ESPN Monday Night Football is Not so good

[Satmeister]

it looks great on cable. i admit i have a 21 inch LCD. but when i switched back to cable, from d*, last fall, i noticed an immediate improvement in espn hd picture quality. it looks even better since the cable people ran a heavier cable from the pole to my cable box.

My PC monitor is that big! How that small a screen can be used to compare HD from any source is a real questionmark.

PQ on my 106" screen was great. My neighbor with Comcrap came over and watched the 2nd half over here, since his cable HD picture kept pixelating and going out entirely for 5 second "bursts" in the first half.

 

[vurbano]

Super here as well. PQ was solid, despite crappy weather in Cincinnati for the game itself.

So which is it?

D* employee?

13" Tv?

or

legally blind?

PQ was atrocious. The field looked like an SD upconvert. The concensus at AVS is that ESPNHD has gone to crap this year..

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=716211

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=716630

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=715225&page=2&pp=30

Just sampled shots periodically Friday night (8/25), but considering the fantastic array of gear lined up and the fuzzy PQ results, 'new level' is an apt description. Seems remarkable, this far along in 720p cable/DBS delivery, images can be that poor. Have seen some fairly good quality 720p delivery, perhaps based on 1080/60p cameras with internal downconversion to 720p (and daytime lighting). My viewing, via NYC's TWC and a 1080i 9"-gun RPTV, sideconverts 720p to 1080i, but PQ differences between ESPN-HD's preseason night football, the simultaneous preseason 1080i night game on another network (not especially good either PQ-wise), were disappointing. -- John

It isn't just D*. ESPNHD normally is one of the better looking channels for me (formerly of Comcast, now TWC), but this isn't up to their usual level. I don't even know if you can call this grainyness a product of compression either; it almost looks like it is high ISO noise like you would get from a digital camera.

Well, thats a bit of a relief...thought D* was downrezzing to 800x800

This is no new phenemonon to me, Ive been seeing ESPNHD look consistently like crap for months now.. Dont know why its taken people so long to catch on (Hint: Its football season, hmmmmm?), but ESPNHD has had these issues for awhile now..
Check out this post for a complaint form: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8290491&&#post8290491
There are other threads around that have a few random posts regarding the shoddy PQ on ESPNHD lately.
I think the OP should request that the topic be modified..Take out the D*, and take out the 2Nite, so that the topic reads: My God - ESPNHD stinks!!..

1/2 of the free world disagrees with your PQ assessment Satmeister. Just how can you call this CRAP Super?

 

[vurbano]

IF it is bit starving it would be D*'s problem , not ESPN's
How is it looking on DISH and Cable ? Any different ?

Wrong. Networks themselves can and some do bitstarve the signal before sending it out. Fox for one only sends out 15mbps video.

 

[joedekock]

Wrong. Networks themselves can and some do bitstarve the signal before sending it out. Fox for one only sends out 15mbps video.

My understanding is that Fox broadcasts in 720p for a purpose, (I do not know if that is 15mbps or not). But they do that because with fast action sports, you can actually have a "trail" behind fast moving objects, such as a football being thrown, or baseball.

 

[ryanm86]

Well I will say this FOX and CBS are blowing the doors off ESPN as far as PQ is concerned. I think CBS requires that thier carriers broadcast at 19Mbps. As Long as they keep it over 15 Mbps I am usually very happy.

 

[bigpro]

I have no gripes with the PQ.
However, they have GOT to take that stupid scoreboard out of the center of the screen!!!!

 

[vurbano]

My understanding is that Fox broadcasts in 720p for a purpose, (I do not know if that is 15mbps or not). But they do that because with fast action sports, you can actually have a "trail" behind fast moving objects, such as a football being thrown, or baseball.

Fox sends out video at 15mbps already bitstarved so that affiliates can use the other 4 mbps they have left for an SD subchannel. IF you doubt it go ask Foxeng at AVS forum.

 

[vurbano]

I think CBS requires that thier carriers broadcast at 19Mbps.

Nope. Contrary to the presentation I saw from CBS indicating that, plenty of CBS affiliates multicast.

 

[ryanm86]

Got this from a tech news website: They may be wrong not sure

"CBS has a provision in their contract that cable and satellite operators carry the entire 19Mb digital signal. No compression is allowed! They are all about quality of picture. They reiterated that starting in September Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy will be distributed in HD. No word on who will transmit it in HD though. Also, starting in September CBS owned and operated stations will begin to do news in HD. They estimate it will take 18 months for all stations to go HD. "

 

[ryanm86]

More than I can say for other networks

 

[Madtown HD Junkie]

Watch the Packer/Bengals here in Denver and it was outstanding. No complaints.

I have one HUGE complaint...we got our ass kicked :yikes

ps...PQ was fine here

 

[talos4]

I have one HUGE complaint...we got our ass kicked

Boy, that's for sure.

As far as PQ. I watched OTA on our local ABC afilliate and the PQ was outstanding.

No pixelating, no smearing, no dropouts, no macroblocking.

Field shots were clean and crisp.

I don't know about the other half of the world but my little corner was very happy last night. (with the broadcast)

 

[VIPERS-PIT]

It looked very good on my 65 inch TV.

 

[MacDawg]

IT looked great here in VA. I noticed the slow motion was very clear. It looked like some kind of cartoon or something. BIG-UPS ESPN!!

 

[dnyce]

it looks great on cable. i admit i have a 21 inch LCD. but when i switched back to cable, from d*, last fall, i noticed an immediate improvement in espn hd picture quality. it looks even better since the cable people ran a heavier cable from the pole to my cable box.

I think it is a well known fact that Comcast HD PQ looks much better than DirecTV's. Only thing in the league of cable is good 'ol OTA.
Right now the advantages of going with D* are 100% digital channels and the Sunday Ticket.
But Comcast is already digital simulcasting in some places, plus the addition of On Demand was a HUGE one up. If/When Comcast gets smart and ponies up the dough to the NFL and outbids DirecTV for the rights to NFL games. DirecTV will be in BIG BIG trouble.

But until then I need to see my G MEN, So I'll watch our 'HD Lite' and smile.
If I ever get an installer out to my house!!

 

[vedhead]

I think it is a well known fact that Comcast HD PQ looks much better than DirecTV's. Only thing in the league of cable is good 'ol OTA.
Right now the advantages of going with D* are 100% digital channels and the Sunday Ticket.
But Comcast is already digital simulcasting in some places, plus the addition of On Demand was a HUGE one up. If/When Comcast gets smart and ponies up the dough to the NFL and outbids DirecTV for the rights to NFL games. DirecTV will be in BIG BIG trouble.

But until then I need to see my G MEN, So I'll watch our 'HD Lite' and smile.
If I ever get an installer out to my house!!

sh*t, if Directv loses Sunday Ticket, they'll go out of business. The NFL must be salivating and waiting for the next bidding war...

I watched 1/2 on comcast and 1/2 on directv last night...yes, comcast is a bit crisper and brighter, but both pixelate somewhat frequently.

 

[vurbano]

Absolute Crap





This is good?

 

[Mtnmike]

So which is it?

D* employee?

13" Tv?

or

legally blind?

PQ was atrocious. The field looked like an SD upconvert. The concensus at AVS is that ESPNHD has gone to crap this year..

Not D* employee (I'm a cop)

55 inch Sony Wega LCD, AT9 dish, H20 rcvr,

Not blind I could shoot the core out of an apple at 100 yards

The picture from ESPNHD was crystal clear and outstanding as usual. Almost looked 3D. Same as it has been here for months. Hard telling what your problem or some people at AVS is, but it's not happening here.

 

[vurbano]

Not D* employee (I'm a cop)

55 inch Sony Wega LCD, AT9 dish, H20 rcvr,

Not blind I could shoot the core out of an apple at 100 yards

The picture from ESPNHD was crystal clear and outstanding as usual. Almost looked 3D. Same as it has been here for months. Hard telling what your problem or some people at AVS is, but it's not happening here.

The pictures dont lie Mikey. Youd better check and make sure thats really an apple your shooting at

 

[FlyingJ]

Vurbano, I have no idea how you download those images. I am not saying that the game pq was fantastic, pretty good, with almost all of the close up angles like the one you have up there with Favre looking real good. The whole field angles, definitely could be better. I never saw anything like what you are showing here from any of the close ups, but I agree ESPN needs to step up, I am surprised that they would allow anything but high quality. Maybe there are even more issues than you tech guys know of. Can't see any reason, if it doesn't cost a whole lot more for ESPN to not want high quality.