Does ANYONE broadcast tennis in HDTV?

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rob61

Rookie
Has anyone found any broadcast in the USA of tennis in true HDTV? I don't mean the espn-hd signal which is only 480p derived from 480i.

I mean true 720p or 1080i HDTV?

I was HOPING that the French Open weekend coverage on NBC, which broadcasts a lot of sports in HD would at least be HDTV... but not here!!!!

Does anyone know if NBC, carrying Wimbledon, is planning on carrying that on HDTV?

It is weird that I can watch golf (endless golf), hockey, basketball, baseball, and even POKER in HD, but still I can't find any HDTV coverage of TENNIS, even when on a major network like NBC.

Anyone find any tennis coverage with HDTV signal?
 
R

RedWeb

Semi-Pro
ESPN-HD and ESPN2-HD don't use 480 they use 720p. See the quote from their web site below...

ESPN’s high definition signals, along with those of ABC and Fox, are displayed as a “progressive image,” as with a computer monitor. With 720p progressive scan technology, a full frame fills the screen from top to bottom, eliminating lines altogether so the picture has a more filmlike feel. We at ESPN believe that progressive scan technology is much better suited for the motion of sport—for coverage of 85 mph sliders in baseball and 100+ mph slap shots in hockey. Other telecasters have chosen the 1080i format. In any case, consumers should not let the debate over picture quality between 720p and 1080i defer or delay their set-buying decisions. Since all digital devices handle both formats and the two formats are each used by a significant number of cable programmers and broadcast networks, the end result is that most consumers are hard pressed to tell the difference between the two and they both bring outstanding quality.
 
neverstopplaying

neverstopplaying

Professional
i was dissapointed when I got my first HD setup only to find that almost no tournaments are actually using HD cameras.

I believe the exception is the US Open - so look out for this one.

At least at RG the cameras seem to be better and I can actually see the ball on the clay court. Hamburg and Rome hav eto be the wrost tournaments to watch on TV.
 
MasturB

MasturB

Legend
Any US hosted tournaments will broadcast in HD if they're on a major network like ESPN, CBS, or NBC.

Don't expect FSN or any of their affiliates to broadcast any tennis matches in HD.
 
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35ft6

35ft6

Legend
Somebody posted the match between Sampras and Mac in Boston (?) and the graphics said it was HD and it was a regional sports channel.
 
MasturB

MasturB

Legend
35ft6 said:
Somebody posted the match between Sampras and Mac in Boston (?) and the graphics said it was HD and it was a regional sports channel.
Click to expand...

NESN.

New England Sports Network, so it was easier to broadcast it in HD because the station is based in Massachusetts. However the big networks don't want to haul their HD equipment overseas for a tournament that's going to get maybe 3.0 on the neilsen rating scale. I dont' see wwhy they don't borrow the HD feeds from the European networks. In all honesty, the French Open,Australian,and Wimbledon are the only tourneys broadcasted by any of the major networks outside the US (except for the TMS in Canada and China).

I've never seen the Rome, Dubai, Hamburg tourneys broadcasted on NBC, ESPN, or CBS. however Cincinnati, Miami, Indian wells are always.
 
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F

FiveO

Hall of Fame
neverstopplaying said:
i was dissapointed when I got my first HD setup only to find that almost no tournaments are actually using HD cameras.

I believe the exception is the US Open - so look out for this one.

At least at RG the cameras seem to be better and I can actually see the ball on the clay court. Hamburg and Rome hav eto be the wrost tournaments to watch on TV.
Click to expand...


At least in the states, last year's USO was in HD on the Universal HD Network, it was an incredible treat for the eyes especially on my 73" behemoth I conned...er...convinced my wife we needed. It appears they plan to do it again.

Q: Will Universal HD continue offering live sporting events, like the US Open?

A: Yes, we have several live events planned for 2007 including Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, US Open, Masters®, Dew Action Sports Tour and Jeep World of Adventure Sports HD. Please check back for specific event schedules.
Click to expand...

http://www.universalhd.com/FAQ/
 
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O

OrangeOne

Legend
rob61 said:
Has anyone found any broadcast in the USA of tennis in true HDTV? I don't mean the espn-hd signal which is only 480p derived from 480i.

I mean true 720p or 1080i HDTV?
Click to expand...

If you're looking for current true-HD, why aren't you looking for 1080p?

Seems somewhat ironic to ask for true, and then accept less than the best!

Can I have a true k90 please? By that - I mean anything Wilson that's black, white and red will do :-D
 
ShooterMcMarco

ShooterMcMarco

Hall of Fame
I watch the venus match on ESPN HD on my friend's 42". Its crazy because you can actually see the ball make marks on the clay pretty clearly
 
R

Russell Finch

Rookie
BBC Wimbledon coverage has been HD for a couple of years now in the UK.

From the quality of the pictures coming from Paris now I would guess that they have HD cameras there too.
 
Craig Sheppard

Craig Sheppard

Hall of Fame
How come ESPN2 will broadcast RG in HD every day, but NBC on the weekends doesn't?! I FFW'd through a lot of crap matches and none of them were in HD. NBC is the worst.
 
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rob61

Rookie
OrangeOne said:
If you're looking for current true-HD, why aren't you looking for 1080p?

Seems somewhat ironic to ask for true, and then accept less than the best!

Can I have a true k90 please? By that - I mean anything Wilson that's black, white and red will do :-D
Click to expand...

I am asking for broadcast images... NOBODY in US BROADCASTS 1080p. The networks either bought 720p (ie ABC, FOX) or 1080i (NBC).

I'd be happy with either 720p or 1080i. When I watch movies on Blue Ray, I can get 1080p. But nobody broadcasts 1080p.
 
R

rob61

Rookie
Their website says one thing...

RedWeb said:
ESPN-HD and ESPN2-HD don't use 480 they use 720p. See the quote from their web site below...

ESPN’s high definition signals, along with those of ABC and Fox, are displayed as a “progressive image,” as with a computer monitor. With 720p progressive scan technology, a full frame fills the screen from top to bottom, eliminating lines altogether so the picture has a more filmlike feel. We at ESPN believe that progressive scan technology is much better suited for the motion of sport—for coverage of 85 mph sliders in baseball and 100+ mph slap shots in hockey. Other telecasters have chosen the 1080i format. In any case, consumers should not let the debate over picture quality between 720p and 1080i defer or delay their set-buying decisions. Since all digital devices handle both formats and the two formats are each used by a significant number of cable programmers and broadcast networks, the end result is that most consumers are hard pressed to tell the difference between the two and they both bring outstanding quality.
Click to expand...

Yes, I know their website states they use 720p. However, a few months back only 20% of espn HD programming was at 720p. The rest is 480p. I know that as time moves on, they will increase their 720p content.
 
R

rob61

Rookie
Russell Finch said:
BBC Wimbledon coverage has been HD for a couple of years now in the UK.

From the quality of the pictures coming from Paris now I would guess that they have HD cameras there too.
Click to expand...

Yes, the cameras at Roland Garros are HD cameras. That is why I was hoping at least NBC would give us an HD broadcast. But unfortunately not.

Lets hope they go HD for Wimby.
 
winks

winks

Rookie
I don't have an HD TV (nor access to HD Channels) but I was just recently at a bar that did. I had them tune to the ESPN2 "HD" channel and they were broadcasting the French Open BUT it certainly did NOT look like an HD picture to me. It was SO obvious when you compared it against the NASCAR coverage on ESPN HD across the room. The tennis coverage on ESPN2 "HD" appeared to be a 4X3 standard def signal that was cropped at the top and bottom. You couldn't see Nadal's feet or Hewitt's head (or at times, vice-versa).

Every other sports seems to getting HD coverage. It's a shame tennis isn't because more than any other sport, I think the 16X9 display aspect ratio lends itself to covering the play, especially when at a low angle right behind the players :grin:

Just like the original poster, I'm still looking forward to seeing tennis in "true HD". Have to keep waiting I guess.:sad:
 
J

jaykay

Professional
winks said:
I don't have an HD TV (nor access to HD Channels) but I was just recently at a bar that did. I had them tune to the ESPN2 "HD" channel and they were broadcasting the French Open BUT it certainly did NOT look like an HD picture to me. It was SO obvious when you compared it against the NASCAR coverage on ESPN HD across the room. The tennis coverage on ESPN2 "HD" appeared to be a 4X3 standard def signal that was cropped at the top and bottom. You couldn't see Nadal's feet or Hewitt's head (or at times, vice-versa).

Every other sports seems to getting HD coverage. It's a shame tennis isn't because more than any other sport, I think the 16X9 display aspect ratio lends itself to covering the play, especially when at a low angle right behind the players :grin:

Just like the original poster, I'm still looking forward to seeing tennis in "true HD". Have to keep waiting I guess.:sad:
Click to expand...


Tennis is ALREADY being broadcast in 720p HD on ESPN2 (for a change) for this French Open. The bar that you were at may have had an HDTV but unless and until this bar SUBSCRIBES to the ESPN / ESPN2 HD Channels, you will not see French Open in glorious high-def. I am seeing French Open in high-def on ESPN2HD being broadcast by DISH_TV.
 
winks

winks

Rookie
jaykay said:
Tennis is ALREADY being broadcast in 720p HD on ESPN2 (for a change) for this French Open. The bar that you were at may have had an HDTV but unless and until this bar SUBSCRIBES to the ESPN / ESPN2 HD Channels, you will not see French Open in glorious high-def. I am seeing French Open in high-def on ESPN2HD being broadcast by DISH_TV.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what the problem was at the bar then nor what provider they had (Comcast, dish, FIOS, etc), but the channel they were tuned into looked like ESPN2 HD. It certainly wasn't an HD image though.

On the other hand it's good news to hear that ESPN2 is really broadcasting the FO in true HD, I'm looking forward to seeing it!
 
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rob61

Rookie
No NBC HD coverage of Wimby

I spoke to my NBC affiliate today (who was very courteous with their reply) and unfortunately NBC will not be covering Wimbledon in HD this year.

It seems that the first major network coverage (not including espn) of tennis in HD will be CBS for the US Open according to someone else on this thread.

Let's hope that is at least true for CBS.
 
G

gully

Professional
rob61 said:
I spoke to my NBC affiliate today (who was very courteous with their reply) and unfortunately NBC will not be covering Wimbledon in HD this year.

It seems that the first major network coverage (not including espn) of tennis in HD will be CBS for the US Open according to someone else on this thread.

Let's hope that is at least true for CBS.
Click to expand...
CBS has been broadcasting the USO in HD since at least 2003, maybe earlier. They'll be doing so again this year. Universal-HD simulcasts the USA coverage in HD for the non-CBS sessions.
 
F

FiveO

Hall of Fame
rob61 said:
I spoke to my NBC affiliate today (who was very courteous with their reply) and unfortunately NBC will not be covering Wimbledon in HD this year.

It seems that the first major network coverage (not including espn) of tennis in HD will be CBS for the US Open according to someone else on this thread.

Let's hope that is at least true for CBS.
Click to expand...

Odd in that Universal HD broadcasts the HD at the US Open and appears to be owned by or an affiliate of NBC. (see below) There are evidently some complicated contractual agreements being done at all majors not just like this year's FO between TTC/ESPN2/NBC.

Universal HD, designed for HDTV, is a cable television network owned by NBC Universal. The network exclusively broadcasts in high definition 1080i and includes a mix of unedited and uninterrupted films, dramas, series, sports, specials, and performance arts programming from the NBC Universal library, most having aired on one of the NBC Universal-owned networks, including NBC, Bravo, USA Network, SCI FI, and Trio. The network was previously known as Bravo HD+ and had different programming.
Click to expand...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_HD
 
F

FiveO

Hall of Fame
gully said:
CBS has been broadcasting the USO in HD since at least 2003, maybe earlier. They'll be doing so again this year. Universal-HD simulcasts the USA coverage in HD for the non-CBS sessions.
Click to expand...

Are you sure on CBS? I didn't think that was the case though I'm not sure.
 
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