sports broadcasting

[mastermax]

I've noticed that some sports programs on sksyportsHD1/2 are rightly in widescreen format but on the SD channels are reshaped to the horrible 4:3 ratio. how come widescreen aspect ratio isn't always enabled for the the sd broadcasts which feature on skysports even though its available to view in widescreen??

any reply which could answer this would be of much help

[Tight Git]

It's probably a case of someone at Sky not pressing the correct button.

But, of course, they'll never admit it.

[CarlB]

If you're talking about a programme such as the NFL games shown in 'widescreen' on HD2 and 4:3 on Sky Sports 2, then the 'horrible' 4:3 format on Sky Sports 2 is correct. The HD channel is merely stretched, and is not being shown in its correct aspect ratio. Those linebackers look wider than ever!

Personally I hate the stretched faux widescreen programming on the HD channels and always watch the SD broadcast in the correct aspect ratio of 4:3 when they do this. They just broadcast everything in widescreen on the HD channels, whether or not it was actually shot in that format in the first place. It's an abomination in my eyes.

[mastermax]

These were the questions i proposed to skysports in relation to their broadcasting during a live cricket match from South Africa.

1) Is the feed sent to you in widescreen?

2)How come its in widescreen on Hd channels but not on SD ones?

here was the response:


The coverage from South Africa is offered in widescreen, but we do not have all channel transmission suites up-dated at this time,

hence the disparity on some coverage every now and then.

What you see on HD is, in fact,something in between - 13:9.

As I said previously, our facilities are ahead of the rest, but we do still have some restrictions.

I can't see why they haven't once shown the series of matches in widescreen?

Is this a suitable enough response, or is it sky being lazy by not updating their studios to enable widescreen camera viewing??