[czytt]

"Nuts to the World Cup" is what I say.

I would far rather see HD showcased at Wimbledon.

Does any know if the BBC has the OB capacity to cover Wimbeldon on HD kit?

Slim chance for this year, I suppose.

Jerry

[DanDT]

Originally Posted by czytt

"Nuts to the World Cup" is what I say.

I would far rather see HD showcased at Wimbledon.

Does any know if the BBC has the OB capacity to cover Wimbeldon on HD kit?

Slim chance for this year, I suppose.

Jerry

Thank God i'm not the only one!! I'd sell my body to see Wimbledon in HD this year.

[blakey1]

The report I read from the BBC said that they would be covering major Sporting events and prime time TV in the HD trials. Therefore I would assume that Wimbledon would be classed as a major sporting event. Whether their trials are up and running by time Wimbledon comes round is another this.

[Dutch]

The Wimbledon Championships were covered by the BBC in the '90s using the short-lived HD-MAC 1152i standard, so hopefully it will be included in the new "trials".

Steve

[Timbo21]

I'm a bit of a tennis fan. I've basically got Sky so I can watch the Masters series & US Open on Sky, & Aussie & French Open on Eurosport . When Wimbledon comes round it's great to watch in full widescreen, & HD will be even better.

I was really hoping Sky might broadcast the Masters series in HD (unfortunately it's always 4:3), but somehow I think it'll just be on the footy

[Stephen Neal]

Yep - Wimbledon was covered in 1125/60i (aka 1035/60i - now 1080/60i) by NHK (for transmission using their MUSE analogue system) AND in 1250/50i (aka 1152/50i) by the BBC (for transmission using HD-MAC via Olympus ISTR)

Last year the BBC trialled HD Tennis coverage using their HD OB truck (that also does the Proms etc.) at Hastings ISTR. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't at least trial HD coverage on some courts.

Integrating HD feeds into the HUGE presentation operation (they have a massive SD OB unit that creates BBC One and Two feeds simultaneously - doing lots of clever switching to allow matches to switch between networks using a single presentation studio) might be a challenge though... (I can see either a down-stream switch, or a separate HD BBCi style service as solutions?)

Some of the stuff Seetha Kumar (who is leading the BBC HD trial) has begun to imply that the trial might not be a straight BBC One HD simulcast - but may also take HD content from other channels and form a kind of BBC One + other channels HD service. (It would be madness not to show the Proms they are shooting in HD - or Later with Jools which is also HD - just because they are BBC Two shows.)

[bayards]

Stephen

That sounds feasible - a kind of "BBC HD Window" service - showcasing the best of BBC plus guest contributions. They must have a hoard of old analogue HD recordings they could press into use. Might we even have a nice widescreen HD testcard during off-air periods....ah nostalgia...

The BBC are used to using outside production companies these days - I was flabbergasted when I saw my first "made for BBC by Granada" years ago (University Challenge was it?).


Howard

[richard plumb]

I think a BBC HD hybrid would just confuse people. Why not just have BBC 1HD and BBC 2HD?

[cooperda]

Originally Posted by richard plumb

I think a BBC HD hybrid would just confuse people. Why not just have BBC 1HD and BBC 2HD?

Won't they want to provide HD picture for America?

Also I bet Wimbeldon specified coverage to move to HD by a certain date as part of BBC keeping the rights.

Cheers, Dave C.

[xavster]

Could it be a "press red" service?

[Stephen Neal]

Originally Posted by bayards

Stephen

That sounds feasible - a kind of "BBC HD Window" service - showcasing the best of BBC plus guest contributions. They must have a hoard of old analogue HD recordings they could press into use. Might we even have a nice widescreen HD testcard during off-air periods....ah nostalgia...

The Beeb produced very little in analogue HD - even in the early 90s they were recording uncompressed digital 1152/50i (1440x1152) using 4 x D1 SD VTRs (each VTR recorded a 720x576 signal containing one sample from a 2x2 grid)

I think the only fly in the ointment will be HD drama - as if you show that at a different time it is regarded as a repeat I believe, so it would need to be shown in sync on the HD service and the SD services ?

The BBC are used to using outside production companies these days - I was flabbergasted when I saw my first "made for BBC by Granada" years ago (University Challenge was it?).


Howard

Think What the Papers Say was the first Granada production on the BBC?

The BBC have a 25% commitment to use independent production companies, and will soon have a second 25% up-for-grabs to allow BBC internal and indies to compete... (aka WOCC)

[Stephen Neal]

Originally Posted by cooperda

Won't they want to provide HD picture for America?

Also I bet Wimbeldon specified coverage to move to HD by a certain date as part of BBC keeping the rights.

Cheers, Dave C.

I think the BBC won't "want" to provide HD for the US unless the US pay, or Wimbledon require it as a host broadcast contractual thing. I suspect the only other reason the BBC will go HD at Wimbledon is if they "want" to provide it for us...