AFC Playoffs - Motion Artifacts on 58

[Tom Snyder]

Today will be a test of CBS58's multicasting strategy.  The orignal thought was that those would only be eliminated if the entire channel was dedicated 100% to HD signal. CBS58 has experimented (and even did a real-time test a awhile back with our group) with the propoer relative bandwidth allocation so they could show the badgers on 41 at the same time as an HD football game on their main channel.

I'm seeing some artifacts on the upconvered pregame already. Hoping that the game itself won't be detracted by those pesky artfacts on the side-to-side camera sweeps.

[bigcheeshead]

What a BEAUTIFUL looking game. I've been watching it for only 5 minutes and I'm wetting my pants already. God this is sweet. :p :p :p :p

[Tom Snyder]

Very crisp...  but as I feared,  if it's moving fast, it's pretty pixelated. Watch especially when that NFL logo begins or ends a slow mo replay... The artifacts on the logo, and the fade back to live action are just awful.

Maybe the engineers will adjust the relative bandwidth to take some away from 41 and 63 as the game goes on?

[Gregg Lengling]

While it is a tremendous improvement over SD I just watched them follow a player walking on the side lines and the pixelation was horrible.  Nothing like the quality of HDNET....the multicasting sharing of the bandwidth is very noticeable.

[David Hendrickson]

The wide shots are great. I also saw a lot of artifacts, or pixelization, or whatever it's called on tight shots of players moving across the field. I never saw that while watching baseball on hdnet. I also think the college games earlier in the year looked better. But, I still am happy as can be sitting in my recliner with a dopey looking grin on my face. Man, we need more sports in hd.

[Joseph S]

It looks fantastic...

Until the players actually run. Multicasting clearly cannot co-exist with HD sports. I'm receiving 80+ signal and the issue is still there. The quick cuts for replays are always a problem, but now we can't even see the QB rush out of the pocket without missing 4 steps inbetween. This is unacceptable quality.

[bigcheeshead]

Yeah, it's noticable but it's a step in the right direction.  Hopefully tomorrow will be flawless.

[David Hendrickson]

I agree. And I think it would be in the best interest of the station to stop the multi-casting during high ratings potential broadcasts. One would think they would want to put their best quality possible out for all to see.

[Tom Snyder]

I doubt that they'd get any calls if telemundo disappeared, however 41 is showing Badger hoops, and I suspect that 1-2 is the source of the channel 41 feed to Time Warner.  

Who represents a bigger audience, badger hoops on Cable, or the Milwaukee universe of HDTV sets tuned to a non-conference playoff game?

[Joseph S]

broadcasts. One would think they would want to put their best quality possible out for all to see.

Instead we have the worst case situation. They have in fact taken significant bandwidth away from the other channels so the result is none of the programs are without problems.

1.1-Highly Pixelated
1.2-Just dark and ugly
1.3-A bunch of oversized pixels

1.1 is watchable to some degree though very distracting during every play, but if I wanted to watch the other programs I couldn't. There is nobody that would choose 1.3 over the analog. It's just that bad. Please shut down the multicasting for All HD Sports until the technology supports it. (or forever)

[Joseph S]

Who represents a bigger audience, badger hoops on Cable, or the Milwaukee universe of HDTV sets tuned to a non-conference playoff game?

I don't see why they would care. TW clearly didn't want that station anyways and has done nothing to support CBS HD on their cable service. Perhaps shutting it down during the game would prompt enough complaints to get the CBS fiber installed.

[Matt Heebner]

You guys beat me to it.....I actually waited till halftime to post.
I totally agree, looks very good until there is action then artifacting. 1-2, and 1-3 look way worse though. I am hoping they try a dedicated HD game without multicasting. I think it would help the pixialation problem.
Anyways it does look better than standard. But it still is lacking due to multicasting.

Matt

[Matt Heebner]

I think I posted too fast. So far the third quarter looks GREAT! No artifacting on fast moving plays....Good Job CBS!
1-2 looks about as bad as a channel can look though....wonder if they are "stealing" bandwidth?
Football is most important though so who cares?
I expect tomorrows game to look this good from the beginning.
CBS keeps raising the bar so I am going to keep expecting the best possible quality!

Football in HD is AMAZING!!!!


Matt

[Tom Snyder]

The CBS Affiliate in Portland (KOIN) was multicasting, but a single call to the station requesting them to turn off both subchannels got them to do it!  Picture quality improved instantly.

I doubt that that would work here... but it DOES seem better now that basketball is over on 1-2.

[Tom Snyder]

BTW... I sure miss the yellow firstdown lines...