Stretch-o-Vision

Stretch-o-Vision is a neologism used to describe the practice of video in the 4:3 aspect ratio being stretched to a widescreen aspect ratio such as 16:9 in various ways, causing a distorted picture. Although it can be used to describe this type of stretching in general (including implementations of it built into most high definition television sets), the use of the term "stretch-o-vision" was popularized as a term for the 4:3 stretching practices first implemented by Turner Network Television (TNT) when they launched their HD simulcast channel, TNT HD.

TNT HD and FlexView

TNT HD, launched in 2004, is a simulcast of the main TNT network, and airs the same programming as its standard definition counterpart, substituting in high definition versions of programming when available. However, some of TNT's programming is not produced in HD or is not available to the network in HD, and due to possible difficulties in obtaining high-definition telecines of some movies, some movies cannot be presented in true HD.

However, senior vise president of Broadcast Engineering at TNT, Clyde D. Smith, was against pillarboxing for several reasons. These included possible issues with burn-in caused by pillarboxing on plasma televisions, the inability of some older HDTV's to stretch 4:3 content automatically, the comparison of the stretching systems in HDTV's to funhouse mirrors, and the desire for a more "pleasant" and consistent viewing experience, as all programs are would be either aired in true high definition or stretched to 16:9 by the system, describing a transition from a HD program to a 4:3 standard definition program as "jarring" to an average viewer.

TNT partnered with Teranex to develop their own in-house upconversion system called FlexView, a system which upconverts and scales the original standard definition video into a "enhanced viewing experience" for widescreen, by using a nonlinear method to stretch more near the edges of the screen than in the center of it. After a year of use on TNT, the FlexView system became available to other HD broadcasters, and is also now used by other networks such as Discovery Channel, HGTV, and also TNT's sister network, TBS HD (launched in 2007).

Even though TNT intended the system to improve the experience, the FlexView system has been frequently criticized by viewers of high definition channels, with people noting that the upconverted programming has a softer look, is stretched in places, and is not in true high definition. As part of the criticism, viewers have commonly referred to 4:3 broadcasts stretched in this manner as being in "Stretch-o-Vision". In recent years, TNT HD has increased the amount of true HD programming on their service, and has aired more movies in HD.

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