Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums banner

Formula 1 in HD?

29K views 182 replies 63 participants last post by  BadLag 
#1 ·
There have been posts about this for past years, but any news about this coming season?
 
#79 ·
I hope it's not just 16:9 in SD. SD 16:9 is the worst of all possible worlds. Black bars around all 4 sides if you are watching on an HD monitor. I suppose they would probably zoom it up to fill the screen, but that looks pretty cruddy. Anyway, it is moderately encouraging news. I'm no NASCAR fan, but I do tune in now and then to see what it looks like in HD and it is spectacular.
 
#80 ·
I agree that Nascar looks very good and like you I'm not really a Nascar fan. It would be nice some year to see F1 in HD. It appears that HD adoption in Europe is increasing and I suppose that's what will determine that speed at which it comes to TSN etc. I would think that TSN would pick up the HD feed if it was available.

ihdtv
 
#85 ·
I compared the 2 screens (TSNHD and TSN on rogers) and the feed on TSNHD shows both side mirrors whereas the TSNSD shows the right mirror cut off.. so its definitely at least widescreen... looks like an upconvert although it is fullscreen 16:9... a step in the right direction I hope...
 
#88 ·
Definitely SD quality. In fact, it looked like TSN HD might have been blowing up an NTSC 16:9 version rather than a digital full WS version. But, I agree that it is a step in the right direction. BTW, I'm pretty sure the reason for the 4:3 sections is for TSN to add graphics. They must not be using their HD studio for these broadcasts.
 
#91 ·
Yes very happy to see the WS in F1 this year. It looked really nice in Qualifying in Melbourne. Even SD in WS is ok with be, but i'm looking forward to HD someday. And btw, very impressed with Lewis Hamilton so far.
 
#92 ·
It was nice to see the race in WS. It was interesting how the image changed right near the start of the race - started in 4:3, but after a few seconds it just went "wider".

I wanted to provide TSN with some positive feedback, but when I click "contact us" on their website it takes me to a page with no way to contact them... Perhaps this is an issue with my browsers (Safari, IE on a Mac)

Anyone have the proper link or an e-mail address (public domain only please)?
 
#93 ·
Well I found this --> http://www.tsn.ca/contact/form/?mailto=broadcast

It seems to be a "help" form but I sent some positive feedback to them via this link. I'm not sure if the correct people will get it but it's all I could find on their website.

The WS was very nice. I had 4:3 that appeared "squished" until the race started then as you said the WS went wide. I'm don't know much about the technicalities of broadcasting WS vs true HD but I would guess that it's only a small step to true HD from there. The only difference being bandwidth/resolution?

ihdtv
 
#95 ·
The bandwith and resolution is one big difference, but the biggest difference is the equipment on the field. A digital camera provide 16:9 but you need an HD cam for HD which cost roughly twice the price of an SD cam. Cables from the camera to the truck are replaced by optical fiber and since some of the cameras are over 1Km for the truck, it's more complicated (but not impossible). Obviously, the truck has to be an HD truck with all the HD equipment including VTRs for replays etc. Finally, worldwide broadcasting has to be HD including satellites and everything between the pickup location to the cable or satellite provider. So we will probably see F1 in HD one day but it's a lot more investment than 16:9
 
#94 ·
I don't recall it being "squished". When they went "wide" additional information was added on the sides.

The difference is resolution since widescreen is not HD, however, it really depends on what resolution the incoming signal is and how it is upconverted. There is a difference in the international broadcasts since widescreen in NA is 480i, but in Europe or Australia there could/would be additional lines in the original signal. I don't know what TSN receives.

Thanks for the link. I used it.
 
#97 ·
That's exactly what I have been thinking.
I have always been interested in racing but never really took the time to sit infront of a TV to watch it. I recently started watching NASCAR races and that's because of how great they are in HD.... But F1 is the real money maker... so why is it that I can watch a NASCAR race with in-car HD cameras but F1 has still not gone HD ?
 
#99 ·
How many Cameras does it take to cover an oval, maybe 10. Plus 6 or seven in cars, truck all that 200 miles per week to the next oval.

Get much smaller in car cams so as not to disturb the aerodynamics for 22 cars vs. the 7 bulky ones for the NASCAR coverage plus the 50 to 60 camaras that it would take to cover a 4 to 5 K road course And as the broadcast are produced locally, multiply all that by 17 broadcasters spread out over 5 continents. Pretty soon you are starting to talk some real money.

As far as the difference between the Spykers and the Ferrari's, the Ferrari's are the ones that go fast. :D
 
#100 · (Edited)
57 said:
I don't recall it being "squished". When they went "wide" additional information was added on the sides.
It definitely looked like widescreen compressed horizontally (squished) to me. I currently have to watch a couple of shows in 4:3 on the HD channels (ie Amazing Race) and don't notice that.
I've deleted my F1 recording already however so I can't verify .. maybe next race ;)

Edit..
Actually it wasn't ALL the 4:3 that looked compressed it was only the 4:3 screen just before they switched to widescreen. I noticed it right away and mentioned it to my wife. She wasn't impressed with my observation either way.

Papi..

Thanks for that info. That answers some questions I had about the WS stuff.

ihdtv
 
#101 ·
It was nice to see the race in WS. It was interesting how the image changed right near the start of the race - started in 4:3, but after a few seconds it just went "wider".
Damn, and I watched the whole race in stretched mode thinking it was 4:3
Lesson learned.

One thing I really can't stand about F1 is the way the real time data is displayed, After a pit stop, you pretty much are doomed to seeing
1 stop or 2 stops and rarely see the time delta.
They could learn a thing or two from Nascar provided data.
 
#103 ·
I just want to chime in here again to reiterate that, although it was WS, the resolution was not one bit better than the analog 4:3 that Speed had. I know we should be happy that we are getting something, but sheesh, it's 2007!

Maybe the Canadian and US GP's will be HD.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top