How do you like the US Tennis Open in HD? (1 Viewer)

[AllenD]

Being a club player and a tennis fan, I'm in HD heaven! The Men's Doubles Finals looked superb.

My big question for the HD broadcast was wheather the play by play repeats were also going to be in HD. To my gratification, they are! The only drawback is I still like the std. broadcast commentary which is about .5-1 second in advance to the HD commentary.
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[Juan_R]

I have totally enjoyed the Open in HD. I use to play a lot of tennis but now I just fallow it.

 

[Mike Knapp]

It looks like they are stretching the standard broadcast to fill your screen and then upconverting it.
Bad, bad move.
Maybe its just here but I think not, the Tampa CBS station is on the ball.
The CBS eye looks like an oval and Venus Williams looks like she put 20lbs on her thighs.
Very disappointing.
Mike
[Edited last by Mike Knapp on September 07, 2001 at 05:17 PM]

 

[Juan_R]

Sorry to hear that mike, here in Los Angeles, CA the broadcast is in 4:3 and I have to strech it to fill the screen, but I dont strech it.

 

[Mike Knapp]

Juan....I have heard from others that it was only the replays that were upconverted but from what you say i think the whole thing was. I will keep an eye on CBS this weekend to see what is up.
I know CBS knows how to do HD correctly, their prime time line-up looks great. Thats why I was surprised.
Mike

 

[AllenD]

Some repeats were in HD and some upconverted. I noticed that most of the repeats that were upconverted were after the game when the std broadcast was utilized. The play by play repeats during match time were in HD here in LA.
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[RAF]

I'm glad this thread is here, since I was going to start one myself now that I have experienced my first "live" HDTV broadcast.
Here's my 2 cents on all this:
I recently installed a DISH network to complement my Sony VW10HT projector, which is providing me with a 110" image in my HT. Looking at the Dish Network Demo HD loop, as well as some of the offerings from HBO-HD, Showtime HD and CBS-HD in prime time, I was amazed by the clarity of the images on the large screen when presented at its best. (As most of you know, there is a wide variation in the quality of the HD signal offered and how the signal is delivered by the various sources for different programming. Even the demo loop has some scenes that are cleaner than others.)
The Dish 6000 connected to my VW10HT works like a charm. The color balance is a bit different than for DVD's but I took care of that by setting up a video memory for my projector that handles this. The only thing I'm noticing about color balance is that there appears to be a wider variation between HDTV sources than between DVD's so I sometimes "tweak" the color when watching HDTV. Other than that, everything else involved in the 6000/VW10HT connection takes care of itself. Aspect ratios are handled at the source rather than in the projector when I'm viewing DVD's, etc. and it's relatively seamless. And, of course, as I already mentioned, the visual effect is stunning.
That gets me to the live CBS-HD broadcasts. When broadcasting in HDTV, the U.S. Open is a visual feast! However, I'm also now aware (and this is probably better noticed because I am viewing on such a big screen) that live HDTV broadcasts are a work in progress. Obviously, not all the cameras covering the U.S. Open are of the HDTV variety, and I would assume this is also true for other live events, although I only have this one as a reference point. Specifically, some of the handheld cameras are standard resolution and this is apparent as the picture quality and geometry changes. For example, Pam Shriver's post-match interviews are not of the same visual quality as the standard shots during the matches. Also, some replays are in HDTV and others appear not to be (once again the result of only some replay cameras being of the HDTV variety? That's only a guess.) And, of course, the replays of former matches, which were not captured in HDTV, can't compare with the HDTV live event.
It is quite obvious to me when SD stuff is being upconverted. It is also obvious that aspect ratios are not always being adhered to when the participants start to look dumpy and squashed. Also, some of the many promos and graphic overlays are clearly not presented in the correct aspect ratio, whereas some are.
Also, some commercials are HD and other are clearly (or not so clearly ) not.
The bottom line? In my opinion, as I said HDTV is a work in progress. The best of it shows the future of all television. However, at this point, possibly in a rush to be the first ones there with HD product, not everything is in place. I equate this to watching a Broadway show in previews. There are quite a few rough edges. When watching non-live HDTV sources (assuming we ignore the upconverted vs. true HD issues, which are, of course, important ones) you usually don't get a wide variation in source material quality during the movie. One must be aware that live action presents challenges for the provider that they have not yet fully met.
It's a great start, but still needs some polishing around the edges. I'm willing to give some slack at this point until the people in charge have the resources to do a quality job during all aspects of the presentation. My only real concern is that this patchwork presentation will become the standard if no one complains about the wide variation in the visual (and aural) quality.
I have seen (some of) the future of broadcast television and I'm cautiously optimistic.
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RAF
[Demented Video Dude since 1997]
[Computer Maven since 1956]
["PITA" since 1942]
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[Mike Knapp]

OK, Im watching the live feed now and it looks marvelous.
They were showing some taped highlights when I tuned in before. They were stretching them and up-converting them and they really looked bad.
I think they should just broadcast the OAR. Most people that have HD capable sets would appreciate the OAR more than having their image distorted to fill their screen.
So CBS...the broadcast looks great, you need to work some on the re-broadcast of the highlights though...up-convert them (if you must) but leave them in their OAR.
Mike

 

[RAF]

I think they should just broadcast the OAR. Most people that have HD capable sets would appreciate the OAR more than having their image distorted to fill their screen.

.
Mike, you elitist bastard, you, I agree with you 100%. Boy, CBS and other HD providers don't know what they have in store of them now that the resident EB and the Old Codger both have HDTV capability. We will, of course, be manning the watch-towers.
This HDTV stuff can be mighty impressive when done right and, although I was a little skeptical, I have to admit that HDTV raises the video bar a notch or two over DVD's.
When Ron and Packy visited, Ron remarked how he had seen HDTV on your set-up and he thought it looked great at both venues. You've done it again! First you had me move my speakers 2 feet forward, then you had me clapping every time I entered an Audio room (I assume you've seen the thread at
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/Forum14/HTML/042911.html

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RAF
[Demented Video Dude since 1997]
[Computer Maven since 1956]
["PITA" since 1942]
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[Mike Knapp]

Next up is an outboard DAC!

Mike
[Edited last by Mike Knapp on September 08, 2001 at 05:34 PM]

 

[RAF]

Next up is an outboard DAC!

Cut that out, Mike!!!!

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RAF
[Demented Video Dude since 1997]
[Computer Maven since 1956]
["PITA" since 1942]
Link Removed

 

[AllenD]

The play by play repeats during match time were in HD here in LA.

I just realized that it doesn't matter where we live when it comes to the broadcast quality of live HD. We're all getting the same feed from CBS-NY.
[Edited last by AllenD on September 10, 2001 at 05:28 PM]

 

[Kevin Coleman]

Well at least CBS is putting forth the effort. I do know all of the live action was in HD and that is all that matters to me. I do agree they shouldn't stretch the 4:3 stuff.
Just think they could be doing as much HD as FOX. Which is absolutely none. I wouldn't say CBS is in a rush to be the first. I would prefer to use the term pioneering.
Kevin C.
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[RAF]

quote: I do know all of the live action was in HD [/quote]
Kevin,
This is not 100% accurate. The live interviews after the matches were definitely not shot with an HDTV camera. Both the quality was poorer and the aspect ratio was wrong. Either that or all interviewees and Pam put on about 30 pounds while the interviews were taking place.

Don't get me wrong. I'm grateful that CBS-HD is putting forth the effort in this arena. I just would like to see a bit of quality control consistency as the technology matures. At this point I think it's probably more a case of not having all the tools at their disposal to do a complete job.
but it's a start.
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RAF
[Demented Video Dude since 1997]
[Computer Maven since 1956]
["PITA" since 1942]
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[Jim Ferguson]

Hi RAF,
The show did need a little polishing, but it didn't bother me too much. By the way, they're not all that "new" to this. This is actually the THIRD year I've seen the U.S. Open in HD on CBS

 

[RAF]

Jim,
I will admit that at its best the CBS-HD version of the U.S. Open was visually spectacular. But now that I know that this is the third year they have been doing this I would have expected more of a consistently quality video presentation. The great variation in picture quality is less acceptable at this point. I imagine that the costs factor into their decision not to use HDTV cameras for all the coverage angles.
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RAF
[Demented Video Dude since 1997]
[Computer Maven since 1956]
["PITA" since 1942]
Link Removed

 

[Jim Ferguson]

It certainly was much more primitive the first year. They just kept the cameras rolling during the commercial breaks, and you could hear the announcers chatting off camera. They stretched ALL of the taped 4:3 material. Eccchhh.
I was actually impressed that some of the taped material, albeit not HD, was cropped at the top and bottom to provide an unstretched 16:9 image. I would have been just as happy with black sidebars for those, but what I saw looked OK.
There's always next year

 

[RAF]

and you could hear the announcers chatting off camera.

I noticed a bit of that this year as well and found it a bit amusing. I kept waiting for them to say something "interesting."

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RAF
[Demented Video Dude since 1997]
[Computer Maven since 1956]
["PITA" since 1942]
Link Removed