FOX Doing NFL in HDTV (1 Viewer)

[Rick_E]

Very, very, very cool...
http://www.sportingnews.com/voices/f.../20020904.html
It's not true HDTV, of course, but still should be nice.
One question: Since this isnt "true" HDTV, will you need a HDTV tuner to see the improved resolution? I have an HDTV monitor, but no tuner (however, I do have digital cable).

 

[MickeS]

Yep, you will need the same equipment you need for "true" HD, since they're both digital signals.

/Mike

 

[Rick_E]

I don't have a tuner, but do have a 16:9 HDTV w/ Digital Cable...can I see this improved pic?

 

[Dheiner]

This is NOT HDTV. It's Fox's version of widescreen digital. NOT HIGH DEFINITION.

 

[Paul Jenkins]

While not HDTV, I'll take 480p 16:9 over the regular NTSC broadcast crap any day of the week...

Seeing as how ABC has f'd us on Monday Night Football, even with the Zenith partnership, I applaud Fox for putting their football games above everyone else w.r.t. picture quality...

 

[SteveA]

Is it true that the widescreen 480p games aired by Faux are actually shot in 480i and then upconverted to 480p with the top and bottom of the image cropped for 16:9?

 

[Peter McDonald]

It's not true HDTV

[rant]It isn't even partial HDTV. It is NOT HD![/rant]
P.S. I find the "rant" option quite useful

 

[Mike I]

Is it true that the widescreen 480p games aired by Faux are actually shot in 480i and then upconverted to 480p with the top and bottom of the image cropped for 16:9?

Partially true...It is 480i upconverted to 480p but is shoot true widescreen and framed for 4.3 just as just about all the primetime programming is...

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I don't have a tuner, but do have a 16:9 HDTV w/ Digital Cable...can I see this improved pic?

No. You will either need a HDTV tuner, or a special cable box that can tune in HDTV signals -- and this latter option is currently only being provided by a handful of cable systems, so chances are very good this is not an option in your area.

"Digital cable" as marketed by the cable industry is completely different than digital television. It is simply a method for the cable company to transmit more analog TV channels to your home over the same size pipe by digitizing them. Depending on the amount of data compression used, the picture quality may actually be worse than standard analog TV. It is comparable to how DirecTV or DISH are transmitting standard television (using a different transmitting method, of course), not to true digital TV.

Digital television is a broadcast standard composed of 18 different formats. However, only a few of these formats are currently being used by the networks. Two of those formats -- 720p (ABC) and 1080i (CBS, NBC, PBS) -- are defined as High Definition Television (HDTV). The 480p format used by Fox is defined as Standard Definition Television (SDTV).

 

[AllanN]

If this will be a stepping stone to get us to true HDTV quicker then I give it a
If this is FOX's permanent version of "HDTV" then I give it a
But im screwed anyway because I don't have a DTV/ATSC/HDTV (I'm not very educated on the exact broadcasting and receiving technologies.) tuner for my "HDTV Ready 16:9 Monitor" and fox will not be broadcasting in DTV/ATSC/HDTV till late October in my area, aka Youngstown/Warren, OH.

 

[DaveBB]

Repeat after me twenty times: Fox 480p is NOT HDTV!
I really think an admin ought to correct the header of this thread since it is incorrect.

 

[SteveA]

If this is FOX's permanent version of "HDTV" then I give it a

Fox has no intention of ever broadcasting in any format other than 480p.

 

[Joe Bernardi]

I certainly would prefer HDTV, but given the choice, I'd rather have 1.78 480 than 1.33 480 on my HDTV receiver in the interim.

 

[Jared_B]

I've watched the last few Seahawks games in true HDTV, on Fox. Although this appears to be a special deal between Fox and the 'Hawks. Aside from basketball which I don't like, these are the first few sports game I've seen in true HD. It's very cool!

 

[Phil L]

Anybody know if they'll do the World Series in 480p?

 

[Mike_Stuewe]

Andy Setos, president of engineering for Fox, says you'll notice the difference between HD and Fox Widescreen only on $10,000 TVs.

That's really great the president of engineering for Fox thinks that unless you have some 10 grand set sitting in your living room, 480p and 1080i are going to look exactly the same. That makes me even more angry than this joke of a digital format that they are promoting.

 

[TonyD]

so what games and what cities will they broadcast this "fox widescreen"

 

[VicRuiz]

This has nothing to do with FOX the network, but is strictly a local production by KCPQ which is a FOX affiliate but owned by Tribune Broadcasting (who does support HDTV). It is the corporate policy of FOX the network not to do any HDTV, and no FOX owned station will have any HDTV until that changes. You can rest assured that if KCPQ was owned by FOX instead of Tribune you will not have seen any of those games in HD.
We have a similar situation here in NYC where Fox Sports New York does Mets, Nets, Islanders, and Devils games in HD. Fox Sports New York is owned by Cablevision, not FOX. Cablevision also owns MSG, which does Knicks, Rangers, Liberty, and (until last year) Yankees games in HD. Again, if FSNY was owned by FOX none of this would happen.

 

[Dan Hitchman]

I thought I read in WSR that since FOX is getting such a bad rep. in the press, the trade organizations, and from HDTV fans they are now considering moving to 720p or 1080i in the near future. Probably because NBC and ABC are ramping up their prime time schedule and they don't want to look foolish (too late!). I mean even UPN and The WB are going to start up 1080i prime time programming!
[in my best Dennis Hopper voice] "Get with the friggin' program, man!"
Hopefully, the pressure will turn the tide. Keep writing and calling your local FOX affiliates!
Dan

 

[Dennis Reno]

Andy Setos, president of engineering for Fox, says you'll notice the difference between HD and Fox Widescreen only on $10,000 TVs

Does anyone have this bonehead's email address or know where we can send him mail??? I would love to send Mr. Engineer a picture of my 43" Hitachi Widescreen HDTV and Zenith HD tuner that set me back $2,000. Its blatant lies like his that allows Fox to continue to thumb its nose at true HDTV.