A Grammy first: Telecast designed for home theater

[Gregg Lengling]

By Mike Snider, USA TODAY

If you have the right equipment, this Sunday's Grammy telecast on CBS could be the best-looking, best-sounding awards show you've ever seen.

The broadcast (8 p.m. ET/PT) is the first major awards presentation to be offered in high-definition, widescreen format for owners of the latest digital television sets. It also is the first awards show, and one of the rare few overall, with Dolby Digital surround for people who own home-theater sound systems.

That means lucky viewers in selected areas will enjoy live performances by the Dixie Chicks, Norah Jones, and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, among others, in the same crisp and clear surround-sound format as movie DVDs.

It's the first non-sports live broadcast by a major network to include Dolby Digital surround. It's "another digital milestone," says Dana McClintock, CBS senior vice president for communications.

Though much of the major networks' regular prime-time schedules already are delivered in high-definition, the addition of digital surround is far less common. ABC's high-definition series include Dolby Digital sound, though NBC's and Fox's do not. CBS' broadcasts also are not in Dolby Digital, though some series such as CSI are filmed that way and may be shown that way next season. "CBS will look to do more of this ... with our sports and entertainment in coming months," McClintock says.

Dolby Digital, also called "5.1 surround sound," delivers a total of six channels of sound: front left, center and right, rear left and right, and a subwoofer channel for added oomph in explosions or kick drums. "In many ways, (Dolby Digital) brings to the audio aspect of the experience what ... HDTV brings to video," says Kevin O'Neill of HDTV Magazine, a daily publication distributed by e-mail.

Though it's part of the official broadcast standard, it has been rolled out across the USA even more slowly than high-definition network programming. Only about two dozen CBS stations are equipped to deliver digital surround, and even satellite and cable companies that offer high-definition signals don't necessarily carry the upgraded soundtrack.


It's especially rare in live TV broadcasts, because producers can't mix and edit after the fact. The Grammys, which this year require more than 1,000 microphones to capture more than 16 live performances, is frequently called the most complex sound production in live TV, says Hank Neuberger, who is supervising the Grammy broadcast audio.

The crew has three mobile audio studios at Madison Square Garden to create separate stereo and surround mixes. Over the weekend, mixing engineers will create a custom mix for each music group or artist during rehearsals. "That is the baseline for the beginning of their performance," Neuberger says. "But the singer may be louder or the guitar player may have the adrenaline flowing and play louder, too. Every second, we will be constantly fine-tuning. ... The goal is to put the listener in the middle of the action."

Networks, local broadcasters and cable systems are gearing up to make digital surround standard. The Grammy show is on the "cutting edge," Neuberger says. "By this time next year, there will be a lot more."

[WaukeshaBADGER]

While not a real big fan of todays music, due to the HD telecast, I had to watch a good part of last nights festivities. I was very impressed with the HD picture on TW 505. The sound on the other hand was OK, but not "CD" quality. I was also very pleasantly surprised with the live music of James Taylor, Simon and Garfunkel and the new talent of young men and women that performed. I flipped over to Dragnet HD on 512 during the M&M performance and, happy to report, my two teenage kids were not disappointed to miss it either!!:) All in all.........great picture quality, but not the sound I expected.