Embarrasing Lack of HD programming on FSN

FSN is building a new master control facility in Houston. Apparently, their current mc cannot handle very many HD feeds simulatneously.

The facility is suppposed to open late this year or early next.

Hockey just started up, so there should be many Ducks and Kings games on. UCLA and USC football games will be on if they're not on other channels like ABC or Versus.

Lakers and Clippers, along with UCLA and USC basketball, should start up next month.

Do you know anybody in Houston, Texas? I know exactly where the facility is being built but the Google Earth pictures are too old and show the ground not even broken.

Also depends on your FSN. FSN Detroit has every home Tigers, Pistons and Red Wings game in HD. Tons of HD all year round.

We also get the FSN college football games in HD.

Here is the FSN West / Prime Ticket schedule for the Kings and Ducks in HDTV this season:

http://msn.foxsports.com/story/6471002

Embarrassing to who?

Wow the Kings and Ducks HD schedule is pathetic!

FSN's new site will be in the Woodlands part of Houston.

Actually, for the last couple of months of the season (more so in Sept. than in Aug.), FSN was showing Angels/Dodgers games in HD on most nights of the week.

Yes, at the corner of Research Forest and Techonlogy Forest Drives.

The Kings are supposed to show 10-11 games in HD this season. With an 8-month season, that's very little over 1 per month.

We're in the same boat with the Wild.

FSN Arizona is showing only 10 Phoenix Coyote games in HD all season.
However, they are showing ALL 30 Phoenix Suns games in HD.

Yes, in Atlanta last year we had maybe 3 or 4 Hawks games in HD and no Thrashers games at all. What I don't understand is, clearly they have the capability to produce HD games every night, we had basically every home Braves game that aired on FSN South and SportSouth in HD this year, so if they have the equipment in place at Philips Arena to do a couple of Hawks games, why can't they bring us every home Hawks and Thrashers game in HD?

Besides the issues regarding Master Control capabilities that have already been mentioned in this thread, there is the issue of cost. It costs more to transmit HD signals back to that master control facility. Many events use a HD capable truck but send out SD because truck vendors will charge more to send out HD.

It all comes down to the projected ratings for these games as to whether FSn is going to push for HD. Here in Detroit FSN Detroit did most of the Tigers home games in HD. For the most part the home games they did in SD were weekday day games and games that went against other significant programing, such as a late season Sunday day game that was on at the same time as NFL games.

What is with the HD FSN channels not showing HD games. For one instance, the OSU-A&M game wasn't in HD, yet they broadcast the fact it is. What gives?

It would help to know what FSN you are talking about? Whats your location and provider?

Also check your local thread to see if it some sort of local issue.

The inability to see the FSN CFB games in HD is maddening. The guide makes it appear your local RSN will have a game in HD even though it is not an HD Channel(FSNMW) and now that the new sat is up and we do have a couple of national RSNs in HD, they blackout the HD channel during the games! I am paying $12 a month for the sports pack and they blackout the best part, CFB in HD - they dont black out the SD!

I have been hearing about this new master control facility for two years now. Are they even close to completing it or are they still just throwing out dates to hold people off?

Ground was broken on it last May.

http://www.town-center.com/news/may102006.cfm

CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY FOR FOX NETWORKS
TECHNICAL FACILITY IN THE WOODLANDS


At the groundbreaking for Fox Network Center-Houston are (from left to right): Dennis Conine, Principal of Conine & Robinson; Dan Leverett, Vice President, Commercial for The Woodlands Development Company (TWDC); Tim Welbes, President of TWDC; Monte Kuklenski, Senior Vice President of Facilities and Staging Services for Fox Networks Engineering & Operations; and Tim Sweeney, Vice President and General Manager of Fox Networks Engineering & Operations.

THE WOODLANDS, TX – (May 10, 2006) – Fox Networks Group has begun construction of a technical facility on 30 acres of land on Research Forest Drive just east of Technology Forest Drive, in the commercial Research Forest area of The Woodlands, according to Dan Leverett, vice president, commercial for The Woodlands Development Company. The facility will manage transmissions for Fox’s many regional sports networks and other programming services.

The facility will be called Fox Network Center-Houston, and will encompass transmission services to the greater Houston metro area and throughout the United States. The project should be completed by the third quarter of 2007. Integration of technical equipment and move-in of personnel will begin in either the fourth quarter of 2007 or the first quarter of 2008.

According to Fox Networks Group officials, the facility will act as master control for several of Fox Networks Group’s 28 owned-and-operated networks, including FSN Houston and FSN Southwest. It will feature entirely state-of-the-art design and equipment, ranging from high-definition programming transport to sophisticated digital media storage and management systems, as well as an MPEG-digital satellite distribution platform. The facility will have a 24-hour attended gated entrance and other on-site security personnel commensurate with other Fox operations.

The facility will employ approximately 500 people, roughly split between 125 managerial staff and 375 technical personnel. Many of the current 300-plus employees already have made tentative plans to move into the local area, and Fox estimates hiring another 100 to 200 people from the surrounding area rather than going out-of-state. This will include everything from entry-level positions to management. The facility is also built to accommodate twice the current size, so there will be more opportunity for employment as the facility is built out.

The architectural firm is Archcentric, a company specifically chosen for their experience in designing this type of facility. Archcentric is currently working with Gilbane in the early stages of construction planning.

Fox Networks Group currently manages 26 different networks and has added a new network every year for the past five years, including National Geographic Channel, FUEL TV, Fox Reality, Fox College Sports and other popular services.

The Woodlands is a 28,000-acre master-planned community located 27 miles north of downtown Houston. It is a project of The Woodlands Development Company, a Morgan Stanley and General Growth Properties, Inc. limited partnership.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


FOX NETWORK CENTER-HOUSTON

THE WOODLANDS RESEARCH FOREST

FACT SHEET

5/10/06

Location: 30-acre site on Research Forest Drive, just east of Technology Forest Drive.

Description: 206,000-square-foot broadcast/studio facility that will manage transmissions for Fox’s many regional sports networks and other programming services, including FSN Houston and FSN Southwest. It will feature entirely state-of-the-art design and equipment, ranging from high-definition programming transport to sophisticated digital media storage and management systems, as well as an MPEG-digital satellite distribution platform.

Timing: Construction is now underway and the project should be completed by the third quarter of 2007. Integration of technical equipment and move-in of personnel will begin in either the fourth quarter of 2007 or the first quarter of 2008.

Employment: The facility will employ approximately 500 people, roughly split between 125 managerial staff and 375 technical personnel. Approximately 300 employees will be transferred into the area, and Fox estimates hiring another 100-200 from the surrounding area. The facility can accommodate twice its current size, so there will be more employment opportunities in the future.

Architect: Archcentric

Contractor: Gilbane

The difference with FSN Detroit is curious.

Do they have their own master control facility that they use or rent for their HD games?

Also, FSN made a big announcement this last spriing saying how they were going to "double the number of HD games" this year.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight...

Nope, FSN Detroit is run through Houston.

The difference is all three teams they have rights for have been fairly successful over the last few years and they rate well. The Tigers during one of the summer months was the #1 show in the Detroit market.

what I don't get is why FSN can only do "selected" Lakers home games in HD while KCAL-DT can shell out the bucks to do nearly all Lakers road games in HD.