Last year it was not in HD, but do we know if it will be HD or WS SD this year?

And would it be too much to hope the BottomLine doesn't get in the way of any shots?

Schedule for ESPN2 and Tennis Channel.

http://www.onthebaseline.com/2009/01/12/watch-the-2009-australian-open-on-tennis-channel-and-espn2/

ESPN's online guide lists the event as HD on ESPN2HD (also listed as HD on my TWC channel guide)

The poor excuse for a host broadcaster (Seven Australia) are showing it in SD widescreen across Australia right now. Looks pretty poor. Amazing how they can't produce the centre court matches in HD at least. It's a world event.

Directv has six channels of "HD" coverage but yeah this doesn't look great.

more stretched SD content on HD channels that we come to love right?

B.S.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

more stretched SD content on HD channels that we come to love right?

B.S.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

stretched SD? where?

more stretched SD content on HD channels that we come to love right?

B.S.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sd widescreen does not equal stretched hd

Looks SD, but there are some shots that look better than others.

The Ivanovic and Roddick matches look like they're in much higher quality than the others.... HD is not as good as NBC's Wimbledon coverage, but the two main courts look like HD to me.

The Ivanovic and Roddick matches look like they're in much higher quality than the others.... HD is not as good as NBC's Wimbledon coverage, but the two main courts look like HD to me.
I agree. They showed some action on the smaller courts and the PQ was below average to say the least. On the main cam on stadium court, when looking at the chair umpire area, it looks like SD. But on closeups of the players it looks average HD or very good SD upconvert.

Not to mention the horrendous scorebar + BottomLine taking up ~17%. At least they take away the scorebar when showing replays, however, the BottomLine itself has covered at least one close call already.

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/8679/cap789441vj6.th.jpg (http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cap789441vj6.jpg)http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/7964/cap789467mk7.th.jpg (http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cap789467mk7.jpg)http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/7981/cap789886gq0.th.jpg (http://img292.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cap789886gq0.jpg)

Not to mention the horrendous scorebar + BottomLine taking up ~17%. At least they take away the scorebar when showing replays, however, the BottomLine itself has covered at least one close call already.Oh, I know -- so much "dead space" in the upper corners, and instead they have the scoreline actually covering the baseline sometimes! Worse, the scoreline itself is mostly just grey/black bar, with a little text in the middle. No reason it all it has to be where it is.

picture looks pretty good to me on ESPN2HD (except for having to see the damn bottom line, but with that and the scorebar on the bottom and dead space on the top, this isn't ideal. I don't know how much ESPN has to do with the camera placement, etc. there.

And on the schedule, Tennis Channel's "Australian Open Today" daily replays is missing. It's not live, but it's on when we can watch it, and ESPN2's replays are listed.

The poor excuse for a host broadcaster (Seven Australia) are showing it in SD widescreen across Australia

That would be acceptable if they hadn't issued that release last year stating they would show it in HD. There really is no reason why they can't.

As for images, I left these interlaced rather than destroy image quality but you can see that it is normal ugly SD here. BTW, what on Earth is with that hideous ESPN bar!? The normal scoreboard (that Seven use here in Australia) looks so much better it isn't funny.

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/3332/australianopen2009sd01sn7.th.jpg (http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/3332/australianopen2009sd01sn7.jpg) http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/4797/australianopen2009sd02wy7.th.jpg (http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/4797/australianopen2009sd02wy7.jpg) http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2047/australianopen2009sd03mm9.th.jpg (http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2047/australianopen2009sd03mm9.jpg) http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/2826/australianopen2009sd04la1.th.jpg (http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/2826/australianopen2009sd04la1.jpg) http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/876/australianopen2009sd05qy1.th.jpg (http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/876/australianopen2009sd05qy1.jpg)

And on the schedule, Tennis Channel's "Australian Open Today" daily replays is missing. It's not live, but it's on when we can watch it, and ESPN2's replays are listed.

If you have a link I could add it to the OP.

Great coverage so far on DirecTV! The HD Mix channel 701 is nice!

Couple courts look to be HD. Rest are widescreen SD. It is nothing like US Open, but the no tennis tournament is as far as HD PQ.

Yah i was watching the HD mix channel last night, its really great. you can even view the complete draw.

That would be acceptable if they hadn't issued that release last year stating they would show it in HD. There really is no reason why they can't.

As for images, I left these interlaced rather than destroy image quality but you can see that it is normal ugly SD here. BTW, what on Earth is with that hideous ESPN bar!? The normal scoreboard (that Seven use here in Australia) looks so much better it isn't funny.

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/3332/australianopen2009sd01sn7.th.jpg (http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/3332/australianopen2009sd01sn7.jpg) http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/4797/australianopen2009sd02wy7.th.jpg (http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/4797/australianopen2009sd02wy7.jpg) http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2047/australianopen2009sd03mm9.th.jpg (http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2047/australianopen2009sd03mm9.jpg) http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/2826/australianopen2009sd04la1.th.jpg (http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/2826/australianopen2009sd04la1.jpg) http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/876/australianopen2009sd05qy1.th.jpg (http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/876/australianopen2009sd05qy1.jpg)

What's with the ringing on the edges of the score caption and court markings??

(Can't be camera detail wound in if it is on the captions? Are Seven winding in some edge enhancement prior to upconversion? They can't be going analogue anywhere after the main mixer can they?)

Andy Murray match being shown live on Eurosport HD from the Rod Laver Arena is definitely HD. HD host graphics and HD cameras - definitely not an upconvert from 16:9 SD.

Eurosport are - as usual - tagging it with their annoying NATIVE HD bug bottom right, which they take out for SD upconverts.

The BBC are showing it live in SD on BBC Two - presumably because they are running it through an operation in London (and the main London control room for BBC Sport is still SD) and can't therefore show it in HD on BBC HD? (It is also being shown overnight in the UK...)

Notice it is shot a bit wider than Wimbledon, but not as wide as the US Open.

That score bar is awful, they need to go back to a score box.
Plus if you are watching the HD feed letterboxed on an SD TV the lines at the ends of the score bar keep vibrating.

That score bar is awful, they need to go back to a score box.
Plus if you are watching the HD feed letterboxed on an SD TV the lines at the ends of the score bar keep vibrating.

I like the shot framing this time around, the Aussie camera operators finally got it right! The ESPN2 double-ticker kills me. The top line with all the scores oughta go back to a box, or at the very least they should make it somewhat transparent -- the legs of the bottom player keep getting cut off!

Just a note that with ESPN2 switching matches frequently, you can watch SD 4:3 coverage on ESPN 360 if you internet provider subscribes to it.

Most of the ESPN 360 coverage is using the international feed with just the score box on screen.
http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/espn360/index#

Viewing on ESPN2, Comcast Detroit

Rod Laver Arena seats 15,000 spectators - looks HD
Hisense Arena seats 10,000 - looks HD
Margaret Court Arena seats 6000 - haven't seen as yet

Can anyone who's seen Tennis Channel HD coverage chime in, please.

MCA is definitely not HD (on ESPN2 right now).

If Hisense/RLA are in HD, that's pretty crappy HD.

Can anyone who's seen Tennis Channel HD coverage chime in, please.

I have yet to see any hd on Tennis Channel hd or ESPN2 hd.
My question is, where would they be getting the hd feed if Seven is only doing sd??

Yes. Two of the show courts look better than the outer courts but the 2 main courts still look very soft.

My question is, where would they be getting the hd feed if Seven is only doing sd??If it's HD, there would either be two productions, or Seven would be downconverting.

Are 7 the host broadcasters, or are they taking a 3rd party host broadcast feed?

The BBC are both host broadcaster AND domestic rights holder for Wimbledon - so produce the coverage and broadcast it in the UK. However other events are not run like this - with the host broadcaster often NOT being the rights holder.

Equally - if 7 are the host broadcaster they may have to produce some coverage in HD to meet the host broadcaster contract they have signed with the organisers of the Australian Open - even if they don't use the HD feed domestically.

For the showings that say "same day" in the ESPN schedule, do they broadcast the matches that weren't shown during the preceding live broadcast, or is it more like highlight of the day, including the matches already shown during live broadcast, or something else?

For the showings that say "same day" in the ESPN schedule, do they broadcast the matches that weren't shown during the preceding live broadcast, or is it more like highlight of the day, including the matches already shown during live broadcast, or something else?

From the one day I recorded it, it was simply a re-run of the "key" match of the day (the one that's going to draw the most viewers). They replayed Federer's match in the case that I saw. Doesn't really come as a surprise since they're probably wanting to cater to as many fans as possible in that ~4 hour afternoon slot.

Watching Fed in the 2nd round yesterday appeared like it might be HD on ESPN2, but everything else I've seen isn't. Even the score bug is blurry on THD. And the EE halos are rampant on both channels, a sure sign of an upconvert.

Maybe I haven't seen enough, yet.

I don't know, the smaller courts are so much worse. Could it be HD cameras on the show courts, downconverted and back up; SD cams on the others, upconverted? The resolution is just not there. I'd almost rather this was squished vertically. I mean, ESPN2 takes 1/6th of the screen for their stupid bar and score bar.

From the one day I recorded it, it was simply a re-run of the "key" match of the day (the one that's going to draw the most viewers). They replayed Federer's match in the case that I saw. Doesn't really come as a surprise since they're probably wanting to cater to as many fans as possible in that ~4 hour afternoon slot.

Thanks. I appreciate the fact that they broadcast that many hours, but I have to work to make living. The key match of the day will do it for me.

Hey all,

I'm technical directing for the Tennis Channel at the Australian Open.
You are correct that not all the courts are HD-the host is not providing HD for the smaller courts.

Also, remember the artifacts you are seeing are being caused in part by the PAL to NTSC conversion.

The edges you see on the court lines are caused by the camera detail being turned up.

Lastly, I love seeing HD as much as anyone, so I understand the frustration about everything not being in HD, but, at an event as technically massive as a grand slam, it's hard to justify return on investment to support 7 show courts, each with 6 to 10 cameras. 16x9 doesn't cost any extra to do and at least it's better than watching pillar boxed programming.

You can look forward to increased HD coverage at the French Open

Bill

Hey all,

I'm technical directing for the Tennis Channel at the Australian Open.
You are correct that not all the courts are HD-the host is not providing HD for the smaller courts.

Also, remember the artifacts you are seeing are being caused in part by the PAL to NTSC conversion.

The edges you see on the court lines are caused by the camera detail being turned up.

Lastly, I love seeing HD as much as anyone, so I understand the frustration about everything not being in HD, but, at an event as technically massive as a grand slam, it's hard to justify return on investment to support 7 show courts, each with 6 to 10 cameras. 16x9 doesn't cost any extra to do and at least it's better than watching pillar boxed programming.

You can look forward to increased HD coverage at the French Open

Bill

Thanks for checking in Bill. Can you tell us which courts are HD? Any other tech info we might find interesting?

Hey all,

I'm technical directing for the Tennis Channel at the Australian Open.
You are correct that not all the courts are HD-the host is not providing HD for the smaller courts.

Also, remember the artifacts you are seeing are being caused in part by the PAL to NTSC conversion.

The edges you see on the court lines are caused by the camera detail being turned up.

Lastly, I love seeing HD as much as anyone, so I understand the frustration about everything not being in HD, but, at an event as technically massive as a grand slam, it's hard to justify return on investment to support 7 show courts, each with 6 to 10 cameras. 16x9 doesn't cost any extra to do and at least it's better than watching pillar boxed programming.

You can look forward to increased HD coverage at the French Open

Bill
Hey Bill.

I'm watching in the UK without any 50/60 conversion on Eurosport HD and the HD stuff looks pretty good. As you say - detail is wound up a bit high (giving quite harsh jagged edges to the court markings) - but the flesh tones look a lot nicer than the US Open (but that has to cope with horrible discharge lighting floodlighting by the look of it)

Do you have any idea what is causing the ringing on the captions on the 7 screen grabs posted earlier in the thread (that wouldn't be camera detail!). On Eurosport HD the graphics looks very nice and clean - I'm wondering if the filtering during the downconversion to SD is not coping with very sharp edges?

Are 7 airing anything in HD?

As for your comments about SD and HD - I think the same logic is being used in Aus as at Wimbledon.

Can anyone who's seen Tennis Channel HD coverage chime in, please.

As mentioned above, I'm seeing lots of upconverted 16:9 SD. Unlike ESPN, they're using the smaller score bug in the lower left.

Hey all,

I'm technical directing for the Tennis Channel at the Australian Open.
You are correct that not all the courts are HD-the host is not providing HD for the smaller courts.

Also, remember the artifacts you are seeing are being caused in part by the PAL to NTSC conversion.

The edges you see on the court lines are caused by the camera detail being turned up.

Lastly, I love seeing HD as much as anyone, so I understand the frustration about everything not being in HD, but, at an event as technically massive as a grand slam, it's hard to justify return on investment to support 7 show courts, each with 6 to 10 cameras. 16x9 doesn't cost any extra to do and at least it's better than watching pillar boxed programming.

You can look forward to increased HD coverage at the French Open

Bill

Bill, Thanks for posting.
However on Tennis channel nothing I have seen is in HD. Everything is 16:9 SD and there is tearing on score bug. What kind of standards converter are you using? ESPN coverage does not have any of those problems and two main courts are clearly HD.

Hey Bill.

I'm watching in the UK without any 50/60 conversion on Eurosport HD and the HD stuff looks pretty good. As you say - detail is wound up a bit high (giving quite harsh jagged edges to the court markings) - but the flesh tones look a lot nicer than the US Open (but that has to cope with horrible discharge lighting floodlighting by the look of it)

Do you have any idea what is causing the ringing on the captions on the 7 screen grabs posted earlier in the thread (that wouldn't be camera detail!). On Eurosport HD the graphics looks very nice and clean - I'm wondering if the filtering during the downconversion to SD is not coping with very sharp edges?

Are 7 airing anything in HD?

As for your comments about SD and HD - I think the same logic is being used in Aus as at Wimbledon.


Maybe flash tones look nicer to you than US Open, but as far HD quality no tournament comes even close to it. Not French Open, Wimbledon or especially Australian Open with cranked up edge detail.

how do the chroma levels from the Australian open look to you all?

how do the chroma levels from the Australian open look to you all?

Fine, on the HD.

Maybe flash tones look nicer to you than US Open, but as far HD quality no tournament comes even close to it. Not French Open, Wimbledon or especially Australian Open with cranked up edge detail.

Yep - the Aussie Open pictures are a bit edgy - not helped by the very bright sunlight during the daytime stuff.

Don't think we'll agree about the flesh tones - it wasn't a standards conversion artefact apparently - people who saw it the 60Hz feed also commented on the odd skin colours on both players and spectators and attributed it to the mixed colour temperatures of the daylight and floodlight giving the racks guys a tricky colour balancing task.

The US Open delivered very good quality pictures in resolution terms, but I don't agree that the overall picture quality was stellar, as the colour balance was out. In terms of viewer enjoyment it was also shot too wide (very conservative 4:3 centre cut framing) which negated some of the resolution wins - as stuff was smaller in frame on the court wide - and the coverage wasn't shot or cut as well as some other tournaments, again more conservative. (But I'm not suggesting going as whacky as the French Open stuff - which is bizarre at times)

how do the chroma levels from the Australian open look to you all?

Watching Eurosport HD in 1080/50i they look pretty good to me. Colourful but I wouldn't describe them as over-chroma-ed.

Pictures are a bit "edgey" in HD though - could do with a bit less detail wound in. Are they Sony or LDK (Philips/Thomson/GrassValley) cameras? Not sure the knees are optimally set either as some of the whites were overblown (understandable in sunlight - less so in floodlight?)

Floodlit Murray match (watched live this morning on BBC Two in SD as not shown on Eurosport HD) had much better fleshtones than US Open floodlit stuff as seen in the UK.

The Federer-Berdych match looked pretty good here on ESPN2 via TSN-HD. My only big complaint is the big EPSN2 double-decker tickers, which took up a combined 16% of my screen real-estate.

Now I notice somebody at ESPN has adjusted the placement of the video. It would appear to me that they've shifted the video upward. So now a little of the top and a little of the bottom get cut off -- to give us that 16% space for extra "information". In some shots, both the head of the guy on top and the legs of the guy at the bottom are not visible!

The Federer-Berdych match looked pretty good here on ESPN2 via TSN-HD. My only big complaint is the big EPSN2 double-decker tickers, which took up a combined 16% of my screen real-estate.

Now I notice somebody at ESPN has adjusted the placement of the video. It would appear to me that they've shifted the video upward. So now a little of the top and a little of the bottom get cut off -- to give us that 16% space for extra "information". In some shots, both the head of the guy on top and the legs of the guy at the bottom are not visible!

Just curious if anyone knows how ESPN arrives at such idiotic decision (IMO) for cluttering the screen. Is it based on viewer demand, or some brilliant graphics designer's job security at the network, or something else?

Cliff and Patrick need to get some oil for their chairs. You can hear them lean back during the telecast.

I can not believe that ESPN2 chose to show highlights of an earlier men's match and just skipped over the first game in the second set of the Azarenka/Wiliams match. WTF? And, as others have stated, the score bar is terrible. And the DirecTV channels are not HD. Why?

No, all of you are wrong. The score bar is great!
Where else can we get the breaking news that some overpaid, spoiled athlete is mad at his coach/agent/opponent/fellow player/ wife......25 TIMES IN ONE HOUR!

This is vital information that needs to be shown over and over again just in case I forgot the first 24 times I read it.:eek:

Now ESPN2 decides to not show the first game of the 5th set of Verdasco/Murray so they can show a clip of the top four men players, when one of them is actually playing!

Can anyone confirm if TTC is showing this in HD? I have TTC-HD on Directv and it looks pretty crummy. ESPN2 looks much better, albeit lower PQ than the other 3 slams we've seen in HD.

Can anyone confirm if TTC is showing this in HD? I have TTC-HD on Directv and it looks pretty crummy. ESPN2 looks much better, albeit lower PQ than the other 3 slams we've seen in HD.

I can't confirm anything, but I will mention that none of the Australian Open play-by-play I've seen on Tennis HD has been in HD. Some of it could very well be in HD on that channel, but none of it that I've watched was.

Just curious if anyone knows how ESPN arrives at such idiotic decision (IMO) for cluttering the screen. Is it based on viewer demand, or some brilliant graphics designer's job security at the network, or something else?

Last year, the score bar was at the top of the screen and then of course there was the ticker at the bottom, looked horrible. This year isn't much better with the two stacked on top of each other. Not sure which I hate more. Of course, USA no longer carries the US Open (I always enjoyed their coverage and thought their score bug was pretty good) so we are stuck with ESPN for all 4 of the grandslams now! I work in the announcer booth as a statistician at the US Open so I get to interact with tv a decent amount. I imagine my opinion won't count for much but I'll be sure to pass along my opinon of how horrible the double score bars look to the graphics people, who will hopefully pass it along to their superiors.

tc and espn are both working in SD PAL

tc and espn are both working in SD PAL

PAL (i.e. composite) or 576/50i component ?

(Over here in UK-land - PAL and NTSC as terms in broadcast circles usually mean composite. If it is component digital then PAL and NTSC are not usually used to describe the line/field standard)

Last year, ESPN upconverted the 576i to 720p. I would assume they're doing the same thing this time around.

625i / 50Hz

Wow! What a match - Nadal vs Verdasco.

Thanks to ESPN2 and TSN for bringing the fifth set to us in HD and commercial free, but no thanks for the double-ticker.

Now would somebody at the networks PLEASE get rid of the double-ticker for the final?

(edit: okay, I'll settle for a single score bar, or a box)

Wow! What a match - Nadal vs Verdasco.Indeed. I stuck with it from start to finish. WOW! Real heartbreak at the very end.

I found this match more fun to watch than last summer's Wimbledon final that seemingly went all day and night, because of the rain delays. These guys today were absolutely unconscious with their shot making.

Wow! What a match - Nadal vs Verdasco.

Thanks to ESPN2 and TSN for bringing the fifth set to us in HD and commercial free, but no thanks for the double-ticker.

Now would somebody at the networks PLEASE get rid of the double-ticker for the final?

(edit: okay, I'll settle for a single score bar, or a box)
I stayed up all night watching it here on TSN in Vancouver. Amazing match. Wish Verdasco could have pulled off a couple of his aces to get out of that last game. Best tennis I've seen in awhile.

For repeats, do they broadcast over time or edit games down to fit the time slot, if the game is longer than the slot?

I forgot to record today's game! There's ESPN360 though...

What time is the men's final on in EST?

men's final 3:30 am est on ESPN
replay on Tennis Channel at 9am

what time is the men's final on in est?


3:30 am

During the Woman's Final, a still photographer set-up next to one of the court microphones. So all during the match you could hear the shutter clicks.

During the Woman's Final, a still photographer set-up next to one of the court microphones. So all during the match you could hear the shutter clicks.I've noticed that during most of the matches.

I've noticed that during most of the matches.

Yeah, it's not that uncommon to hear it on tennis coverage in general.

Yeah, it's not that uncommon to hear it on tennis coverage in general.

I don't recall hearing these motor drives during the U.S. Open, and definitely not at centre court at Wimbledon. The BBC will never allow that to happen!

I was going to stay up and watch the Federer/Nadal final here on the west coast, but if the Preview Show is any indication of the PQ I am not going to bother. It looks horrid on my 60" Pioneer!!! It looks like stretched SD.

I have certainly seen better, but the HD picture quality is not bad ... it is acceptable. There is definite ghosting on the lines and lettering.

This match on the other hand is going to be great ... certainly a great start in the first 15 minutes!

This is 720p, so this ain't going to be CBS-like quality -- especially if viewed on a 60-inch display.

I assume ESPN is taking the 7Network feed. With the two tickers running across the bottom of the screen, the framing on the near baseline is tight but workable. As posted earlier in this thread, 7 has a small score box at the bottom left. So I figured they've left some "room" at the bottom.

TSN is running a ticker at the bottom and the score line above. So, occasionally the receiver is almost totally out of view.

Great tennis!

TSN is running a ticker at the bottom and the score line above. So, occasionally the receiver is almost totally out of view.

Great tennis!

The TSN ticker is just a rebranded ESPN2 ticker (every bit of data on it is the same as ESPN2's, except the logo on the right). TSN usually doesn't run tickers that stay, unless the feed comes from ESPN2. I don't blame TSN. But I wish they have another feed to pass on ... like the one from 7-Australia.

This match has so many twists and turns. Great fun.

It is looking like this match has a ways to go ... yikes ... I need some sleep before the Super Bowl!

And there it is ... the match goes on ... and on ... and ...

If I were to nitpick the coverage..... the ESPN2 feed didn't show replays of key points in the 8th game of the fifth set. A couple of those close calls deserve a second look. Perhaps it was explained verbally by the commentators, but I didn't crank up the volume enough.

Good grief. Is Roger ever going to be able to beat this guy again? Maybe if he's healthy and Nadal gets a case of Spanish flu...

Federer has always been a humble and gracious champion, but maybe that's easy to do when everybody else is calling you the Greatest Ever. No need to toot your own horn when everybody else is doing it for you. But this has got to be hitting him on a psychological level, doesn't it? He has to be wondering if he'll ever win another Major where Nadal is competing and healthy. You can see in Roddick's words and body language that he simply doesn't think he can beat Roger, and whenever he takes the court against the guy he's already lost. You wonder if that kind of negative attitude won't begin to seep into the head of the formerly unflappable Federer.

With Nadal's dominance at Roland Garros and now Wimbledon, can Roger win ONE major this year?