[loz]

Thought the opening ceremony was OK, but just watching the gymnastics and the picture is disappointingly soft. I realise it isn't full HD, but it looks more like SD.

[Jason Shouler]

Originally Posted by loz

Thought the opening ceremony was OK, but just watching the gymnastics and the picture is disappointingly soft. I realise it isn't full HD, but it looks more like SD.

Where are you watching this

The use of SBS is probably not the best format to use for broadcast but even so I'm sure I've watched plenty of SBS that looked a little sharper (purely subjective of course).

[loz]

Originally Posted by Jason Shouler

Where are you watching this

The use of SBS is probably not the best format to use for broadcast but even so I'm sure I've watched plenty of SBS that looked a little sharper (purely subjective of course).

Sky 217

[Jason Shouler]

Originally Posted by loz

Sky 217

Sorry, assumed you were watching FreeView.

If it's not as good as the opening ceremony then it's difficult to see how it can be anything but a Sky issue in that case.

[loz]

Originally Posted by Jason Shouler

Sorry, assumed you were watching FreeView.

If it's not as good as the opening ceremony then it's difficult to see how it can be anything but a Sky issue in that case.

Well I don't think it is a "sky" issue, seeing as the broadcaster is Eurosport and OBS is providing the feed.

Eurosport HD is usually the highest quality - but they can only be as good as the feeds they get. So more an issue with OBS perhaps.

But OBS provided the opening ceremony 3D feed to Eurosport and BBC too and there wasnt such a problem with that - I compared BBC and Eurosport and they were identical.

Perhaps it was just this particular event.

[derek500]

Originally Posted by loz

Well I don't think it is a "sky" issue, seeing as the broadcaster is Eurosport and OBS is providing the feed.

Eurosport HD is usually the highest quality - but they can only be as good as the feeds they get. So more an issue with OBS perhaps.

But OBS provided the opening ceremony 3D feed to Eurosport and BBC too and there wasnt such a problem with that - I compared BBC and Eurosport and they were identical.

Perhaps it was just this particular event.

Just put a bit of swimming on. Disappointing. Camera too low most of the time and no overlaid graphics on the lanes at the start and finish.

Picture quality was fine though.

[loz]

Watched the highlights programme on sky 3D and that was generally better overall.

[Welsh Whirlwind]

I've got to say I'm watching the highlights programme every night on freeview HD and I'm also dissapointed with the SBS 3D quality...

There is a noticeable drop in resolution compared to other SBS pictures I've seen from the BBC .

I don't know much about these things, but maybe the BBC is simply presenting this programme with a reduced bitrate/ smaller bandwidth allocation?

[loz]

Well it is exactly the same quality on Sky/Eurosport 3D too.
So I can only guess that any quality issues are with the source that both BBC and Sky/Eurosport are given as they are identical.
It really is very soft at times.

[Welsh Whirlwind]

Originally Posted by loz

Well it is exactly the same quality on Sky/Eurosport 3D too.
So I can only guess that any quality issues are with the source that both BBC and Sky/Eurosport are given as they are identical.
It really is very soft at times.

It's a real shame. The Olympics is such a good platform to showcase 3D, yet the current broadcast resolution is certainly below-par on my 51' Samsung.

[Jason Shouler]

Originally Posted by loz

It really is very soft at times.

You can see the difference between the intro (and ending) sequences which suggests it is indeed a source limitation rather than broadcast.

Pretty sure my little Sony Bloggie could do as good a job for many of the shots - although not a lot of use underwater

[loz]

Originally Posted by Jason Shouler

You can see the difference between the intro (and ending) sequences which suggests it is indeed a source limitation rather than broadcast.

Pretty sure my little Sony Bloggie could do as good a job for many of the shots - although not a lot of use underwater

Yes. The source is clearly the problem.

I can't say it with 100% authority, but it seems the indoor stuff has been poorer than the outdoor stuff.
The Canoe Slathom is very good in 3D. But the swimming and the gymnastics have been very poor at times picture resolution wise.

[djmattsims]

During the opening ceremony I had to switch over to the eurosport 3D coverage as the BBC was quite clearly a lot softer. The Sky guide info didn't even state that the BBC coverage was being broadcast in HD......it certainly looked SD to me.

For those of you with Sky check the BBC 3D programme info as they don't seem to be broadcasting HD 3D at all.

[Jason Shouler]

Originally Posted by djmattsims

For those of you with Sky check the BBC 3D programme info as they don't seem to be broadcasting HD 3D at all.

As far as FreeView goes a day's summary is broadcast every night roughly 11-12pm (it can vary a little) on BBC HD.

It's unquestionably an HD broadcast but as many have commented, the source (or post production) is a little suspect for quality

[loz]

I have recorded both the BBC and Sky/Eurosport summaries every night. I put them both in my planner originally thinking they would be different, but as it is they are identical appart from the broadcaster logos.

PQ wise they are also identical IMO. Both equally as poor!
not surprising as they both come from the same source, they both are broadcast at the same resolution, and the only thing that might differ I guess is the bitrate and compression applied.
So it might be possible that the Freeview transmission isn't quite as good as Sky version - whereas I would expect the Freeview and Freesat BBC transmissions to be nigh on identical as we know they artifically constrain Freesat to Freeview levels.
I haven't actually looked at the Freeview 3D transmission. Has anyone compared that against Freesat?

[Welsh Whirlwind]

Honestly, it's so infuriating... I've been looking forward for to this for a long time, the BBC's first proper forray into 3D broadcasting and I'm finding myself it switching off and instead watching the superior 2D picture. What an absolute shame.

[loz]

I suggest people complain on BBC - BBC Internet Blog: Full BBC 3DTV Schedule For Olympics

It isn't the BBC's fault as such, as OBS are providing the source. But the BBC is the only one you can complain to, and from the comments it does seem they are taking it up with OBS.

[Jason Shouler]

Originally Posted by Welsh Whirlwind

Honestly, it's so infuriating... I've been looking forward for to this for a long time, the BBC's first proper forray into 3D broadcasting and I'm finding myself it switching off and instead watching the superior 2D picture. What an absolute shame.

In all honesty I can't see why you'd want to watch in 2D instead of 3D

What I find infuriating is that whilst watching in 3D is more enjoyable, it also becomes a tab boring when you've already seen the same footage (live in 2D) earlier in the day

[loz]

Originally Posted by Jason Shouler

In all honesty I can't see why you'd want to watch in 2D instead of 3D

What I find infuriating is that whilst watching in 3D is more enjoyable, it also becomes a tab boring when you've already seen the same footage (live in 2D) earlier in the day

Well not if you have Sky, as much of the main events are broadcast live in 3D.

But I can't sit there all day watching in 3D - especially when I am working...

And the PQ of the 3D has been so poor so far, I am a bit like the Welsh Wirlwind in that I may as well watch it in higher quality if I am just going to be "keeping an eye" on it so to speak

[Jason Shouler]

Originally Posted by loz

But I can't sit there all day watching in 3D - especially when I am working...

Sounds a bit like me then - although I sneak time for the more interesting contests that involve Team GB

Don't have Sky myself but don't think there's any question that I'd watch the live events in 3D if I could

[Welsh Whirlwind]

Originally Posted by Jason Shouler

In all honesty I can't see why you'd want to watch in 2D instead of 3D

As Loz says, the resolution drop has been terrible on the 3D broadcasts, so instead, I'm finding myself watching the highlights on the 2D HD channels all of which have a far superior picture. That's why

[Welsh Whirlwind]

Originally Posted by loz

I suggest people complain on BBC - BBC Internet Blog: Full BBC 3DTV Schedule For Olympics

It isn't the BBC's fault as such, as OBS are providing the source. But the BBC is the only one you can complain to, and from the comments it does seem they are taking it up with OBS.

Already done.

[Jason Shouler]

Originally Posted by Welsh Whirlwind

As Loz says, the resolution drop has been terrible on the 3D broadcasts, so instead, I'm finding myself watching the highlights on the 2D HD channels all of which have a far superior picture. That's why

You should be aware that H-SBS will halve the resolution at the best of times anyway.

That accepted, I much prefer 3D viewing since the 3D experience to me is more important that image sharpness

[loz]

Originally Posted by Jason Shouler

You should be aware that H-SBS will halve the resolution at the best of times anyway.

That accepted, I much prefer 3D viewing since the 3D experience to me is more important that image sharpness

True, but that should still be 960x1080.

Whereas at times the OBS 3D feed looks worse than SD at 720x576.

The opening shots of the show jumping the other day looked more like you would expect to find on youtube than broadcast TV.

Sky routinely demonstrate that live 3D sports can be of the highest PQ. Pity OBS didn't bring in the expects....

[Jason Shouler]

Originally Posted by loz

Pity OBS didn't bring in the expects....

I'd have to agree with you there

[logiciel]

Originally Posted by Welsh Whirlwind

the BBC's first proper forray into 3D broadcasting

What happened to the two years of tennis, and the dancing thing?

[Welsh Whirlwind]

Originally Posted by logiciel

What happened to the two years of tennis, and the dancing thing?

The dancing thing was a one-off for the final and Wimbledon was just the semi-finals and finals if I remember correctly? Basically, I'm saying that it is the first time the BBC has shown a daily, regular programme schedule in 3D.

@ Jason, I am fully aware of the reduced resolution with SBS format 3D, I have watched plenty of SBS video. Yet (again, like Loz says), the Olympic footage has dropped the resolution down to an unwatchable level imo.

[logiciel]

Yes, that's what the tennis was, and there was the film of Street Dance as well.
An hour of summary at 11pm is a pretty tame foray though - and afaik it's not even theirs: Olympic B S.

[derek500]

Just a thought, might be connected, but on the whole, I haven't been that impressed with the HD quality from OBS, both on the BBC or Eurosport HD.

Generally very soft and lacking detail.

[Jason Shouler]

I thought last night's coverage (Thu) was the best so far.

One of the problems with 3D is it's very much mindset dependant so one night it might seem fantastic and yet another night it's just OK even though the source material and display equipment hasn't changed - hence subjective in the extreme.

The swimming shots are still the worst though and unless the quality can be improved then better left out completely in all honesty.