I've been able to pick up a little bit of info from several threads here, but if someone can give a full explanation I'd appreciate it.

Basically, at least 1 or 2 of the 3:30 Eastern time college football games are broadcast to the chosen ABC affiliates in SD only. The local station has even scrolled info that the feed they are getting from ABC is SD only, so "quit calling the station and asking about it." Those same games in the past few weeks though, specifically OU vs. Cincy and ATM vs. Miami, have had highlights shown in HD on ESPN's College Football Final show. I don't really know if this has something to do with contracts, since it seems like it's always a Big 12 broadcast that is SD, or it's a technical limitation. If it's technical, why can the entire broadcast be shot by ABC/ESPN in HD, and sent to an HD capable network for highlights later, but only sent live to an HD capable ABC station in SD.

Can anyone shed light on this issue, and when/if it will ever be fixed? It's 2008, for gosh sakes, and we shouldn't be having to watch Div. 1 college football on HD ABC stations in SD only!

Did your affiliate broadcast those 2 games you mentioned that were in HD? If they were available in HD then your affiliate should've shown them in HD. There's usually a map of which areas will get each game, if you have to send that to the station gm and ask why have they not been in HD.

Did your affiliate broadcast those 2 games you mentioned that were in HD? If they were available in HD then your affiliate should've shown them in HD. There's usually a map of which areas will get each game, if you have to send that to the station gm and ask why have they not been in HD.
Thanks for the reply, but reread my post. The games in question are not available from the national ABC feed in HD to the regional area that they are being broadcast in, regardless of whether the local station can broadcast HD or not. But they obviously have HD cameras and equipment at the games because ESPN is showing the game highlights in HD. This is what I'm hoping for an explanation of, and how long will it last...the rest of the year, next season, several more seasons?

Thanks for the reply, but reread my post. The games in question are not available from the national ABC feed in HD to the regional area that they are being broadcast in, regardless of whether the local station can broadcast HD or not. But they obviously have HD cameras and equipment at the games because ESPN is showing the game highlights in HD. This is what I'm hoping for an explanation of, and how long will it last...the rest of the year, next season, several more seasons?

ABC only has the ability to send a feed of 2 HD events simultaneously. So if youll look at the college football maps for this weekend, there are multiple games at the 3:30 time slot. The problem this creates is that you get you ABC regional game, and then you get your ESPN game based on region again. If your ESPN game is not one of the games that says HD next to it, sorry you are out of luck for HD.

Someone with more technical knowledge can elaborate more im sure, but this is my understanding of the problem

ABC only has the ability to send a feed of 2 HD events simultaneously. So if youll look at the college football maps for this weekend, there are multiple games at the 3:30 time slot. The problem this creates is that you get you ABC regional game, and then you get your ESPN game based on region again. If your ESPN game is not one of the games that says HD next to it, sorry you are out of luck for HD.

Someone with more technical knowledge can elaborate more im sure, but this is my understanding of the problem

Is that why very few Big 12 games are in HD, but almost all Big Ten and Pac-10 games are?

ABC only has the ability to send a feed of 2 HD events simultaneously. So if youll look at the college football maps for this weekend, there are multiple games at the 3:30 time slot. The problem this creates is that you get you ABC regional game, and then you get your ESPN game based on region again. If your ESPN game is not one of the games that says HD next to it, sorry you are out of luck for HD.

Someone with more technical knowledge can elaborate more im sure, but this is my understanding of the problem

OK, I think we're getting somewhere, except that my ESPN game is always in HD. Sometimes it will be blacked out, and I can view the ESPN alternate channel on Dish and that channel is in SD only. I wonder if the limitation is that the ABC transmit equipment can only send 2 HD broadcasts out simultaneously? Or is the transmitting equipment pooled together between ABC and ESPN but with all of the games between the two networks, they can only transmit 4 or 5 HD games? I still don't get it when the actual game is being shot/switched using HD equipment.

As mentioned the answer is the amount of HD facilities required for regional games. This includes HD coordination control rooms , HD encoders and transponder space. CBS and FOX made massive investments to allow nearly all of the NFL games to be seen in HD. ESPN and NBC have an easier time of it because they are supplying a national feed of a game rather than regional ones. College football probably has a lower budget than NFL coverage so regional HD becomes less practical.

This is likely a temporary situation as the HD infrastructures are built up and there is more efficient use of satellite spectrum. I think the technical term for this is "Growing Pains".

CBS and FOX made massive investments to allow nearly all of the NFL games to be seen in HD.All are HD this year. CBS thought maybe the beginning of a few might be HD, but that hasn't come to pass.

All are HD this year. CBS thought maybe the beginning of a few might be HD, but that hasn't come to pass.

Did you mean

All are HD this year. CBS thought maybe the beginning of a few might NOT be HD, but that hasn't come to pass.

Thanks for the reply, but reread my post. The games in question are not available from the national ABC feed in HD to the regional area that they are being broadcast in, regardless of whether the local station can broadcast HD or not. But they obviously have HD cameras and equipment at the games because ESPN is showing the game highlights in HD. This is what I'm hoping for an explanation of, and how long will it last...the rest of the year, next season, several more seasons?
That's why I asked the question about the games you mentioned to better understand. Maybe I am just mis-understanding your question. I'm not going to re-hash the info already provided, but are you asking why did your affiliate show the game in SD when an HD feed was available?

College football probably has a lower budget than NFL coverage so regional HD becomes less practical.

This is likely a temporary situation as the HD infrastructures are built up and there is more efficient use of satellite spectrum. I think the technical term for this is "Growing Pains".

There is also less of a need for this on ABC and NBC's part. Not that it isn't something to address, but CBS had a two major issues pushing forward an expansion of their integration and transmission facilities: the Final Four and the NFL. Other than a handful of weekends in the fall for some regional college football matchups (and with ESPN's reverse mirrors) it's less pressing.

That's why I asked the question about the games you mentioned to better understand. Maybe I am just mis-understanding your question. I'm not going to re-hash the info already provided, but are you asking why did your affiliate show the game in SD when an HD feed was available?

No, I'm asking why the national ABC feed to every affiliate in the regional geographic area is only in SD when there are HD cameras and production equipment at the game in question. I don't know enough about the chain required to get a broadcast to the local affiliate to know where the breakdown is, but apparently ABC doesn't have the necessary integration and transmission facilities (whatever those are) to handle the number of HD feeds that CBS and Fox handle on any given NFL Sunday.

Basically, for the last couple of years I was under the impression that if the networks could just replace all of the old SD production trucks with expensive HD production trucks at these games, that they could all be seen in HD. Well, ABC apparently has the HD production trucks at the games now, but there are other national facility limitations that keep HD from being sent to the affiliates.

There is also less of a need for this on ABC and NBC's part. Not that it isn't something to address, but CBS had a two major issues pushing forward an expansion of their integration and transmission facilities: the Final Four and the NFL. Other than a handful of weekends in the fall for some regional college football matchups (and with ESPN's reverse mirrors) it's less pressing.

Based on your name, maybe you have some knowledge of if this will be an ongoing issue after this season or if ABC might invest what's required before next year to be able to do HD from game to affiliate?

No, I'm asking why the national ABC feed to every affiliate in the regional geographic area is only in SD when there are HD cameras and production equipment at the game in question. I don't know enough about the chain required to get a broadcast to the local affiliate to know where the breakdown is, but apparently ABC doesn't have the necessary integration and transmission facilities (whatever those are) to handle the number of HD feeds that CBS and Fox handle on any given NFL Sunday.Correct.

Basically, for the last couple of years I was under the impression that if the networks could just replace all of the old SD production trucks with expensive HD production trucks at these games, that they could all be seen in HD.Incorrect.

Well, ABC apparently has the HD production trucks at the games now, but there are other national facility limitations that keep HD from being sent to the affiliates.Correct.

As noted above:

"....the answer is the amount of HD facilities required for regional games. This includes HD coordination control rooms, HD encoders and transponder space."

These facilities need to be in place at the network broadcast operations center. For ABC, they are not currently in place.

Is that why very few Big 12 games are in HD, but almost all Big Ten and Pac-10 games are?

Yep--the Big XII doesn't have a contract with ESPN, so they get screwed.

http://sportsmediablog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/09/texas-texas-am-oklahoma-etc-ar.html

Did you mean

All are HD this year. CBS thought maybe the beginning of a few might NOT be HD, but that hasn't come to pass.

Yes, thanks.

I would like to believe the lack of hardware explanation above, but at least in some cases it does not hold. Example: UofM vs MSU game held in Ann Arbor on October 25. Schedule indicates it will be broadcast in SD and HD on the ABC channels. I receive Comcast HD and live in Ann Arbor - the game is blacked out in HD only, SD is received fine. A few miles away in Detroit I confirm with a friend of mine that he receives the game in Comcast HD just fine.

I would like to believe the lack of hardware explanation above, but at least in some cases it does not hold. Example: UofM vs MSU game held in Ann Arbor on October 25. Schedule indicates it will be broadcast in SD and HD on the ABC channels. I receive Comcast HD and live in Ann Arbor - the game is blacked out in HD only, SD is received fine. A few miles away in Detroit I confirm with a friend of mine that he receives the game in Comcast HD just fine.

It holds just fine. You had a local Comcast's issue. This topic is about ABC / ESPN.

I would like to believe the lack of hardware explanation above, but at least in some cases it does not hold. Example: UofM vs MSU game held in Ann Arbor on October 25. Schedule indicates it will be broadcast in SD and HD on the ABC channels. I receive Comcast HD and live in Ann Arbor - the game is blacked out in HD only, SD is received fine. A few miles away in Detroit I confirm with a friend of mine that he receives the game in Comcast HD just fine.

My guess is you were watching the ESPN2HD channel which was blacked out, not ABC HD which the UM/MSU game was on. ESPN2 guide information listed UM/MSU game because it was part of the reverse mirror.

That's funny I get all HD college football here in the midwest.

My guess is you were watching the ESPN2HD channel which was blacked out, not ABC HD which the UM/MSU game was on. ESPN2 guide information listed UM/MSU game because it was part of the reverse mirror.

Nope.