Video Quality of NBC HD Sports Programming

[tkrandall]

I get NBC in the Atlanta area via WXIA channel "11" both OTA and thru D*. I have noticed that the quality of the HD programming, especially sports, is not very good -- lots of digital artifacts and pixilation. This is true for both OTA and the D* feed, (although the D* feed might be a bit more compressed for things like skin tone). Example: the Ga Tech - Notre Dame game. The grass had a very blocky, blothcy, digital artificial look to it - it did not even look like the texture of grass. Sweeps of the camera across players yieled very noticable large digital image blocks - kind of like you get for strobe lighting. All signs of bit starvation it would seem. In contrast, the local CBS affiliate's signal is much cleaner for comprable sports (football, and golf, for example)

WXIA does co-broadcast a full time weather page on 11-2 in 480i. Is the poor image quality a local WXIA issue or NBC in general?

[Earl Bonovich]

NBC's HD converage of sporting events is not the greatest.

While I did find this weekend's GOLF coverage to be much better then expected.... in generall, NBC's HD coverage (Be it OTA, or SAT)... is on the lower end of the HD PQ spectrum.


As for the ND Game, I think it was more of the game play on the field that was having a cascade effect on the PQ of the broadcast... ;)

[boilerjt]

NBC's HD converage of sporting events is not the greatest.

While I did find this weekend's GOLF coverage to be much better then expected.... in generall, NBC's HD coverage (Be it OTA, or SAT)... is on the lower end of the HD PQ spectrum.


As for the ND Game, I think it was more of the game play on the field that was having a cascade effect on the PQ of the broadcast... ;)

I made a trip to Indiana (15 miles from the ND campus) and set my Dad up with HD. After watching the ND game, he said it was bad enough watching them play so bad, it was even worse watching them play so bad in HD;)

BTW, I said hi to you when driving through Chicago :)

[MLock]

Yes NBC for the Notre Dame game was really hideous. It looked better for me in SD except on very, very still shots.... which you don't get a lot of during a football game. I txted my buddy and asked if this was normal for NBC, and he said the Olympics and the NFL look fine on NBC but Notre Dame always looks bad.

Perhaps South Bend is too much of an outpost... :)

boilerjt: nice avatar. Old gold and black 'til I die.

[mridan]

I agree,NBC hd has the worst pq.www.tvpredictions.com/2007/09/nbc-sports-in-hd-i-can-hardly-weather.html

[spidey]

NBC's HD converage of sporting events is not the greatest.

While I did find this weekend's GOLF coverage to be much better then expected.... in generall, NBC's HD coverage (Be it OTA, or SAT)... is on the lower end of the HD PQ spectrum.




Man I thought the golf HD was terrible over here on local MPEG4 tried OTA nd NBC national HD all seemed the same. CBS has lousy HD football but at least golf is top nothc

[Earl Bonovich]

I didn't say it was great, but was much better then expected given NBC's past history with HD on sports.

[John4924]

I didn't say it was great, but was much better then expected given NBC's past history with HD on sports.

Earl, do you know why they mix HD cameras with SD cameras on the golf coverage? This absolutely drives me nuts! :(

Is nbc this cheap? :confused:

[Earl Bonovich]

Earl, do you know why they mix HD cameras with SD cameras on the golf coverage? This absolutely drives me nuts! :(

Is nbc this cheap? :confused:

CBS does it too....

Simply too many camera's are needed for the Golf coverage... and they just haven't upgraded all of them.

A lot depends on the course layouts too, to see if they can utilize a single stationary camera on more then one hole.

This week at Cog Hill, you should see more HD, because of how the course is layout.... there are a few points where one camera could easily cover 2 or even maybe three fairways.

[tkrandall]

I agree,NBC hd has the worst pq.www.tvpredictions.com/2007/09/nbc-sports-in-hd-i-can-hardly-weather.html

Well, I see I am not alone in my assessment. Thanks.

[n3ntj]

CBS does it too....

Simply too many camera's are needed for the Golf coverage... and they just haven't upgraded all of them.

A lot depends on the course layouts too, to see if they can utilize a single stationary camera on more then one hole.

This week at Cog Hill, you should see more HD, because of how the course is layout.... there are a few points where one camera could easily cover 2 or even maybe three fairways.

When I watch CBS PGA events I don't notice any camera shots being in the 'fake' HD, like on NBC. I think NBC just reformats their 4:3 shots in these instances to 16:9. All tower and handheld cameras during CBS events appear to provide a true HD quality and are crisp and clear, whereas there are many 'blurry' shots from NBC.

I, too, dislike watching NBC golf events due to this. I look forward to tourneys when CBS does the job.

Slightly off topic.. when I watch NBC's NHL coverage, there are always lots of issues with the PQ. It often looks like loads of spectators in the crowd are taking pictures with their flashbulbs going off all over the place. The picture seems to "flash' alot. Anyone else notice this?

[John4924]

CBS does it too....

Simply too many camera's are needed for the Golf coverage... and they just haven't upgraded all of them.

A lot depends on the course layouts too, to see if they can utilize a single stationary camera on more then one hole.

This week at Cog Hill, you should see more HD, because of how the course is layout.... there are a few points where one camera could easily cover 2 or even maybe three fairways.

If CBS does this, I cannot tell. ALL cameras [hand held & tower] appear HD to me. So if they are doing some tricks, please CBS, tell the maroons at nbc how you do it before the next playoff tournament this week! :D

[islesfan]

When I watch CBS PGA events I don't notice any camera shots being in the 'fake' HD, like on NBC. I think NBC just reformats their 4:3 shots in these instances to 16:9. All tower and handheld cameras during CBS events appear to provide a true HD quality and are crisp and clear, whereas there are many 'blurry' shots from NBC.

I, too, dislike watching NBC golf events due to this. I look forward to tourneys when CBS does the job.

Slightly off topic.. when I watch NBC's NHL coverage, there are always lots of issues with the PQ. It often looks like loads of spectators in the crowd are taking pictures with their flashbulbs going off all over the place. The picture seems to "flash' alot. Anyone else notice this?

Yes, I was planning to chime in, since all I watch is NHL and lacrosse. The NHL on NBC picture quality is simply awful. I don't watch much else on NBC, so I just assumed it was KRNV Reno (they don't have 5.1 either). I had no idea the problme was so widespread. It was always such a relief during the playoffs when a game was on Vs. HD rather than NBC! (Also, KRNV has a bad habit of not turning on the HD feed on weekends, but they have gotten better of late.)

I did LOVE the MLL coverage on ESPN2 HD this summer! Lacrosse is probably the sport that benefits most from HD!

I also flipped on a Nevada Wolf Pack football game for a few minutes this weekend, and while it was on ABC, it was not in HD. It was one of the worst looking things I have ever seen on TV! It really looked like a fan with a cameraphone broadcasting!

[wilbur_the_goose]

+1.. NBC is now the bottom feeder of the majors when it comes to technical ability.

Keep in mind that the accountants are running the place now. Look at their prime-time fall schedule - all cheapie reality type shows. Not too much in sripted (more expensive) programming.

The net that brought "must see Thursdays" in the '80s is now turnng into a fancy version of Wayne's World (local cable public access TV)

[AMike]

I'm also in metro Atlanta and just recently bought a new plasma. At first as I watching that game, I thought it was my television, but when comparing the PQ to a comparable 1080i local channel, (channel 46 CBS), it was obvious that it was not the television.

But WXIA did televise the Falcons game in HD on Friday night. The PQ for that was much better than the Tech ND game.

[tkrandall]

I'm also in metro Atlanta and just recently bought a new plasma. At first as I watching that game, I thought it was my television, but when comparing the PQ to a comparable 1080i local channel, (channel 46 CBS), it was obvious that it was not the television.

But WXIA did televise the Falcons game in HD on Friday night. The PQ for that was much better than the Tech ND game.

I wonder if they used their own HD equipment?

[spidey]

+1.. NBC is now the bottom feeder of the majors when it comes to technical ability.

Keep in mind that the accountants are running the place now. Look at their prime-time fall schedule - all cheapie reality type shows. Not too much in sripted (more expensive) programming.

The net that brought "must see Thursdays" in the '80s is now turnng into a fancy version of Wayne's World (local cable public access TV)

Well CBS Football in HD is worst from my view. Fox is number 1 unfortunately I watch CBS most of the time but for the later games always watch NFC just for better picture.

[tkrandall]

I just tried emailing NBC sports - got an undeliverable message due to their mailbox being full. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.