How Voom gets soccer games in HD?

[Conjuror]

I always wanted to know it I keep forgetting to ask it. If I understand this matter, for HD feed a show must be recorded with special HD cameras or be taped and then downgraded to suit HD. Europe almost has no HD TV networks at all so I was always wondering how could Voom give us HD feed from there?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Simple answer...

"Magic Elfs"

 

[Conjuror]

Simple answer...

"Magic Elfs"

Lol, but I still wanna know how magic Elfs can do that?

 

[B.Greenway]

I believe even though the games are aired in PAL, they're shot in DV. Some DV broadcast cameras can do as much as 800 lines of resolution, so easy enough to transform that into 720p.

 

[Ilya]

VOOM (WorldSportHD) has their own crew in Spain with HD 1080i cameras and a mobile uplink unit. This is all done, produced and delivered exclusively for us, VOOM customers! Unbelivable but true! :up

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Does that mean no Magic Elves?

 

[BFG]

I wonder if they could get INHD or someone to distribute the games, maybe outdoor channel 2 hd will need some content when it launches...

 

[T2k]

VOOM (WorldSportHD) has their own crew in Spain with HD 1080i cameras and a mobile uplink unit. This is all done, produced and delivered exclusively for us, VOOM customers! Unbelivable but true! :up

Yes, that's why I'm pissed off on this Voom outcome...

PS: are you sure it's 1080i, not some progressive?

 

[vurbano]

VOOM (WorldSportHD) has their own crew in Spain with HD 1080i cameras and a mobile uplink unit. This is all done, produced and delivered exclusively for us, VOOM customers! Unbelivable but true! :up

Im glad you straightened this out. Its what I had originally thought. They do a great job with the soccer games.

 

[Sean Mota]

From Paul...

Samuel Eto'o's injury is not as bad as feared - only 10 days, (phew - because Maxi Lopez isn't going to score the goals to win the league is he...Our lorry can turn in a tighter circle than Maxi!)

Also checked out the 'how does Voom get the HD football pictures' thread and can confirm what Ilya said that we have our own HD lorry which drives around Europe at a sedate pace to get our own images.

That's why we only do one game a week - it's impossible to drive to two places and get set up to do 2 games in 48 hours...

in fact (and you may have noticed on Sunday) but we are on the other side of the Bernabeu to the rest of the cameras - so if you see any non-HD images, it looks the other way around...

I've also heard we are going to be getting a 2nd lorry, which could mean that although not for World Sport or Voom or whatever, that we will be doing more HD work for someone - when i know more, i'll let you know.

By the way, beleive it or not i met Michael Owen's dad was in the bar of the Madrid Holiday Inn as i enjoyed a post match ale - don't be surprised if Michael os on his way this summer whatever happens.....

 

[Ilya]

PS: are you sure it's 1080i, not some progressive?

No, I am not sure. Could be 1080p actually...

 

[Paradox-SJ]

So when Voom do you think anyone will pick up the sports programing? I would love to see the English Premiership in HD instead of watching in on FSC

 

[Ilya]

I really hope so! For me, those weekly La Liga matches alone are worth the cost of the VOOM subscription!

 

[Conjuror]

I really hope so! For me, those weekly La Liga matches alone are worth the cost of the VOOM subscription!

Same here but I just don't see anybody who would invest money in live HD soccer games from Europe. Take a total number of all soccer fans in the US and subtract from it those who wouldn't bother too much to watch soccer on a TV at least once a month. Then from that number subtract all SDTV owners and then subtract HDTV owners who don't care about having games in true HD. Finally, as a result you'd get me, Ilya, Sean, Scott, Vurbano, and few others.

Now, imagine you can buy all "soccer-ready" HD equipments from Voom and broadcast live HD games from Mexico to Argentina. I guarantee you'd become multimillionaire in one-two years and all plasma TV screens would be sold out in the blink of an eye.

 

[who_the]

I'd pay a couple hundred bucks a year (at least) a la Sunday Ticket to see Champions League, UEFA, and selected games from EPL, Bundesliga, and Primera Liga.

 

[atp1313]

I'd pay a couple hundred bucks a year (at least) a la Sunday Ticket to see Champions League, UEFA, and selected games from EPL, Bundesliga, and Primera Liga.

OOOHHH...Where do I sign up!?!?!?! That would be a killer package!

Also, thanks Paul (by way of Sean) for explaining why all the "field art" advertising was all wonky and why there was very little dasher board advertising in the big game from this weekend.