Where are the High Def Commercials?

So I’m watching Jay Leno in high definition, as I do*, and I started observing which TV commercials were broadcast in standard definition during HD shows. Many TV stations are in a two-decade long transition to digital and high definition broadcasts, so they switch between standard definition, 720 and 1080 HD content constantly.

I understand the cost involved with HD production, but there is no excuse for anything with a broadcast budget to be shot and delivered in standard definition in 2006. If you’re going to spend millions of dollars airing your commercial, you can spend a smidgen more to have it produced in HD.

High definition commercials stand out during commercial breaks, especially ones with that trippy surround-sound-through-stereo audio effect. Political ads, local businesses, and infomercials expectedly are not in high definition, while companies I associate with the “cutting edge” air HD commerci…

I interrupt this blog entry because K Fed is totally bombing on Leno right now and it’s distracting. What was I saying? Right.

For example, Apple’s Get A Mac commercials are shown in high definition. You can even download them in HD from the Apple website.

Ironically, almost every movie trailer and car commercial is shown in standard definition on high definition channels. These are visually impressive ads and many are shot on film. These companies are pulling an Onan (all the motions without the delivery). What’s the deal?

* Arthur & I have an old (but awesome) HDTV and a digital TV tuner, so we don’t pay any monthly fees, but still get about 20 basic channels.

This entry was posted on Friday, October 20th, 2006 at 1:16 and is tagged .

2 Responses to “Where are the High Def Commercials?”

  1. Armen Says:
    October 20th, 2006 at 11:16

    That bugs me too. That’s why my favorite local HD channels are all PBS stations (no ads!)

    :-)

  2. Jeremiah Says:
    October 21st, 2006 at 20:18

    PBS is good, but I love Boston Legal and Lost.