World Cup Widescreen?

[Lex]

Hi all,

Do any of you know whether the world cup is going to be broadcast in 16:9 or 4:3?
I guess it is all being handled by Korean/Japanese tv companies, but as I understand it very few countries watch their football in 16:9, so I am fearing that it will only be 4:3. Shame if that is the case.

Cheers,

Lex.

[encaser]

Either way at least the Korean/Japanese dudes should do a better job in general than some of the past crap feeds we've endured.

[bh]

I'd have thought that there would be a great deal of pressure to use the World Cup to push 16:9 sets to South-east Asian consumers.

However , the company that will film the matches, Host Broadcast Services (HBS), on behalf of FIFA would appear to be supplying a 4:3 feed with no mention of 16:9 on their website:


"In addition to the Standard Definition 4/3 feeds provided by HBS, a separate high definition 1080i (interlaced digital) clean feed is available for Broadcast Partners.

The high definition multilateral feeds are a co-production implemented by two groups of local broadcasters (the Korea Pool and the Japan Consortium), supported by the Local Organising Committees, KirchMedia and HBS. 48 matches are being produced live, including all the matches from the Second Phase. Most other matches have highlights coverage."


Source:

http://www.hostbroadcastservices.com/

[Lex]

Cheers for the info bh. I have to say I am a little disappointed - I don't like watching 4:3 football on widescreen tv, I just find those bars down the side really distracting/annoying!!
Why is the rest of the world so slow with the change to WS - you would have thought that this would be the perfect oportunity to promote it!

Surely it will be in 16.9 as the japs see everything in widscreen... I'll get me coat

[bh]

Seany.

Widescreen TV, widescreen signal or both??