen release?


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

astrohip said:


> Just finished S2. Came up for air, a turkey sandwich, a shower... and now on to Season Three.
> 
> 'nuff said.


Does the chair recognize we gonna look like punk ass *****es?


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

astrohip said:


> Just finished S2. Came up for air, a turkey sandwich, a shower... and now on to Season Three.
> 
> 'nuff said.


Seems like so long ago I posted that. Now over halfway thru Season Three.



Gunnyman said:


> Does the chair recognize we gonna look like punk ass *****es?


Sheeeeeiit. My wife returned today (she's been gone a couple days). Had to put on fresh clothes, brush my hair and pick up all the trash around the place. IOW, turn from Bubbs into Astrohip. 

I felt like that line from Truckin' "Living on reds, vitamin C and cocaine".


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

I'm hooked - been binge watching since new years eve 

just started season 4 :up:


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

And... it's on to Season Four. It's gonna be tougher now that the regular season has started back up, but I have to find a way to watch one or two eps a night.

Truly an amazing show. The writing is as sharp as any I've ever watched, and the casting/acting is just killer. Huge number of actors I recognize from more current shows, that this was their first big gig.

When a season is done, you don't know whether you want to laugh, cry, scream out... or all of them. They certainly don't wrap up story lines in neat little bows*, and it's as frustrating as real life can be. But damn, it just draws you in, and won't let go.

How was it perceived as it aired?


* Made the mistake of watching the latest Blue Bloods over the weekend. Talk about the antithesis of The Wire. Everything *was* wrapped up neat, and the good guys won.


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

By about the third season, many critics were calling it the best show on TV and it had a fairly large following, though nothing like newer HBO hit shows. The first season somewhat flew under the radar by my perceptions.


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

It's amazing how much technology has advanced in the past 10 years with regards to cell phones, wiretaps, video, photographs, etc.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

The show is a great study in clandestine intelligence gathering. So was Rubicon.


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

So which is the recommended season? 

(top of my head)
1) Avon Barksdale and Omar.
2) Frank Sobotka, "The Greek," Ziggy, ??? Frank?, and Proposition Joe
3) The kids? leading to Marlo
4) Marlo?


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

Recommended? As in you can only watch one season? Season 1 is Avon and Oamar
Season 2 is the Wharf, kind of boring but is great set up for the rest of the series.
Season 3 is All about Avon Barksdale Stringer Bell 
Season 4 is the Kids and my favorite
Season 5 is about McNulty and the Baltimore Sun.

Of all of them Season 4 is the most emotional. David Simon's treatment of what happens to inner city kids is hauntingly accurate.


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## Ravensfan (Feb 6, 2012)

I agree, Season 4 was the best. It's amazing seeing all the scenery in Baltimore. The areas around the water have been gentrified and safe but a large portion of the rest of the city is just as you see it in the show.

The HD quality and 16x9 really make the show a new experience.


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## Gunnyman (Jul 10, 2003)

I noticed Ben Carson's name got mentioned in a Season 4 episode. He's a prominent name in the news today but was apparently a noteworthy name 8-9 years ago in Baltimore.


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

You too can learn to act


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

Turtleboy said:


> You too can learn to act


You know he did the same delivery 1st in Spike Lee's movie, "The 25th Hour"

Who gonna sue who? Or maybe Isaiah owns the line.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

I was just catching up on "Veep" this past weekend and Isaiah Whitlock Jr. plays a presidential candidate running against the lead character. The staff is doing prep for an upcoming debate and one of the staff is supposed to be playing the part of Isaiah's character. When told this, someone else in the room said, "Don't do the voice." I'm sitting on my couch by myself and it was an almost involuntary reaction to say, "Sheeeeeeeeit."


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

Season Four is done. Wasn't able to watch much during the week, so I binged the last 10 eps this weekend. You know a show is getting to you when you start caring about fictional characters.

I like the way David Simon is able to create a season about an entire new world, in the case "The Kids", and still encompass the full Wire universe--cops, politicians, the corners, Omar, Bubbs.

Time to take a long walk thru the pastures with my dog, and clear my head. The Wire can leave you in a strange place. Especially when it leaves you with final scenes like this... 


[not a spoiler]


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## s10023 (Nov 12, 2013)

so does anyone know if amazon is streaming it in the new remastered HD?


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

s10023 said:


> so does anyone know if amazon is streaming it in the new remastered HD?


It wasn't the weekend they came out. There was a noticeable difference. They might have switched by now, but I would assume not.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

s10023 said:


> so does anyone know if amazon is streaming it in the new remastered HD?


Yes, it appears so! The show now has HD banners on the graphics and looks much better.


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

I just checked out the first episode on both HBO GO and Amazon Prime. For some reason, the Amazon version looked better to my eyes.


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

"Let's go home"

:up:


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## johnh123 (Dec 7, 2000)

s10023 said:


> so does anyone know if amazon is streaming it in the new remastered HD?


Says 1080p now.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

I see Battlestar Galactica (the original series), of all shows, is getting it "right." The new remastered blu-ray is available in a widescreen version, and in a version with both the widescreen and the 4:3!

I wish The Wire had gone that route. I would have paid extra for the "definitive" edition; but I won't pay anything for the altered version. I can live with the DVDs.


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I see Battlestar Galactica (the original series), of all shows, is getting it "right." The new remastered blu-ray is available in a widescreen version, and in a version with both the widescreen and the 4:3!
> 
> I wish The Wire had gone that route. I would have paid extra for the "definitive" edition; but I won't pay anything for the altered version. I can live with the DVDs.


Perhaps I'm not a purist, but I prefer the new remastered versions of The Wire. They look fantastic in widescreen HD. The picture is so crisp and clear that I can't even imagine going back and watching them in SD now. I agree that it would have been nice to have a choice, but I think you gain a lot more than you give up.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

gweempose said:


> Perhaps I'm not a purist, but I prefer the new remastered versions of The Wire. They look fantastic in widescreen HD. The picture is so crisp and clear that I can't even imagine going back and watching them in SD now. I agree that it would have been nice to have a choice, but I think you gain a lot more than you give up.


But if they did an HD 4:3, you would give up zero and gain everything. And my Oppo does pretty awesome upscaling, so why pay for a defective product?


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> But if they did an HD 4:3, you would give up zero and gain everything. And my Oppo does pretty awesome upscaling, so why pay for a defective product?


I would venture to guess that most people would prefer a widescreen picture to a 4:3 picture. For me, it's irritating having the pillarboxing space on the screen. If I get more enjoyment out of the remaster, it's not a "defective product." Wink aside.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I see Battlestar Galactica (the original series), of all shows, is getting it "right." The new remastered blu-ray is available in a widescreen version, and in a version with both the widescreen and the 4:3!


Is there a thread to discuss the Battlestar Galactica BD release?


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Peter000 said:


> If I get more enjoyment out of the remaster, it's not a "defective product." Wink aside.


Yep. And the wink acknowledges that.

It's a little odd to me that some of the people who are praising 4:3 shows being converted to 16:9 solely so it will "fill the screen" are the same ones who railed against 16:9 shows being converted to 4:3 so it would fill the screen. But hey, people are odd (and complicated). Why, I wouldn't be surprised if there were one or two of you out there who maybe once in a while think maybe I'm just a little odd! 


Peter000 said:


> Is there a thread to discuss the Battlestar Galactica BD release?


Nope. It comes out tomorrow. I won't be getting it unless there's a sensational deal somewhere down the road (on the 4:3 version); I'm not that big a fan of the show.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Yep. And the wink acknowledges that.
> 
> It's a little odd to me that some of the people who are praising 4:3 shows being converted to 16:9 solely so it will "fill the screen" are the same ones who railed against 16:9 shows being converted to 4:3 so it would fill the screen. But hey, people are odd (and complicated). Why, I wouldn't be surprised if there were one or two of you out there who maybe once in a while think maybe I'm just a little odd!


my reasoning is that ideally on a 4:3 to 16:9 conversion there's nothing lost, only picture gained on the edges. Going the other way, there's lots of picture lost on the edges sometimes important stuff, depending on how the original shot was framed.

If the 4:3 to 16:9 is simply a top/bottom crop, then of course I'd rather watch it in 4:3.

If you're REALLY a purist, you'd watch it on a CRT TV in standard definition from a DVD.  Oh, and on a TV manufactured around the time the Program was aired.



Rob Helmerichs said:


> Nope. It comes out tomorrow. I won't be getting it unless there's a sensational deal somewhere down the road (on the 4:3 version); I'm not that big a fan of the show.


Fair enough. I'm hoping it's remastered so the PQ is better... I have a DVD set that's pretty grainy.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Peter000 said:


> my reasoning is that ideally on a 4:3 to 16:9 conversion there's nothing lost, only picture gained on the edges. Going the other way, there's lots of picture lost on the edges sometimes important stuff, depending on how the original shot was framed.


In this case, some is cropped from the top and bottom, and some is added to the sides (which wasn't meant to be there in the first place). It was shot open matte (1.66:1), which is roughly halfway between 4:3 and 16:9.

I have to admit, I'm unusually sensitive to this kind of thing. There have been times in theaters where movies are ruined for me because they overdid the overscan (there's always a little, so there won't be bright strips around the picture; a good projectionist will size it so there's only a tiny little bit of overscan, but when there's too much it really throws off the composition for me). I stopped going to one theater when it happened one time too many there. So I have a feeling that watching The Wire when it's cropped and expanded away from the originally-designed image would probably look like driving spikes through my eyeballs. Babylon 5 has similar effect on me; they did what the Wire people did in trying to protect the open matte image for both 4:3 and 16:9. But they ended up either with a soft, vague composition, or one that was designed for 4:3 and ended up with faces cropped at the chin, etc, when shown 16:9. I suffer through the B5 DVDs because they're all that there is, but I think JMS's forward-thinking experiment was an abject failure.

I admit to being a bit unusual in that regard. 


Peter000 said:


> Fair enough. I'm hoping it's remastered so the PQ is better... I have a DVD set that's pretty grainy.


Apparently it is.


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## markb (Jul 24, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> In this case, some is cropped from the top and bottom, and some is added to the sides (which wasn't meant to be there in the first place). It was shot open matte (1.66:1), which is roughly halfway between 4:3 and 16:9.


That doesn't completely describe what was done to The Wire. They evaluated each shot separately, when deciding what to do. This link has been posted before, but it's a much better description of how the The Wire was altered:

http://davidsimon.com/the-wire-hd-with-videos/


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

markb said:


> That doesn't completely describe what was done to The Wire. They evaluated each shot separately, when deciding what to do. This link has been posted before, but it's a much better description of how the The Wire was altered:
> 
> http://davidsimon.com/the-wire-hd-with-videos/


Nevertheless, something is lost somewhere, and it takes it away from the way the shot was composed.

Now, there are places where by serendipity they end up with a better frame. But for the most part, I'm willing to bet that The Wire was filmed by highly-skilled directors who new exactly what they were doing when they framed their shots, and what they were doing is necessarily reduced when that shot is altered.


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