They've got bigger problems in F1 than not broadcasting in HD - remember the Indianapolis debacle of last year?

That's my point. After that scam I (and a lot of people that I know) stopped watching F1. I don't even read nor care about it anymore. But if they start showing the races in HD I would surely watch it at least just to see how good it is. It might even catch the bug again. But until then I am really not interested at all.

Can you tell us where you get your info?

The Canadian Grand Prix television Video images are captured and controlled by Montreal's RDS cable network. These images become the video feed for other networks worldwide under license with Bernie. The audio portion is another story.
He was talking about the races other than the CDN GP.

The pre and post race segments with Vic Rauter and Gerald Donaldson are from TSN, but the rest of the broadcast is provided by ITV in the UK.

He was talking about the races other than the CDN GP.

The pre and post race segments with Vic Rauter and Gerald Donaldson are from TSN, but the rest of the broadcast is provided by ITV in the UK.

In each country, as far as I know, a GP race is covered by a local television network for the Video portion.

ITV supplies the feed for all F1 race. It'll be a while before they go HD. North America is way ahead of UK and Europe when it comes to HD.

In each country, as far as I know, a GP race is covered by a local television network for the Video portion.I believe that is the case so for a race to be available in HD the host broadcaster has to have HD production facilities. It could be many years until HD spreads to all countries that host F1 races.

First all of the races don't have to go HD at once. You could have say Indy take it for a spin and none of the others. Where ever it makes sence to the broadcasters.

An HD production truck is all you need in a country to capture a race and send it up to a satellite. All the voice over stuff is done in the country that produces the final program. Even if they did have to send an HD truck to a certain country, have you seen how many trucks go to an F1 race? It's insane.

If you are interested do a search on the AVS board to find out how many HD trucks there are in Europe. I bet there are more than most people here would guess.

I have seen the Speed Vision and TSN versions of the same race and they were definitly using different feeds. They did not have a single camera angle in common between them.

Not sure I can agree with you on your last point there jvillain. I have Tivo and an HD DVR and have recorded both and even set them up to run simultaneously so I can switch back and forth (ok, I'm a geek) and they have always been identical. You may be thinking of the very first Indy F1 race (you said Speedvision, which the channel was called back then). At that time, because it was their home race, Speedvision had access to the PPV digital broadcast (AKA 'Bernievison) and, yes, that was indeed very different from TSN's broadcast. Bernievision no longer exists so now all feeds are the same as far as I know.

Speaking of PPV, I would like to echo the sentiments of gokartchief and say that I would gladly pay 20 bucks a race for HD and no commercials. Of course, we don't even have HD PPV on Shaw, so it's pretty much a pipedream for the foreseeable future.

I'm envious of the Nascar fans who can get their whole season in HD. JesseJ, surprised you haven't come in and gloated about that yet! ;)

I have seen the Speed Vision and TSN versions of the same race and they were definitly using different feeds. They did not have a single camera angle in common between them.
They use the same world feed.

Speed sometimes has a time lag from the TSN/ITV feed. It's really obvious with the podium ceremony. Sometimes you can watch the podium ceremony on TSN, switch to Speed and see it again :)

Also, Speed inserts so many bloody commercials in their broadcast that it is almost unwatchable.

but the commentary on TSN makes it unwatchable as well.

but the commentary on TSN makes it unwatchable as well.
Which commentary? Vic and Gerald or the actual ITV announcers?

IMHO Vic and Gerald are horrid. I watch the Speed pre-race show and then watch the ITV/TSN race.

The Speed TV coverage during the race is awful. The guys they have on TSN (BBC or some other British feed I think) are great IMO.

-Darryl

last year when I watched one of the races on TSN the commentary was horrible. The speed channel has the british commentary.

maybe that has changed?

last year when I watched one of the races on TSN the commentary was horrible. The speed channel has the british commentary.

maybe that has changed?
Speed Channel has always had their own commentators in their studio in North Carolina. They are currently David Hobbs, Steve Matchett, and Bob Varsha. They used to have Rick DeBruhl, and he was extremely annoying (worse than Vic Rauter).

During the race on TSN the commentators are from ITV (Martin Brundle and James Allen/mark Blundell) . Vic and Gerry do the pre and post race shows.

For the Canadian GP, it's different. I think it's Vic Rauter, John Watson, and Gerald Donaldson that do the commentating - John is good, but Vic and Gerry leave a lot to be desired.

I think it was last year (maybe the year before), for the first GP of the season TSN opted to use the Speed feed instead of ITV, and there was a huge backlash. The next race TSN went back to ITV for it's feed :)

Everyone rags on the Speed commentators. And it's true, they just watch the race on TV monitors in NC or whereever so they can miss certain things.

However I typically watch ITV and later listen to the Speed coverage when it is re-run. There are plenty of different observations and sometimes the Speed commentators notice different things or detect certain race developments a lot sooner than the ITV guys.

If I could only choose one, I'd still go for ITV.

Those guys on Speed Channel are pretty good, but there's no substitute for actually being there. When they are sitting in a studio in North Carolina, it's just 3 guys watching TV and commenting on it (albiet good comment). They know nothing more than what we are seeing. On TSN (ITV feed), you always get more info. Like Martin Brundle saying that so-and-so's engine doesn't sound healthy when he went by or that 'the director isn't showing it, but I can see that they are both pitting simultaneously', and things of that nature. Also, ITV has reporters in the pits giving first-hand accounts of problems with the cars etc and interviews with drivers who are out of the race.

And bgclarke is right, way too many commercials on Speed.

It's good to have a choice though. Surprising since TSN insists on a Speed Channel blackout for any Champ Car race they are broadcasting (even if it's not simultaneous). I predict we won't have the choice of which F1 broadcast to watch soon.

The best way to watch the race for me is to watch it on TV with my lap top on my lap (make sense eh?) I connect the the official F1 web site and get all the lap times and split times live. I usually know which cars are pulling into pits before the commentators say a word.

best way to watch a race is going to one, and sit near one of the Jumbotrons.

as well, I think it was said before, all F1 races are shot by ITV, and networks pick up the feed. The networks won't get a say in the matter whether it will be HD or not, we gotta wait for FIA to kick it up a notch.

Look for me at the hairpin on montreal - section 24:)

...
as well, I think it was said before, all F1 races are shot by ITV, and networks pick up the feed...


??? Are you saying that ITV bring the cameras, the cameramen, the control trucks, the producers etc to each country? Where do you get that from? Because you hear ITV commentators on TSN during races? I hear RDS French commentators in Montreal and I'm quite sure Japan hear Japanese commentators.

As I said before, you see Video coverage in a different way at each race and it's easy to see and understand the bias of local TV producers such as a concentration on Petronas Vehicles (Sauber) in Malaysia, the Jacques Villeneuve car in Montreal and the Alonso car in Spain. That sort of thing would not be the case with a TV producer who travels to each country, he would cover the most important developments in the race instead of missing obvious important segments as they so often do.

I prefer 2 of the Speed commentators (David Hobbs is an idiot IMO) to the ITV feed. Steve Matchett is a former Benetton Mechanic and provides an insight into the the technical aspect of the sport. No other colour commentator I know of is as insightful or knowledgeable. Bob Varsha is easy on the ears and is a true fan of the sport. It's enjoyable to listen to someone who enjoys the sport they cover outside of their work. David Hobbs I could do without. He adds very little the broadcasts.

As I said before, you see Video coverage in a different way at each race and it's easy to see and understand the bias of local TV producers
F1 should purchase an HD mobile, and allow the local broadcasters the use of the truck et al. Won't happen but I can dream.
I'd watch F1 in 5.1 sound, with the new screaming V-8's.