Masters / HDTV on CBS

[JimHall]

Dear HDTV Enthusiasts;

CBS-58 Milwaukee will be televising the Masters Golf Tournament on Thursday & Friday as well as Saturday on Sunday. Telecast times for Thursday and Friday are from 3:00pm – conclusion each day.

Enjoy the game!

[Matt Heebner]

I am actually planning on having a few guys from work over for a HD Masters Party...
Hey, anything to get the word out about HD. This is something that actually might push some of these guys into getting HD(besides football!).

Matt

[Gregg Lengling]

Matt the same here...I have a Master's final round party Sunday...it should be a blast as my wife will be on an airplane to Holland for 2 weeks....oh boy am I gonna get HDTV'd out..


------------------
Gregg R. Lengling
RCA P61310 61" 16x9
gregg@camelcomm.com

[Steve Mann]

Well, looks like they have some 'tuning' to do. Hopefully, they'll get it corrected by tomorrows broadcast. I'm not sure where the problem(s) are originating, at the source, the Network or locally, but there are several. Video is 'stuttering' regularly. Lot's of pixelation (big blocks) and the normal audio and video dropouts. Hell, one time coming out the commercial break, the audio had a severe echo. It lasted about 10-15 seconds and was then corrected.

Additionally, I really thought some of the camera shots were very lacking for HD. There were shots that looked damn near SD. Maybe they were? However, there were plenty of camera shots that looked beautiful also. I'm sure the overcast day didn't help any.


I really like the Mitsubishi HD commercials selling their widescreen HDTVs. Looks like they have four of them. They seem to play two adds each break then it's back to the tournament. Two commercials at a time is certainly more like it.    However, since only the folks watching in HD are seeing the commercials, isn't that rather like preaching to the choir?  

[MesaV]

I have to agree with your assessment of the video, Steve.  There were some stretched SD shots, but those were highlights from past tournaments.  I also noticed a fairly long video dropout and the same pixelation that you mentioned.   While I watched from about 4:20 on, I didn't notice any audio problems.  The camerapersons are still having focusing problems on any moving targets.  When compared to the NBC NBA Mavericks/Spurs game last week, the Masters broadcast has a ways to go to be competitive.

[RobbQ]

 

Originally posted by Steve Mann:
However, since only the folks watching in HD are seeing the commercials, isn't that rather like preaching to the choir?  

I also wondered about this while watching.  I believe that Matt and Gregg's guests might be considered new coverts to the choir.    

I'm glad I found out about this site.  Very, very cool.

Robb

Sony KP51HW40
Dish 6000 w/8vsb

[This message has been edited by RobbQ (edited 04-12-2002).]

[GS kid]

Alot of the "behind the golfer" shots were using SD cameras that were stretched. I think it's because they have just so many HD cameras available. They aren't cheap. Without  alot of HD viewers, why buy a bunch of HD cameras?!? It's cheaper to phase them in as HD owners increase. That way they can get newer generation cameras, instead of a major purchase of just one generation. NBC had the same problem when it came to the winter games. They only have a certain number of HD cameras. So instead of doing all winter game events in a combo HD/SD stretched format like CBS, they picked a few events to dedicate all their HD cameras for a full HD event. I don't like the strectched anymore then you do, but I understand why CBS is using it. I'm not concerned as much to having the first drive of the hole from behind being in HD. It will come people!!

[Joseph S]

 

They aren't cheap. Without alot of HD viewers, why buy a bunch of HD cameras?!?

Well, the obvious reason would be that they need the cameras to cover NCAA BB, NCAA Football, NFL Football, the Masters, NCAA College World Series, and other programming. The local affiliates may have an excuse, but the national networks are pretty much expected to be well ahead of the technology curve. I'd be willing to bet Mark Cuban has two times more HD cams than FOX, CBS, ABC, and NBC combined. That shouldn't be the case.