Hello All,

I'm am new to the Forum. I recently added a 50" HD Plasma and other HD gear to my Home Studio. I have a Panasonic TH-50PX20, Rogers HD Terminal, Philips DVD975SA 720P/1080I DVD with HDMI, Zenith HD SAT-520 IRD/ATSC/NTSC with upconverter, Dolby Decoder hooked into my Studio mixer which outputs to a Crown CE2000 Main and EV 7100 Rear Amps.

Just to explain my Nic I am the VP of Operations & Engineering for a Canadian Television Network. I have come here for two reasons. One is to share and see what others are using and have some fun and the other would be to read what you as viewers are goung through with the move to HD.

I will be launching an HD service of my network in 2004. I plan to use 720P format this is after a lot of research. I will be brodcasting a 16x9 format 24/7 even during comercials. So no worries about bar burn in from my network. I will be able to release more information on what Network this will be once I have the CRTC amend my current Lic.

Thats it for now gang if there are any questions or you have any input feel free to bring it on. I'm glad I have found this forum and I plan to post and read on a regular basis.

Later Broadcaster :)

Welcome! I communicate with a number of US broadcasters on the OpenDTV mailing list, so it'll be interesting to hear the Canadian side of things. Looking forward to hearing more!

Awesome, direct input to a guy who's in charge.

First off, kudos on the 16x9, 24/7. You will get no arguements from the crew here.

How do you plan on handling 4x3 source material? I'm assuming that you will still be getting some of that as source. My suggestion would be to broadcast it as a native 16x9 with added grey bars assuming that's possible. That way people who prefer to stretch can stretch and avoid the grey bars and those of us who prefer to keep the AR can leave it as is and not worry too much.

What was the rationale for 720P vs 1080i? I know the Rogers equipment will only do 1080i. Not sure about the other carriers gear though. If there was an overwhelming favourite in terms of what's supported by the STBs I'd go that to minimize the number of scaling steps.

If I read it right, the 3250 HD specs will allow naitve output so 720P will be available.

If I read it right, the 3250 HD specs will allow naitle outpu so 720P will be available.

Assuming we ever get the damn things. :evil:

I'd still be curious as to the decision process behing 720P.

Yes there will be original 4x3 material I will be aspectizing applying active NR and upconverting this content with a state of the art Brodcast product that has 300,200 64mb procesors in it. a Procesor is dedicated to each pixel :o I will challenge any one to tell what was original SDI 4x3 and what was orginal 720P I could't tell it's that good. This product came from the 4K Post world its the best I have ever seen nohing will beat it. My feeling is why show 4x3 on a 16x9 format setm for those that want to see a 4x3 look they can tune in my analogue service.

720P is superior over 1080i for sports. This is not opinion but fact. I am aware that there are not very many true direct Display HD sets in homes that can do 720P yet but thats were it will end up. Most sets can convert 720P to 1080I going from P to I is no problem but going from I to P will show artifacts. Rogers current HD STB ouputs 1080I it converts 720P to 1080I. Look at ABC its source on HD is 720P Rogers new STB will allow you to pass native or select 720P/1080I out. They should be released in the new year.EXVU will eventually convert 1080I to 720P for carriage. 720P compresses better than 1080I means less bandwidth for them. They are distrbuting native now. Shaw/Star Choice well all I can say is there so far behind and really don't care about HD, oh-well


Later B

Agreed on the 720P. I figured sports was the deciding factor. No arguements here.

On the 4x3 front I'm a little concerned. I, and a lot of others here, are OAR fanatics. While most of the 4x3 material won't really lose much when it is cropped for 16x9 display there will be a significant number of shows that will suffer.

A lot of older "classic" movies are actually 4x3 like Sleeping Beauty, Fantasia, etc. and will suffer from arbitrary stretches.

Also, any 4x3 source that has caption bars on the bottom or top will be lost in a 4x3 to 16x9 geometry neutral zoom. I personally HATE distorted stretch modes.

Just some points to consider.

Point taken the material that I will be brodcasting lends itself very well to being aspectized I will be using a product that has dynamic Pan and Scan as well as crop this means that it will not suffer from the Stretch effect that you find on Consumer HD sets. This device is state of the art and is not as yet being used in the Industry its brand new!! :lol: As I stated earlier if there is native 4x3 material that a viewer wants to see untouched then they can look at my STD station my HD station will have 15% unique content the rest will be simulcast on both. There will be down converted HD programing on my STD service also.

Later B

Sounds reasonable.

HDNET has the highest amount of HD Sports and its all 1080i.

All i can say is WOW!

I have yet to see 720p sports that looks better. I'm noy saying 720p is bad but i can't say its better.

Zenith HD SAT-520... VP of Operations & Engineering for a Canadian Television Network

Uh, oh... isnt that a directv product :D

It is but like most HD sat boxes, it can be used for OTA and can run without a Directv sub.

http://www.zenith.com/index.asp?url=./sub_prod/subCategory_Display.asp%3Fcat%3D50

i know... just play devils advocate

I have yet to see 720p sports that looks better. I'm noy saying 720p is bad but i can't say its better.

I have A/B both side by side at Events. Nascar, NFL, MLB, Water Sports to name a few. I had both formats on a Truck at the same time. I have not gone about this lightly and have done a tremendous amount of investigation on both formats. I have been looking at a Raster for 25 years. Progressive Scan Display Technology will be the future not Interlaced you will see. There are many people in my comunity that dis agre with me. I have always been on the leading edge of technology and they have always had to play catch up. They will do the same when they abandon Interlace Technology 10 years from now:)

ABC is 720P Monday Night Football is done n 720P have a look at that in native:o

Also as we speak the First Canadian HD Truck is being built. I can't say whos building it. It will be a multi format Truck but will be used mostly in 720P. It will be unvailed in April and will be the most advanced and largest HD Mobile in the world :o :o

Uh, oh... isnt that a directv product

Like James99 said it has a ATSC Tuner in it and it also Upconverts NTSC but being the rights holder of certain US program material allows the reception of the signal in Canada. This only applys to a Legal Rights Holders. DTV is used for incrypted Private Brodcast across North America. I'm sure that there are some here that may even be able to see these Private Broadcasts these are usually Sports or Event related Programing, of course its all above board and legal.

Have you ever wondered why Dave hasn't just turned the beam south? :wink:

Later B

I always love hearing the 720P vs 1080i debate. It's moot for most people because there are almost no TVs that can do both natively, so there's almost no one who's been able to do a real comparison.

Most Pixel-based TVs do 720P or thereabouts; all current CRT-based RPTVs do 1080i; and there are only a couple of CRT-based direct view sets that can do 720P and 1080i and they're more like computer monitors and very expensive (Princeton for example).

It was interesting to hear the opinion that 720P -> 1080i is "better" than 1080i -> 720P due to artifacting.

I have seen some 4:3 conversion to 16:9 on KSPS Spokane. Some of it is well done. Some is not.

Good luck with your endeavors. We look forward to seeing them.

From one person working in the Canadain Broadcasting Industry to another, welcome! :D

I always love hearing the 720P vs 1080i debate. It's moot for most people because there are almost no TVs that can do both natively, so there's almost no one who's been able to do a real comparison.


I mentioned that in my early Post. I feel as we move foward with HD Interlace Displays will slowly be phased out as Progresive Displays come down in price. Plasma LCD and DLP will drive this. It make no sence for me to build obselesence into my facility thats why I have opted for 720P and as I said before P to I works well for today. I found it very interesting when looking for an HDTV that the lower end products were not capable of displaying 720P once you get into the higher end Plasma and DLP most do 720P.

I have no interest in debating a standards issiue I am only providing the logic behind my descion. If people feel that prehistoric 30 FPS Interlace Technology is better than True 60 FPS for Sports than so be it. They'll save a lot of money on thier TV :lol:

Later B

Throw a bone to us westerners!

Without disclosing your network, is it one that is carried by Shaw? Though I agree Shaw is really dragging its arse on HD, perhaps you could uhm, subtly influence them that carrying HD is a good thing!

Incidentally the Motorola equipment that Shaw is using will output native 720p, thankfully. As for the current transition to HD out west it's interesting that the new HD boxes have been snapped up quite quickly, based on reports on this forum. Personally the biggest PITA is the general lack of HD content, and that's what's bothering me the most about HD right now.

In any event I look forward to the insider insight that you may provide.

Broadcaster,

Just a technical question for you.

You mentioned that you will be post processing to take 4x3 material to 720P. If I remember my terminology correctly broadcast 4x3 is called D1 and is essentially 720x480i in digital terms.

What format is HD source material normally delivered as? Is it all over the map based on source or is there a similar standard and will you need to do a lot of reformatting?

Broadcaster.....I love your toys as much as your Broad-knowledge on the subject of HDTV.

You certainly have sparked interest, and have said things that we all would want to see happen to the industry, and soon.

But, the question must be asked.... Are you for real ??.... And not, another blowhard on the Internet.

I wish for you to be real.

What say you B ??