ESPN semi HD broadcast

dissco · 25-08-2009, 8:56 AM

Has anyone else noticed this, (watching Liverpool Vs Villa game last night), that it's only the game itself is in HD, everything else is standard and upscaled? That includes replays, analysis, pre-game pitchside reporting, post game pitchside reporting. It just doesn't make sense!!

Brookster · 25-08-2009, 10:19 AM

yeah I noticed more than their first game (Everton - Arsenal) last night.

Its been written before here that the game itself is produced by Sky, and is in HD. The studio stuff is upscaled, according to some things here that should change in future.

To be fair ESPN as a channel and EPL broadcast has only existed for a few weeks and was born in June when setanta went under.

Its going to get better, its not a bad start though. As least Rebecca Lowe is still around!

Jaycee Dove · 25-08-2009, 6:07 PM

The fact that ESPN do not yet have their own facilities (it takes time to build them and they have only had two months) is the reason for the studio upscales and why there has been virtually nothing on ESPN HD actuallty in HD.

Aside from the EPL and SPL games so far (filmed for them by Sky) just one single live MLB game last Friday has been shown in HD - all the rest and all the other live spirts in the channel have been upscaled.

Rumour says September should see the facilities ready.

tom 2000 · 25-08-2009, 6:35 PM

My mate has taken out a subscription starting last night. His comment to me was that HD PQ seemed v good. Is it possible that it can vary?

Soulfinger · 25-08-2009, 9:44 PM

Considering ESPN show huge amounts of sports in HD in the US I assumed that at least the US sports they show would be in HD. I understand they need to gear up nd get their own HD cameras etc but if they can broadcast HD material surely they can broadcast HD material they get from ESPN in the US.

Surely UFC etc can be bought in HD unless they just don't think its financially viable at this stage.

kmark40 · 26-08-2009, 3:10 PM

I think they're doing a grand job, considering the time frame. IMO they're already ahead of what we had with setanta. I have it for the UFC mainly and some footy. Upscaled UFC and HD football coverage is more than what I did have. Though I would expect HD UFC in good time.

Jaycee Dove · 27-08-2009, 1:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soulfinger

Considering ESPN show huge amounts of sports in HD in the US I assumed that at least the US sports they show would be in HD. I understand they need to gear up nd get their own HD cameras etc but if they can broadcast HD material surely they can broadcast HD material they get from ESPN in the US.

Surely UFC etc can be bought in HD unless they just don't think its financially viable at this stage.

As I noted above they are still building the studio,

They are getting HD feeds in for many of their US sports. That is why these are in widescreen. A few in 4:3 are SD, that is why these look poorer PQ as reported by someone above.

In the US feeds are either/or - widescreen and HD or non widescreen and SD.
This is why even Sky have recently shown some NFL games in 4:3.
If they are not getting an HD feed from the states it is as a result not widescreen.

The fact that ESPN HD are getting HD feeds quite often (eg most of the MLB like last nights live game) allows them to transmit a decent upscale of that feed and produce a good picture. But bar one thing (last Fridays MLB game - which WAS shown in HD somehow) all the transmissions have just been good upscales from that HD source.

Often at midnight the same MLB game is on all three channels. ESPN SD and HD show the widescreen/HD feed in SD or upscaled but not HD. Compare that with ESPN America which gets only the SD (and so non widescreen) feed. The difference will be obvious.

However, the difference between the current upscales and REAL HD when we get it will be very apparent.

I would presume that the machinery to transmit the feed in HD is coupled to the machionery to screen live studio feeds from the EP/SPL in HD. When they have built these facilities ESPN will show all they can in HD.

I would imagine they will, anyhow.

They did say when announcing the channel 2 months ago that HD might be delayed (September was mentioned) as they needed a few extra weeks to get their studio and transmission facilities up and running.

The EPL/SPL games are filmed for them by Sky - hence these are seen in HD. I believe this is why they go out in HD (using a hired facility) but the studio feed can only be SD as can all other HD feeds coming in go out in SD upscaled and at the greater bandwidth of the HD channel (so looking better). Because these both rely on the ESPN studio facilities which are not yet built/

mad_matt · 28-08-2009, 3:47 PM

To be honest as long as the game is in HD I don't care about the studio shots being upscaled. Usually replenishing the beer during those bits anyway lol.

ESPN are doing a good job, at least they have a HD channel unlike Setanta whose SD channel was terrible.

mitch · 28-08-2009, 4:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmark40

I think they're doing a grand job, considering the time frame. IMO they're already ahead of what we had with setanta. I have it for the UFC mainly and some footy. Upscaled UFC and HD football coverage is more than what I did have. Though I would expect HD UFC in good time.

ufc 102 has been confirmed as being hd by espn

kmark40 · 29-08-2009, 9:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mitch

ufc 102 has been confirmed as being hd by espn

Jaycee Dove · 29-08-2009, 2:20 PM

They had two MLB games in HD last night.

So things seem to be coming together at ESPN.

djcla · 29-08-2009, 5:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmark40

Not showing as in HD in the planner?

kmark40 · 30-08-2009, 8:56 AM

Watching now. It is HD. Looks very good. Shiny

djcla · 30-08-2009, 9:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmark40

Watching now. It is HD. Looks very good. Shiny

yeah was in 5.1 too sweet

packerbully · 30-08-2009, 4:00 PM

ESPN now have a note about HD on their website

Basically they have nearly completed getting their HD facilities built / up and running.

Silver Serpent · 30-08-2009, 4:17 PM

UFC 102 was very good HD Quality.

Ray_Woodward · 30-08-2009, 6:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by packerbully

ESPN now have a note about HD on their website

Basically they have nearly completed getting their HD facilities built / up and running.

Message for HD subscribers:

Since its launch, ESPN has been working diligently to upgrade its technical infrastructure to provide as much of its programming as possible in native HD on the ESPN HD channel. Following some technical issues, we have been unable to provide non-live or non-football programming in HD. We anticipate having these problems resolved in the next few days . We thank you for your interest in ESPN and hope you enjoy the channel.

Barclays Premier League | Clydesdale Bank Premier League | ESPN

Silver Serpent · 30-08-2009, 9:34 PM

I see the repeat of UFC 102 is NOT in HD though. It was just the live showing last night.

It's the same with Premiership games. The repeat is never in HD.

Edit: I see Ray has just pointed that out in the previous post.

Jaycee Dove · 31-08-2009, 2:00 PM

Sunday Night Baseball was in HD last night for the first time since the channel launched....so looks like all is on track now.

kenedin · 31-08-2009, 4:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray_Woodward

Message for HD subscribers:

Since its launch, ESPN has been working diligently to upgrade its technical infrastructure to provide as much of its programming as possible in native HD on the ESPN HD channel. Following some technical issues, we have been unable to provide non-live or non-football programming in HD. We anticipate having these problems resolved in the next few days . We thank you for your interest in ESPN and hope you enjoy the channel.

Barclays Premier League | Clydesdale Bank Premier League | ESPN

They must read these forums

At least they are getting everything up to standard. Not a bad effort given they've only been running for a few weeks. Better than that Setanta lot.

djcla · 01-09-2009, 7:51 PM

I thought the ufc was in HD but the planner did not confirm this. I have also now noticed everything now seems to be in dd 5.1 but nothing shows as HD in the planner but it all looks HD quality.

djcla · 04-09-2009, 2:26 PM

anyone else noticed this?

gary965 · 04-09-2009, 3:19 PM

Baseball on Wednesday night looked/was HD though it didn't say on the EPG, fantastic picture you could even see all the disgusting spitting that seems to be the requirement in the sport. The AFL game today was also a great picture though maybe not HD.

Some great HD content though, well done.

Jaycee Dove · 05-09-2009, 5:11 PM

The ESPN HD EPG info has been wrong from the off. Only the EPL has ever been billed as HD - not even the SPL which has been in HD from the first game.

No idea why they are not bothering updating this properly.

They do put ESPN HD live on screen when it is HD....usually.

djcla · 06-09-2009, 9:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaycee Dove

The ESPN HD EPG info has been wrong from the off. Only the EPL has ever been billed as HD - not even the SPL which has been in HD from the first game.

No idea why they are not bothering updating this properly.

They do put ESPN HD live on screen when it is HD....usually.

I have noticed the programs advertised never seem to tally up all the time either for instance it taped ufc all access but it was football

dpgs · 06-09-2009, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaycee Dove

The ESPN HD EPG info has been wrong from the off. Only the EPL has ever been billed as HD - not even the SPL which has been in HD from the first game.

No idea why they are not bothering updating this properly.

They do put ESPN HD live on screen when it is HD....usually.

Exactly my reason for not subscribing to this channel.

The ESPN HD EPG seems to have literally no HD programming at all to speak of, apart from the football, so until they get their act together I'll not be adding my £9 to their coffers.

As soon as we see regular HD programming from the US and they get their EPG act together, then I would say that would be time for me to subscribe.

There must be others out there waiting to see if this channel lives up to its name.

dazza74 · 06-09-2009, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpgs

Exactly my reason for not subscribing to this channel.

The ESPN HD EPG seems to have literally no HD programming at all to speak of, apart from the football, so until they get their act together I'll not be adding my £9 to their coffers.

As soon as we see regular HD programming from the US and they get their EPG act together, then I would say that would be time for me to subscribe.

There must be others out there waiting to see if this channel lives up to its name.

Well I'm pretty glad frankly I've been paying my £9 a month since they started. Not ideal the EPG and programming problems but can't say it's hampered my enjoyment. Next weekend we've got Spurs v Man U (ESPN) Saturday , Sky Sports (Birmingham v Villa) & (Fulham v Everton). Don't think I've seen a duff game yet on ESPN

packerbully · 06-09-2009, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpgs

Exactly my reason for not subscribing to this channel.

The ESPN HD EPG seems to have literally no HD programming at all to speak of, apart from the football, so until they get their act together I'll not be adding my £9 to their coffers.

As soon as we see regular HD programming from the US and they get their EPG act together, then I would say that would be time for me to subscribe.

There must be others out there waiting to see if this channel lives up to its name.

Most of the live sports from the US is now in HD - all 3 College Football games have been.

Regarding the EPG - I think they are still too busy getting a few things sorted at the moment.

Jaycee Dove · 06-09-2009, 4:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpgs

Exactly my reason for not subscribing to this channel.

The ESPN HD EPG seems to have literally no HD programming at all to speak of, apart from the football, so until they get their act together I'll not be adding my £9 to their coffers.

As soon as we see regular HD programming from the US and they get their EPG act together, then I would say that would be time for me to subscribe.

There must be others out there waiting to see if this channel lives up to its name.

Except that, as I noted, it is the EPG that is wrong in saying things are NOT in HD when quite often they are.

ESPN put a statement out explaining they had techical reasons for limited HD whilst building their studio (the channel was set up in a big hurry - it did not even exist three months ago). And for the first 3 weeks only the things filmed for them by Sky (EPL, SPL) WERE in HD.

But then they got their studio ready and since then there has been a lot more HD. I have seen about 6 or 7 HD baseball games live in the past couple of weeks. Not one has been billed as HD on the EPG. But they were.

gary965 · 06-09-2009, 5:09 PM

Why would anyone not subscribe just because it doesn't say something is in HD on an EPG? Just looking for an excuse to criticise what is becoming a very good sports channel with loads of HD or very good quality upscaled sport.

If people don't want to fork out the £9 per month fine but stop making ridiculous excuses for not subscribing.