Fox 6 and True HD!

[Kevin Arnold]

Now that the pigs are flying, hell has frozen over, and the Minnesota Vikings are in the Super Bowl I see that Fox will do true HD at 720p.  Finally! I sure hope the Packer games are some of the first to be televised this way.  The catch may be that Fox 6 doesn't have the equipment to do true HD.  Since they're an O & O there is a better chance of getting this up and running but anyone have any inside info?  Or since Fox 6 people surf to this site why don't you post about this and the progress of moving your antenna.

[Greg Oman]

This is nothing short of excellent.  It's about time they realized 480P just, well, sucks.  Now if we can get that antenna move, and how about a power bump too....

Greg O.

[Mrtanner]

Fox has said 50% of their primetime programming will be available in HD by fall of 2004.  

Half of primetime more than a year away.  It's better than no announcement but I'm notholding my breath for Packer games this year.  I'll be satisfied with "Enhanced Widescreen" this year.

[foxeng]

Originally posted by Mrtanner
Fox has said 50% of their primetime programming will be available in HD by fall of 2004.  

Half of primetime more than a year away.  It's better than no announcement but I'm notholding my breath for Packer games this year.  I'll be satisfied with "Enhanced Widescreen" this year.

FOX may do a special this coming season in certain limited markets, but any regularly scheduled HD will not start until Fall 2004.

[foxeng]

Originally posted by Greg Oman
This is nothing short of excellent.  It's about time they realized 480P just, well, sucks.

In 1996 when everyone started to get ready to do DTV, FOX used its experience in Asia and Europe as guide posts for the US market, and at that time, multicasting at 480p was the way to go. Truth be told, all the networks were looking at 480p in those days with HD only being done for big sporting events like the Super Bowl or World Series and movies, but Congress made it clear they wanted HD all the time and NOT multicasting, and so things changed. It had nothing to do with PQ since 480p IS better than NTSC analog.

[Greg Oman]

True, 480P is better, but marginally so.  The FCC wants digital transmission of signal, they are not mandating high defination, are they?  (Gregg-- do you know if this has been updated since I last looked?  Is there now a minimum resolution tied to digital broadcasting?)  Once 720P and 1080i started showing up, 480P just doesn't measure up from a quality perspective on paper, although you're right it would multicast better than the others.

Not to underestimate the complexity in getting to any new broadcast standard, but the FOX networks have been clinging on to what many consider a substandard option relative to what the other networks were implementing.

Specific to the Milwaukee market, very few of us have been able to see the merits or even make a comparison if 480P, in real world conditions, is adequate not due to the local affiliate running such low power.  Point is, I think the writing is on the wall for 480P, and it's great to see that FOX is finally recognizing this, and moving forward.

Personally, I don't need more channels, I need to make the ones I have better-- I've got more than I can count already.  Now, if I could get them to stop broadcasting all those dating programs :bang:

Greg O.

[foxeng]

Originally posted by Greg Oman
Is there now a minimum resolution tied to digital broadcasting?

FCC minimum resolution is 480i for digital broadcasts. That has not changed and there is currently no talk of changing it either.

[mhz40]

I think the market moved them from 480p, not the FCC.

[gyoung]

I think the market moved them from 480p, not the FCC.

I agree.  For those of us that can compare Fox with one of the other broadcasts at 720p or 1080i we can clearly see a difference and it makes Fox's statements of digital quality picture look false.

Fox is learning that if their competitors are going to be broadcasting true HD they better jump on the bandwagon, albeit slowly.