Why does Fox HD for sports look like crap?

Collapse

Recommended Videos

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • Seymour Scagnetti
    Banned
    • Oct 2006
    • 2489

    #1

    Why does Fox HD for sports look like crap?

    Watch any football or baseball game and it looks like standard def. I know they broadcast in 720p (stupid decision) but so does CBS and it looks better than Fox. Don't understand why Fox, ESPN or CBS don't broadcast in 1080i like NBC and ABC (not to mention ESPN is part of ABC??????).

    Does Fox not watch thier broadcasts and see how much better NBC's games look and they are not even up to par with CBS at the same resolution. Is thier something wrong with Fox's feed because it looks like crap.
  • Blzer
    Resident film pundit
    • Mar 2004
    • 42516

    #2
    Re: Why does Fox HD for sports look like crap?

    Finally somebody agrees with me on this! I said it once and people said I was just looking for something to complain about. No, it definitely looks awful.

    Yet I have no idea why.
    Samsung PN60F8500 PDP / Anthem MRX 720 / Klipsch RC-62 II / Klipsch RF-82 II (x2) / Insignia NS-B2111 (x2) / SVS PC13-Ultra / SVS SB-2000 / Sony MDR-7506 Professional / Audio-Technica ATH-R70x / Sony PS3 & PS4 / DirecTV HR44-500 / DarbeeVision DVP-5000 / Panamax M5400-PM / Elgato HD60

    Comment

    • duke776
      MVP
      • Nov 2006
      • 3044

      #3
      Re: Why does Fox HD for sports look like crap?

      You know at the beginning of the baseball season I thought the games looked really good on the fox HD channel, but then about 1/2 way through the games just stopped looking as good. I'm not sure if I'm just now noticing it, or something changed, but I have to agree with you here.

      Comment

      • DocHolliday
        Farewell and 'ado
        • Oct 2002
        • 4697

        #4
        Re: Why does Fox HD for sports look like crap?

        They are probably just up converting ****ty old cameras and equipment.
        GT: Event Horizon 0

        Comment

        • Altimus
          Chelsea, Assemble!
          • Nov 2004
          • 27283

          #5
          Re: Why does Fox HD for sports look like crap?

          Originally posted by Blzer
          Finally somebody agrees with me on this! I said it once and people said I was just looking for something to complain about. No, it definitely looks awful.

          Yet I have no idea why.
          I don't know where you said it but the football forum has been complaining about this for a while, myself included. Going from Fox HD to NFL Network, CBS, ESPN football is a pretty big difference.

          Comment

          • Moses Shuttlesworth
            AB>
            • Aug 2006
            • 9435

            #6
            Re: Why does Fox HD for sports look like crap?

            I think ESPN broadcast basketball games are the worst.

            Comment

            • Jgainsey
              I can't feel it
              • Mar 2007
              • 3361

              #7
              Re: Why does Fox HD for sports look like crap?

              Has anyone else noticed that MLB and NFL games on fox have a bad stuttering as well. Certain camera angles just don't run smooth at all. It's been that way for at least the last half of the MLB season and the start of the NFL season. Last weekend's game was the first sports game in a while that didn't suffer from any stuttering or judders. Hopefully they figured it out.
              Now, more than ever

              Comment

              • pfunk880
                MVP
                • Jul 2004
                • 4452

                #8
                Re: Why does Fox HD for sports look like crap?

                Well, 720p could have advantages over 1080i for sports, because being progressive rather than interlaced can make for a smoother image given the fast motion of sports.

                Also, I'm almost certain that CBS broadcasts in 1080i.

                EDIT: Yup, here you go:

                1080i vs. 720p
                True HDTV programming is typically broadcast in one of two resolutions: 1080i or 720p. Most networks have opted for the 1080i format, boasting that it provides the highest possible resolution, while ABC, Fox, ESPN/ESPN2, and the National Geographic Channel went for the smoother pictures of 720p. What's the real difference between the two? While 1080i technically offers the most lines of resolution, it's delivered in the old-style interlaced format, meaning that your TV set draws each frame in two passes: once for the even horizontal lines and a second time for the odd lines. The 720p (progressive) format has fewer lines of information than 1080i but draws each frame in a single pass, delivering pictures that look slightly smoother than an interlaced image, especially when there's a lot of movement on the screen. Most videophiles agree that 720p is the superior format, despite 1080i's resolution advantage. For average viewers, however, it's hard to tell the difference (more info on HDTV resolutions).
                Whether you're looking to indulge in the Cyber Week sales or upgrading for the year ahead, here's what you need to know about buying a new TV.
                Last edited by pfunk880; 10-05-2009, 07:09 PM.
                Green Bay Packers | Milwaukee Brewers | Bradley Braves | Wisconsin Badgers
                Marquette Golden Eagles | Milwaukee Bucks | Milwaukee Panthers

                Comment

                • Seymour Scagnetti
                  Banned
                  • Oct 2006
                  • 2489

                  #9
                  Re: Why does Fox HD for sports look like crap?

                  Originally posted by pfunk880
                  Well, 720p could have advantages over 1080i for sports, because being progressive rather than interlaced can make for a smoother image given the fast motion of sports.

                  Also, I'm almost certain that CBS broadcasts in 1080i.

                  EDIT: Yup, here you go:


                  http://www.cnet.com/1990-7874_1-5108...=hdtv;hdtvfd_l
                  I thought it was ABC at 1080i but it's CBS, my bad. Still I see no advantages to 720p. Every game broadcast by Fox and ESPN look like like crap, compared to NBC it's like night and day. I'm a little confused because CBS games do not look as good as NBC games even though it's broadcast in 1080i as well. It has to be something to do with the feed somehow being compromised at the source.

                  Up here in Toronto our sports station TSN and sportsnet both broadcast in 1080i and Jays baseball games are far superior than Fox and our Canadian Football League games are crystal clear.

                  Someone must be smoking something if they think 720p looks remotely as good as 1080i. I have never seen an issue where sports didn't look smooth.

                  Comment

                  • Blzer
                    Resident film pundit
                    • Mar 2004
                    • 42516

                    #10
                    Re: Why does Fox HD for sports look like crap?

                    CBS is definitely in 1080i. With my TV I have a Just Scan option that I am able to turn to so I can fit the pixels in the screen correctly for 1080i broadcasts, and I always have to do it for ABC, CBS, and I believe NBC as well. FOX and CW I don't have to do it (these are local channels picked up with my built-in digital tuner).
                    Samsung PN60F8500 PDP / Anthem MRX 720 / Klipsch RC-62 II / Klipsch RF-82 II (x2) / Insignia NS-B2111 (x2) / SVS PC13-Ultra / SVS SB-2000 / Sony MDR-7506 Professional / Audio-Technica ATH-R70x / Sony PS3 & PS4 / DirecTV HR44-500 / DarbeeVision DVP-5000 / Panamax M5400-PM / Elgato HD60

                    Comment

                    • hogfan
                      MVP
                      • Jul 2002
                      • 1281

                      #11
                      Re: Why does Fox HD for sports look like crap?

                      Interesting. CBS looks the worst to me.
                      I think ESPN, NBC and FOX look better.

                      Comment

                      • Chaos81
                        Hall Of Fame
                        • Mar 2004
                        • 17150

                        #12
                        Re: Why does Fox HD for sports look like crap?

                        Originally posted by hogfan
                        Interesting. CBS looks the worst to me.
                        I think ESPN, NBC and FOX look better.
                        Weird. CBS blows everything else away on my TV's. One of the great mysteries of life.

                        Comment

                        • hogfan
                          MVP
                          • Jul 2002
                          • 1281

                          #13
                          Re: Why does Fox HD for sports look like crap?

                          Originally posted by Chaos81
                          Weird. CBS blows everything else away on my TV's. One of the great mysteries of life.
                          It is. I have Comcast.

                          The motion of the college football games causes the picture to get relatively pixelated. No other channel does it. Maybe it's Comcast's compression of the signal.

                          Comment

                          • pfunk880
                            MVP
                            • Jul 2004
                            • 4452

                            #14
                            Re: Why does Fox HD for sports look like crap?

                            Originally posted by hogfan
                            It is. I have Comcast.

                            The motion of the college football games causes the picture to get relatively pixelated. No other channel does it. Maybe it's Comcast's compression of the signal.
                            Yeah, Comcrap is somewhat notorious for compressing their HD feeds. That could be the cause. There's really a lot of factors that go into this.
                            Green Bay Packers | Milwaukee Brewers | Bradley Braves | Wisconsin Badgers
                            Marquette Golden Eagles | Milwaukee Bucks | Milwaukee Panthers

                            Comment

                            • aukevin
                              War Eagle, Go Braves!
                              • Dec 2002
                              • 14700

                              #15
                              Re: Why does Fox HD for sports look like crap?

                              The NBC in my area is crap for HD. Football is just a blurry mess when it comes to fast moving objects in HD for my local NBC. The normal camera angle is fine, but close ups of players moving fast is just bad.

                              From what I've read in the past, it has been said that 720p was a better fit for sports in HD because it handles fast action better than an interlaced signal. That's why ESPN and Fox use that format for their sports. From my experience, I agree with this because I think football on ESPN and Fox looks much better than the CBS and NBC in my area because their interlaced video gets screwed up on fast action.

                              Atlanta Braves
                              - Auburn Tigers - Nashville Predators

                              Comment

                              Working...