So I tried searching for an answer but couldn't find any reference so I hope this hasn't been asked and answered already. What is the deal with ESPN's channels and their broadcast picture? All of them have at least one inch of space at the bottom of all my displays that is just empty all the time. I know they recently switched to a 16:9 HD signal but all the other stations utilize the full screen. It's not an H1 or H2 problem on my displays. No matter which one I use it's still there, albeit smaller with H1. To actually get rid of it I have to go to the zoom selection on my format screen. One time I did notice below that bar was a slim slice of the actual broadcast so THEY must be adding this space. Other stations like HD soccer will have a similar bar pop up for scores and updates but it eventually goes away and the broadcast fills the screen. It just drives me nutty to invest in a good quality display and have a station waste space. It really sucks on my 65" plasma in my HT. Anyone have any insight. thanks much.
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That's to allow for display overscan (many TVs still crop a small amount of the top/bottom/left/right of screen to simulate the overscan that CRT displays introduced)
You can't put text content all the way to the edge of frame as they will be cropped on many TVs (even HDTVs) - so there is always space above/below/either side of text (even on 16:9 content that isn't 4:3 safe).
Most news broadcasters do the same with their tickers. The bar appears much bigger on TVs configured to not have any overscan (real or simulated)
That's to allow for display overscan (many TVs still crop a small amount of the top/bottom/left/right of screen to simulate the overscan that CRT displays introduced)
You can't put text content all the way to the edge of frame as they will be cropped on many TVs (even HDTVs) - so there is always space above/below/either side of text (even on 16:9 content that isn't 4:3 safe).
Most news broadcasters do the same with their tickers. The bar appears much bigger on TVs configured to not have any overscan (real or simulated)
Yea, that's exactly what I'm talking about. Just was surprised to see it since it doesn't seem to appear on any other HD stations. It just seems like a waste of space on top of all the ticker crap and everything else they cram on the screen. I don't like watching Sportscenter now because of the way they cut up the screen.
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Originally Posted by dr1394 /forum/post/20540747
Is this what you're referring to?
![Image]()
Ron
Yea, that's exactly what I'm talking about. Just was surprised to see it since it doesn't seem to appear on any other HD stations. It just seems like a waste of space on top of all the ticker crap and everything else they cram on the screen. I don't like watching Sportscenter now because of the way they cut up the screen.
Not really a whine just don't understand why there isn't a standard. Almost all the channels don't do this. Golf Channel has their ticker strip at the bottom which is great since you can actually see 99% of the broadcast. They don't seem to have a problem with having to protect a dead area in their HD broadcast. MLB Channel has the exact same thing that the ESPN channels have but it's translucent, you can see through it, not great but way better than an empty strip. We all spend money on these great new displays but then aren't allowed to enjoy them totally because stations start filling the screen with all kinds of crap that most of us don't really care about. Maybe it's all about gambling or something. If we had a bunch of dead pixels or vertical lines or some sort of problem that blocked you from being able to see the program we would be upset and complain or return the display. Just looking for an answer that I will probably never get. Maybe I should email ESPN and ask.
It's a creative / technical decision that will probably never be understood by most of us. Including me. I get the overscan part, but still, it seems a waste of space. Maybe if they see this they'll put it to better use, with more advertising......
Here's a related topic: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=954645
It's a creative / technical decision that will probably never be understood by most of us. Including me. I get the overscan part, but still, it seems a waste of space. Maybe if they see this they'll put it to better use, with more advertising......
Here's a related topic: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=954645
A similar thing(pandering to an overscanned 4:3 display) is when 16:9 stations basically only use the 4:3 frame, even placing the station bug in the 4:3 frame(and way inside the overscan area
![Image]()
). This places it way too near the center of my 16:9 full pixel screen for my liking! FOX and CBS seem to get the idea but ABC is the worst violator IMO.
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Im guessing the thought process of ESPN was making sure EVERYONE could see it no matter the equipment they are using, with only the minority of people being upset about it.
I'm pretty sure anyone who is truly upset about losing a very small strip of picture is in the minority here. The majority probably failed to even notice it, let alone have it ruin their viewing experience. I'm in 100's of homes a month and not one person has asked about or even mentioned it. I for one never even noticed it until I saw this thread. Now I'm mad at the OP
![Image]()
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Not to say anyone is right or wrong to be upset about something like this, but IMO ,in a world with so many other things we should care enough about to be angry with, shouldn't losing half an inch of tv screen space on a sports channel that clutters the screen with more graphics than live action anyways ,be fairly low on the list.
| Originally Posted by domino92024 Some stations get complaints when their "tickers" are partially off-screen due to overscan. ESPN has made the decision to placate the minority by angering the majority. Bad decision. |
I'm pretty sure anyone who is truly upset about losing a very small strip of picture is in the minority here. The majority probably failed to even notice it, let alone have it ruin their viewing experience. I'm in 100's of homes a month and not one person has asked about or even mentioned it. I for one never even noticed it until I saw this thread. Now I'm mad at the OP
Not to say anyone is right or wrong to be upset about something like this, but IMO ,in a world with so many other things we should care enough about to be angry with, shouldn't losing half an inch of tv screen space on a sports channel that clutters the screen with more graphics than live action anyways ,be fairly low on the list.
Doing full pixel from a 720p source on a 1080p screen is trickey and is not available on all sets. My 2006 JVC only offers it on 1080 sources.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jjeff /forum/post/20548153
A similar thing(pandering to an overscanned 4:3 display) is when 16:9 stations basically only use the 4:3 frame, even placing the station bug in the 4:3 frame(and way inside the overscan area). This places it way too near the center of my 16:9 full pixel screen for my liking! FOX and CBS seem to get the idea but ABC is the worst violator IMO.![Image]()
Doing full pixel from a 720p source on a 1080p screen is trickey and is not available on all sets. My 2006 JVC only offers it on 1080 sources.
Not sure what you mean by "tricky" but I do run into problems with my local ABC affiliate when they broadcast an upconverted program. Full HD(720p) programs are fine but I can always tell when they braodcast a upconverted program. I get a small line at the top of my screen that has bright flashes of light
![Image]()
I believe it's the VBI, annoying but I live with it.
Not sure what you mean by "tricky" but I do run into problems with my local ABC affiliate when they broadcast an upconverted program. Full HD(720p) programs are fine but I can always tell when they braodcast a upconverted program. I get a small line at the top of my screen that has bright flashes of light
That's a sightly different issue. Since the digital transition, many local stations are transmitting 16:9 HD. To display these in SD format, these are usually cropped to 4:3 (displaying just the center of the picture) and so the program "bug" has to be inside the 4:3 frame. Nothing to do with overscan.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jjeff /forum/post/20548153
A similar thing(pandering to an overscanned 4:3 display) is when 16:9 stations basically only use the 4:3 frame, even placing the station bug in the 4:3 frame(and way inside the overscan area). This places it way too near the center of my 16:9 full pixel screen for my liking! FOX and CBS seem to get the idea but ABC is the worst violator IMO.![Image]()
That's a sightly different issue. Since the digital transition, many local stations are transmitting 16:9 HD. To display these in SD format, these are usually cropped to 4:3 (displaying just the center of the picture) and so the program "bug" has to be inside the 4:3 frame. Nothing to do with overscan.
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