The 2008 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship will be broadcast in more than 140 countries. In the United States, the tournament will be broadcast Wednesday through Friday on GOLF CHANNEL. The Saturday and Sunday broadcast will be carried by GOLF CHANNEL in the morning and NBC in the afternoon.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008
First Round Matches 2:00pm - 6:00pm EST, GOLF CHANNEL

Thursday, February 21, 2008
Second Round Matches 2:00pm - 6:00pm EST, GOLF CHANNEL

Friday, February 22, 2008
Third Round Matches 2:00pm - 6:00pm EST, GOLF CHANNEL

Saturday, February 23, 2008
Quarterfinal Matches 10:00am - 2:00pm EST, GOLF CHANNEL
Semifinal Matches 2:00pm -6:00pm EST, NBC

Sunday, February 24, 2008
Championship Match 10:00am - 1:30pm EST, GOLF CHANNEL
Consolation & Championship Match 2:00pm - 6:00pm EST, NBC

http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/tournaments/television/r470/

So what will we get from NBC this year? Will they use HD handhelds, or will we get those same crappy SD widescreen handhelds they used last year? We'll find out in a few hours.

Here is a link to the brackets.
http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/leaderboards/current/r470/

So what will we get from NBC this year? Will they use HD handhelds, or will we get those same crappy SD widescreen handhelds they used last year? We'll find out in a few hours.

I'd be shocked if they changed the status quo, however, CBS and Fox have both shown that wireless HDs can be used very successfully for high profile events (NFL, PGA Tour, etc).

The handheld cameras are in fact 16x9 SD.

The handheld cameras are in fact 16x9 SD.:eek::(:mad:

The handheld cameras are in fact 16x9 SD.

The status quo remains and NBC sucks :/

Wow, that sucks.

So the usopen will be in SD handhelds, while a normal tour event at the same course was in HD.

way to go nbc. :mad:

Well it's a new year yet many things haven't changed in golf. As we have seen for the past few weeks CBS still has the best golf coverage. As we saw today NBC still has the same crappy golf coverage. And some guy named Tiger is still the greatest player on the planet. Three down through 13 he then makes 3 straight birdies on 14-16 and then an eagle on 17 to go 1 up. Halves the last hole for the victory. Amazing.

I just hope NBC does not get the Masters anytime soon!!

Actually, CBS paid to have Augusta National wired by fiber-optics (which, so far as I know, cant be removed by CBS if they lose the contract). All fiber-wired cameras, even with NBC, are currently in HD, so even if The Masters ends up at NBC, the entire tournament should be in HD.

However, there would be the matter of distribution bandwidth to get concerned about...

After a few weeks of all HD Golf on CBS, viewers are forced to pop multiple aspirins in an effort to fight off the effects switching views from HD to 16x9 SD.

What a let down.

After a few weeks of all HD Golf on CBS, viewers are forced to pop multiple aspirins in an effort to fight off the effects switching views from HD to 16x9 SD.

What a let down.

Can someone with more knowledge explain why nbc cannot use the same setup and trucks that CBS uses to cover golf? Aren't these third party rigs that the networks rent? This is so pathetic....these clowns get to cover most of the premier events in golf. I have written to nbc with no luck.

Anyone know who we can write to? This stinks! :mad:

Can someone with more knowledge explain why nbc cannot use the same setup and trucks that CBS uses to cover golf? Aren't these third party rigs that the networks rent? This is so pathetic....these clowns get to cover most of the premier events in golf. I have written to nbc with no luck.

Anyone know who we can write to? This stinks! :mad:

NBC's main golf truck is from NEP, while CBS use a truck from NMT. When these trucks are not doing golf, setting up for golf, moving between golf events, they are used for other events. The trucks, however, are not the problem here, it is the RF gear that they use which is provided by a different third party. CBS and NBC use different RF providers for their golf events.

HD RF gear costs more, and most people in the viewing public either can't tell the difference or don't care about the difference in PQ.

This was disappointing to see so much of the events in SD. Why is it that is looks so bad? Most SD from Europe/Australia looks decent enough, why is it then that the Golf manages to make it look so bad? At least the HD parts were nice although The Masters really makes you appreciate how good CBS is at HD Golfing events.

A few shots below for those who don't have access to HD to show the difference (looks much worse in motion). There is also one of the HD scorecard on a VERY low quality SD shot of Tiger Woods.

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/9693/golfhdsn8.th.jpg (http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/9693/golfhdsn8.jpg) http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/694/golfsded9.th.jpg (http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/694/golfsded9.jpg) http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/8295/golfsdwithhdoverlayvy8.th.jpg (http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/8295/golfsdwithhdoverlayvy8.jpg)

NBC's main golf truck is from NEP, while CBS use a truck from NMT. When these trucks are not doing golf, setting up for golf, moving between golf events, they are used for other events. The trucks, however, are not the problem here, it is the RF gear that they use which is provided by a different third party. CBS and NBC use different RF providers for their golf events.

HD RF gear costs more, and most people in the viewing public either can't tell the difference or don't care about the difference in PQ.

If most people in the viewing public can't tell the difference or don't care, then why produce any of it in HD? The suits at nbc could then save plenty of money. :p

You know, my Mom used to tell me..."if something is worth doing, it is worth doing right". There really is no excuse in this day and age for what nbc is doing. If I were the producer/director for these broadcasts, I would cringe everytime I had to switch to one of these crappy SD cameras.

Shame on you nbc...shame on you...

If most people in the viewing public can't tell the difference or don't care, then why produce any of it in HD? The suits at nbc could then save plenty of money. :p

If it was entirely SD viewers would care and notice. The fact that the whole production is widescreen is good enough for most people. HD production is basically considered standard for network level telecasts, HD RF is not yet at that level.

At least D* now has the GC in HD so we can see the early rounds in HD, or when NBC has the weekend coverage, 1/2 HD. I did noticed that they try to minimize the SD shots as much as possible. They show the SD and switch to HD fast as possible.

If you ask me it is ALL crap. Even NBC's "so called" HD looks horrible. This has been debated ad nauseam. NBC is doing something different that the other networks. They consistently have the worst sports HD broadcasts. And it looks like that will continue for yet another year.

If you ask me it is ALL crap. Even NBC's "so called" HD looks horrible. This has been debated ad nauseam. NBC is doing something different that the other networks. They consistently have the worst sports HD broadcasts. And it looks like that will continue for yet another year.

I am no expert, but you are right. NBC (at least their live sports) is the worse. I think it looks better when it is on the Golf/VS than when broadcast by NBC, which makes not intuitive sense.

I actually caught a little bit of the tournament on The Golf Channel on Wednesday afternoon and I agree the HD shots looked pretty good. If it is the same truck, same equipment, etc. then whats the deal with the final product? I have both D* dns 82 and cable and they are equally as poor.

HD RF gear costs more, and most people in the viewing public either can't tell the difference or don't care about the difference in PQ.They're probably going to use their current RF equipment until the end of its serviceable life, or when HD equipment is an absolute must to make the most profit. This will probably mean next year will have SD RF cameras as well. 2010 is iffy, but I think they'll go HD then.

In response to ralphjb and I WANT MORE, I suspect the lack of NBC HD sharpness has something to do with NBC tending to use lower distribution bitrates to the stations, not to mention re-encoding that already mediocre feed at the station, usually with at least one subchannel (WeatherPlus) in the way, to boot. Comcast tends to keep their owned and operated channels (including Golf/Versus) at very high bitrates, without re-encoding at their headends.

They're probably going to use their current RF equipment until the end of its serviceable life, or when HD equipment is an absolute must to make the most profit. This will probably mean next year will have SD RF cameras as well. 2010 is iffy, but I think they'll go HD then.


The RF gear is from a third party (not NBC or NEP). The chances they move to HD sooner then your timeline is good in my mind.

Total RF is NBC's RF vendor.

http://www.totalrf.com/

CBS uses Broadcast Sports Incorporated.

The RF gear is from a third party (not NBC or NEP). The chances they move to HD sooner then your timeline is good in my mind.

homcom, how do they do the camera from the blimp? Is this a special case using RF? [don't recall seeing a cable tethered to the blimp :)] And why can't they duplicate this on the ground?

homcom, how do they do the camera from the blimp? Is this a special case using RF? [don't recall seeing a cable tethered to the blimp :)] And why can't they duplicate this on the ground?

Yes, it is RF. It is a different system.

Catching up with things on the DVR from earlier in the day. If Tiger keeps making those bombs NBC will be very happy. KJ was in close late in their match then Tiger drops a 40 footer on him. Amazing.

Actually, CBS paid to have Augusta National wired by fiber-optics (which, so far as I know, cant be removed by CBS if they lose the contract). All fiber-wired cameras, even with NBC, are currently in HD, so even if The Masters ends up at NBC.....?

This year will make the 53rd consecutive year The Masters will be on CBS. It's the longest running sports event on CBS, and probably the longest on any network on all of TV. It would be highly unlikely it would be seen anywhere else, anytime soon.

Off topic, but I thought the Senior Skins on ESPN, was supposed to be in HD? It was listed on ESPN HD listings and we had heard that the flypack that was in Hawaii, but not used for the Pro Bowl, was going to be used for that. It was SD here.

No way Tiger loses the Finals over 36 holes.

Off topic, but I thought the Senior Skins on ESPN, was supposed to be in HD? It was listed on ESPN HD listings and we had heard that the flypack that was in Hawaii, but not used for the Pro Bowl, was going to be used for that. It was SD here.

I switched it on for about 10 seconds because the guide indicated HD, but the picture was about the most horrid SD I have ever seen, so I turned it off.

And I agree, Tiger will be hard to beat in 36 holes....look what happened to Stenson on the last hole when he had a chance to tie and continue the match....choke city :eek:

NBC- it's 2008. pay some $ and get into the game. your sports hd/sd mix cameras suck and I refuse to watch them.

I am in Chicagoland area, using Comcast for HD. The PQ is bad, lots of compression artifacts (if thats what its called). I call it digital snow.

Edit: The "digital snow" has gone away.

Surprisingly not the worst PQ I've seen from NBC. Lip sync problems however. D*82

I watched it on D* and I thought the fixed camera HD quality was pretty good, but as usual the handheld cameras sucked. I had a lot of audio sync issues throughout the broadcast that I haven't noticed on other stations. A lot of times the sound of the club contact clearly was ahead of the visual contact. It was pretty annoying.

Tuned out early in Sunday's broadcast, having watched (SD-only) on The Golf Channel throughout the matches. Too much Tiger mania--and a known outcome. Weird audio glitches on TGC, with some mike(s) picking up the blimp and similar audio, muting the announcers. No HD glitches from NBC here on NYC's TWC, with direct fiber feeds from NBC. Seemed like standard HD fidelity, still lacking a certain crispness on shots taking in numerous leafless bushes with thin, slightly fuzzy branches. It would be interesting to compare 1080p screen snaps (full-resolution displays) of such details between sources/STBs delivering ~1920X1080 resolution from HDNet's test patterns--despite a different signal path--and apparently more-typical source/STB paths providing only ~1300-line maximum horizontal effective resolution. (BTW, Wish they'd HDed the LPGA match ending Saturday from Hawaii, where Paula Creamer provided an exciting final round to win the match.) -- John

TCG and Versus need to work something out for larger events and the HD channel.

There is no reason, when an HD outlet was available that they didn't get the 10am-noon coverage on Saturday and Sunday in HD.

Same thing goes for the NHL Playoffs, if a game is on Thurs/Fri evening, delay the Golf replay until after the NHL games are over. You still get the live showing in the afternoon and "Golf Central." 7pm and/or 10pm, go to NHL coverage.

I love the idea of sharing a channel slot because most carries have bandwidth issues, but have a bit of sense here.

Seriously, NBC Sports screws up every sport. Enough already. Since half the shots NBC used were from the crappy unwatchable SD handhelds, it's false advertising to call it an "HD" broadcast. We need to see a new system where, instead of having to guess when you tune in, the networks have to state exactly what a show will be broadcast in, like:

SD (480i)
HD/SD (720p/480p, 16:9)
HD (720p, 16:9)
HD (1080i, 16:9)

Etc., etc., you get the idea. The extra numbers would be for those who care, everyone else can stop after the SD/HD part if they so choose. Would something like this be possible? Just an idea, and I'm probably not the first to come up with it.

Seriously, NBC Sports screws up every sport. Enough already. Since half the shots NBC used were from the crappy unwatchable SD handhelds, it's false advertising to call it an "HD" broadcast. We need to see a new system where, instead of having to guess when you tune in, the networks have to state exactly what a show will be broadcast in, like:

SD (480i)
HD/SD (720p/480p, 16:9)
HD (720p, 16:9)
HD (1080i, 16:9)

Etc., etc., you get the idea. The extra numbers would be for those who care, everyone else can stop after the SD/HD part if they so choose. Would something like this be possible? Just an idea, and I'm probably not the first to come up with it.
This would only led to viewer confusion. At what point do you draw the line. Almost every major sporting event uses some historical footage that could be in SD.

Most viewers can't tell or don't care, your idea would just confuse people.

You're right, initially it would seem confusing. But that's why I'm saying put the extra numbers in parentheses, and people can just selectively ignore them if they want. Or they might even ask what they mean, or look it up online, and learn something new! (Also, I would think that the more people know about HDTV, the bigger and more expensive TVs/components they'll buy, and the demand will force networks to offer more content--so everyone wins.)

Personally, I would rather have more info than less about what I'm watching. They used to put those VCR Plus+ recording system codes everywhere; this system would be no more confusing than that, and not take up any more space in a listing. Just a thought.

That being said, I probably wouldn't have tuned into the WGC had I known NBC was still using those godawful SD cameras. So in other words, they tricked me into watching (for a half hour until I couldn't take it any more, and Tiger had it already wrapped it up).

Man, I can't wait until the Masters, because they actually "get it".