NBC HDTV Olympic Broadcast -- Very Disappointing Content

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Unfortunately, I have to agree with you. The Comcast Cable here in
Jacksonville, FL the HD coverage is the same. I feel water logged after
seeing nothing but swimming over and over followed by gymnastic events.
Sad. Actually it is lousy.
Ross

"Curious Cat" <nospamcat23@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news SJVc.42259$4s6.14838@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
> If you don't have the NBC HDTV Olympic broadcast, you're not missing
> anything.
>
> My cable provider (Bright House - Tampa) and local NBC affiliate (WFLA)
have
> not been able to agree on terms that would allow Bright House to carry the
> NBC HDTV broadcasts. Knowing this to be the case, I bought an OTA HDTV
> receiver and indoor antennae before the Olympics so that I could enjoy the
> Olympics in HD.
>
> Well, the NBC HD picture is great, but the content broadcast on the HD
> channel is very disappointing.
>
> The Opening Ceremony broadcast started one hour later than the regular NBC
> feed. It was then repeated endlessly on the HD channel through Saturday
and
> into Sunday morning. The talking heads for the Opening Ceremony were not
the
> first team crew used for the regular NBC feed broadcast, but rather a
fifth
> team crew who obviously had little experience broadcasting anything like
an
> Opening Ceremony (not that the Opening Ceremony was something I was
waiting
> anxiously to see).
>
> When the HDTV feed started broadcasting sporting events, the broadcast
> consisted of swimming and gymnastic events that had occurred the previous
> day. And the same broadcasts were repeated endlessly throughout the day.
As
> the days wore on, the broadcasts consisted of not only the previous days
> events but events two or three days in the past. For example, this morning
> (Saturday) I was able to see the men's gymnastics all-around competition
for
> the umpteenth time on the HDTV feed -- or I should say, that I would have
> been able to see the umpteenth repeat of that event if I were out of my
> mind.
>
> The HDTV feed is sponsored by Sony, who apparently only budgeted for one
> commercial that gets played endlessly. The first time I saw the commercial
> the first Friday night (Opening Ceremonies) I thought it was cute. The
> second time it was broadcast (probably, 15 minutes after the first) I
> thought it was interesting. Now that I've seen it for the 10,000th time,
> it's like Chinese water torture.
>
> After a few days, NBC added promos for two new fall shows to the
commercial
> mix. The endless repitition of those promos only adds to the water torture
> misery. At least, I won't waste my time watching those shows when the
> premiere in September.
>
> The sports content seems to repeat every few hours and at the introduction
> of a new repitition, NBC broadcasts beautiful helicopter video of
landmarks
> around Athens and on the Greek Isles. In HD, this video could be described
> as breathtaking -- at least the first few times you see it. After 10,000
> repeats, I can't wait for the G*D D**n video to end.
>
> The event coverage on the HD feed is not as edited as the regular NBC
> coverage. While it's not wall-to-wall coverage of events, you do get to
see
> much more coverage than on NBC's evening regular broadcast. So, if you
enjoy
> seeing an unknown female Australian gymnast fall off the balanced beam
three
> times and wind up with a 7.892, the HD broadcast is for you.
>
> The broadcast crew for the HDTV sports events consists of people I've
never
> heard of who have the vitality and vigor of melba toast. There are long
> periods of silence with the camera focused on nothing in particular.
>
> In short, I think NBC felt obligated to have an HD broadcast, but
concluded
> that since there are few HD TV's out there, they wouldn't waste much time,
> talent or money on those of us who were expecting an HD broadcast that was
> really something special.
>
> I now only change my TV input to the HD feed a few times a day to see if
> there is anything new. There never is.
>
> The next time I try the HD feed, tt wouldn't surprise me to find the
Opening
> Ceremony playing again.
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

In article <hqMVc.491035$Gx4.348125@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>, "Ross Moody" <ross.moody@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>Unfortunately, I have to agree with you. The Comcast Cable here in
>Jacksonville, FL the HD coverage is the same. I feel water logged after
>seeing nothing but swimming over and over followed by gymnastic events.
>Sad. Actually it is lousy.
>Ross
>
>"Curious Cat" <nospamcat23@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news SJVc.42259$4s6.14838@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
>> If you don't have the NBC HDTV Olympic broadcast, you're not missing
>> anything.
>>
>> My cable provider (Bright House - Tampa) and local NBC affiliate (WFLA)
>have
>> not been able to agree on terms that would allow Bright House to carry the
>> NBC HDTV broadcasts. Knowing this to be the case, I bought an OTA HDTV
>> receiver and indoor antennae before the Olympics so that I could enjoy the
>> Olympics in HD.
>>
>> Well, the NBC HD picture is great, but the content broadcast on the HD
>> channel is very disappointing.
>>
>> The Opening Ceremony broadcast started one hour later than the regular NBC
>> feed. It was then repeated endlessly on the HD channel through Saturday
>and
>> into Sunday morning. The talking heads for the Opening Ceremony were not
>the
>> first team crew used for the regular NBC feed broadcast, but rather a
>fifth
>> team crew who obviously had little experience broadcasting anything like
>an
>> Opening Ceremony (not that the Opening Ceremony was something I was
>waiting
>> anxiously to see).
>>
>> When the HDTV feed started broadcasting sporting events, the broadcast
>> consisted of swimming and gymnastic events that had occurred the previous
>> day. And the same broadcasts were repeated endlessly throughout the day.
>As
>> the days wore on, the broadcasts consisted of not only the previous days
>> events but events two or three days in the past. For example, this morning
>> (Saturday) I was able to see the men's gymnastics all-around competition
>for
>> the umpteenth time on the HDTV feed -- or I should say, that I would have
>> been able to see the umpteenth repeat of that event if I were out of my
>> mind.
>>
>> The HDTV feed is sponsored by Sony, who apparently only budgeted for one
>> commercial that gets played endlessly. The first time I saw the commercial
>> the first Friday night (Opening Ceremonies) I thought it was cute. The
>> second time it was broadcast (probably, 15 minutes after the first) I
>> thought it was interesting. Now that I've seen it for the 10,000th time,
>> it's like Chinese water torture.
>>
>> After a few days, NBC added promos for two new fall shows to the
>commercial
>> mix. The endless repitition of those promos only adds to the water torture
>> misery. At least, I won't waste my time watching those shows when the
>> premiere in September.
>>
>> The sports content seems to repeat every few hours and at the introduction
>> of a new repitition, NBC broadcasts beautiful helicopter video of
>landmarks
>> around Athens and on the Greek Isles. In HD, this video could be described
>> as breathtaking -- at least the first few times you see it. After 10,000
>> repeats, I can't wait for the G*D D**n video to end.
>>
>> The event coverage on the HD feed is not as edited as the regular NBC
>> coverage. While it's not wall-to-wall coverage of events, you do get to
>see
>> much more coverage than on NBC's evening regular broadcast. So, if you
>enjoy
>> seeing an unknown female Australian gymnast fall off the balanced beam
>three
>> times and wind up with a 7.892, the HD broadcast is for you.
>>
>> The broadcast crew for the HDTV sports events consists of people I've
>never
>> heard of who have the vitality and vigor of melba toast. There are long
>> periods of silence with the camera focused on nothing in particular.
>>
>> In short, I think NBC felt obligated to have an HD broadcast, but
>concluded
>> that since there are few HD TV's out there, they wouldn't waste much time,
>> talent or money on those of us who were expecting an HD broadcast that was
>> really something special.
>>
>> I now only change my TV input to the HD feed a few times a day to see if
>> there is anything new. There never is.
>>
>> The next time I try the HD feed, tt wouldn't surprise me to find the
>Opening
>> Ceremony playing again.
>>
>>
>
>
If NBC spent the time to upconvert sports that do not have HD cameras there
would be a huge cry over that issue.

Athens only has so many HD cameras to go arround so the content is a little
short. I can see that "High Priorty" events get lots of cameras and the horse
events have none. I can live with that. You might not.

To be honest, I am avoiding the sports page and enjoying what I can. Right now
thats a heat in the men's 400m. Yes it was over long ago but I do not know who
won so the broadcast holds my intrest.

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

On Sat, 21 Aug 2004 15:28:20 GMT, "Curious Cat"
<nospamcat23@hotmail.com> wrote:

>If you don't have the NBC HDTV Olympic broadcast, you're not missing
>anything.

You are right on. This coverage is so bad, they shold be
embarrassed! It's haerd to believe they advertised it as much as
they did, only to put such a 3rd rate broadcast out.

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Curious Cat wrote:
> In short, I think NBC felt obligated to have an HD broadcast, but concluded
> that since there are few HD TV's out there, they wouldn't waste much time,
> talent or money on those of us who were expecting an HD broadcast that was
> really something special.
Pretty much the same type of coverage as the 2002 Winter Olympics and
there are many, many more HDTV's out there compared to then. I just
think they choose the worng events to cover. In 2002 there was no HD
Snowboarding coverage. This time, there's no Volleyball coverage.

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

All true. My guide says I should be watching beach VB and guess what,
more swimming. If I watch any more swimming I fear I'll piss the bed
in my sleep.


On Sat, 21 Aug 2004 15:28:20 GMT, "Curious Cat"
<nospamcat23@hotmail.com> wrote:

>If you don't have the NBC HDTV Olympic broadcast, you're not missing
>anything.
>
>My cable provider (Bright House - Tampa) and local NBC affiliate (WFLA) have
>not been able to agree on terms that would allow Bright House to carry the
>NBC HDTV broadcasts. Knowing this to be the case, I bought an OTA HDTV
>receiver and indoor antennae before the Olympics so that I could enjoy the
>Olympics in HD.
>
>Well, the NBC HD picture is great, but the content broadcast on the HD
>channel is very disappointing.
>
>The Opening Ceremony broadcast started one hour later than the regular NBC
>feed. It was then repeated endlessly on the HD channel through Saturday and
>into Sunday morning. The talking heads for the Opening Ceremony were not the
>first team crew used for the regular NBC feed broadcast, but rather a fifth
>team crew who obviously had little experience broadcasting anything like an
>Opening Ceremony (not that the Opening Ceremony was something I was waiting
>anxiously to see).
>
>When the HDTV feed started broadcasting sporting events, the broadcast
>consisted of swimming and gymnastic events that had occurred the previous
>day. And the same broadcasts were repeated endlessly throughout the day. As
>the days wore on, the broadcasts consisted of not only the previous days
>events but events two or three days in the past. For example, this morning
>(Saturday) I was able to see the men's gymnastics all-around competition for
>the umpteenth time on the HDTV feed -- or I should say, that I would have
>been able to see the umpteenth repeat of that event if I were out of my
>mind.
>
>The HDTV feed is sponsored by Sony, who apparently only budgeted for one
>commercial that gets played endlessly. The first time I saw the commercial
>the first Friday night (Opening Ceremonies) I thought it was cute. The
>second time it was broadcast (probably, 15 minutes after the first) I
>thought it was interesting. Now that I've seen it for the 10,000th time,
>it's like Chinese water torture.
>
>After a few days, NBC added promos for two new fall shows to the commercial
>mix. The endless repitition of those promos only adds to the water torture
>misery. At least, I won't waste my time watching those shows when the
>premiere in September.
>
>The sports content seems to repeat every few hours and at the introduction
>of a new repitition, NBC broadcasts beautiful helicopter video of landmarks
>around Athens and on the Greek Isles. In HD, this video could be described
>as breathtaking -- at least the first few times you see it. After 10,000
>repeats, I can't wait for the G*D D**n video to end.
>
>The event coverage on the HD feed is not as edited as the regular NBC
>coverage. While it's not wall-to-wall coverage of events, you do get to see
>much more coverage than on NBC's evening regular broadcast. So, if you enjoy
>seeing an unknown female Australian gymnast fall off the balanced beam three
>times and wind up with a 7.892, the HD broadcast is for you.
>
>The broadcast crew for the HDTV sports events consists of people I've never
>heard of who have the vitality and vigor of melba toast. There are long
>periods of silence with the camera focused on nothing in particular.
>
>In short, I think NBC felt obligated to have an HD broadcast, but concluded
>that since there are few HD TV's out there, they wouldn't waste much time,
>talent or money on those of us who were expecting an HD broadcast that was
>really something special.
>
>I now only change my TV input to the HD feed a few times a day to see if
>there is anything new. There never is.
>
>The next time I try the HD feed, tt wouldn't surprise me to find the Opening
>Ceremony playing again.
>

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Someone else on this newsgroup (sorry, cannot recall who) made the
very good observation that the NBC HD broadcast's intended audience
seems to be customers in the electronics store where they are showing
off HD displays, and only secondarily for the home viewer already
owning HD equipment. This makes the 8-hour-three-times loop, the
second-string reporters, the repeated HDTV ads ("We brought chips!")
and hourly five-minute Greek scenery break all make a kind of sense.

By 2008, we surely expect this sort of coverage to be a bad memory;
but it is very disappointing in the present, to be sure.

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

"Michael Urban" <urban@panix.com> wrote in message
news:cgcthj$t26$1@panix5.panix.com...
> Someone else on this newsgroup (sorry, cannot recall who) made the
> very good observation that the NBC HD broadcast's intended audience
> seems to be customers in the electronics store where they are showing
> off HD displays, and only secondarily for the home viewer already
> owning HD equipment.

Exactly.
In fact some of the people that purchased HD equipment based on the hype of
Olympics in HD by Sony & NBC have been denied access to NBC's HD satellite
feed even though they have no OTA options for it.

I wondering if some sort of false advertising claim couldn't be made about
the way NBC and Sony did this.

WaltinVt