[mythtv-users] OT: HD and sports

[Brian Wood]

Dave Badia wrote:
> I too had hopes that the 16x9 aspect with HD would allow me to see 
> sports in a different way (American football, specifically).  
> Unfortunately, I have been disappointed.  I had hoped that the cameras 
> would shift to make the line of scrimmage off-center, so that viewers 
> could downfield, showing all of the players on the field before the play 
> starts.
> 
> Sad to say, shots are still taken with the line of scrimmage in the 
> center of the screen.  So, instead of seeing more pre-snap formations, 
> player shifts, etc, we're stuck seeing 10 yards of the offensive 
> backfield (an area in which action rarely ever occurs).
> 
> All we can do is keep hoping I guess....

It couldn't hurt to let whatever network is airing your program know 
what you think.

Traditional NTSC television has 3 specific "areas" on the screen. These 
were set up because it is a fact of life that a LOT of TV sets overscan. 
This was done so that as a set aged and the voltages dropped the picture 
will still fill the screen. Manufacturers learned very quickly that 
people will complain about black borders much faster than about overscan 
(which they mostly don't even notice).

The inner-most is the "safe title" zone. This is so that any titling 
will definitely not over-run the screen on most sets.

Next is "safe action", pretty self-explanatory.

Finally you have the entire screen. This is always seen in the control 
room, as most CR monitors are set to underscan, to be sure the entire 
picture is visible.

TV directors have had these zones drilled into them, with the resultant 
negative transfer moving to HD aspects.

beww