Why ESPN on Disney + is cranked down on video frame ratres?

N5XZS

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Jan 23, 2005
4,695
2,701
Albuquerque, NM, USA
They should be at true 60p FPS instead of 30p, had to switch back to over the air KOAT-DT which is Hearst owned station in Albuquerque.

This station prefer to convert from 720p 60 FPS to 1080i 30i with it's bunch of subchannels piggyback.

Was hoping ESPN would have true 720p 60p, but no and it's cranked down the video framerates to 30p!🙄

I can tell the difference 30p which is not a smooth motion while KOAT-DT 30i show smoother motion, but I still prefer true 60p which even better than 30i interlaced video system!🙄

I just hope next time Disney engineering people would correct this video framerates difference on the NFL Monday Night Football upcoming games! :hungry2 :hatsoff
 
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Ok, I found Hulu carrys ESPN + 720p 60p and shows much better video framerates at true 60p than on Disney + 720p 30p or my local station KOAT-DT 1080i 30i video formats.

Best to stick with Hulu for the best video quality source out there! 👍:hatsoff
 
Ok, I found Hulu carrys ESPN + 720p 60p and shows much better video framerates at true 60p than on Disney + 720p 30p or my local station KOAT-DT 1080i 30i video formats.

Best to stick with Hulu for the best video quality source out there! 👍:hatsoff
Disney+ ESPN content is at 1080P, not 720P.

Same as Watch ESPN and ESPN+.
 
Then it must be upconverted from 720p 60p to 1080p 60.

Since Disney owns ABC, ESPN and other Disney owned networks and use 1280x720p video cameras and graphics generator, however I have yet to hear any upgrades to new 1080p or even 2160p 60 or 120p video cameras. :hatsoff
 
Then it must be upconverted from 720p 60p to 1080p 60.

Since Disney owns ABC, ESPN and other Disney owned networks and use 1280x720p video cameras and graphics generator, however I have yet to hear any upgrades to new 1080p or even 2160p 60 or 120p video cameras. :hatsoff
You are 100% incorrect, they actually shoot on 4K/1080P digital cameras, then down convert it to 720P.

Here is where they upgraded in 2021-

Sony Electronics has announced that Fox, CBS and ESPN have been using Sony Electronics’ new HDC-F5500 Super 35mm system camera in ways that brought an engaging cinematic aesthetic to the coverage of baseball and football games.

Highlights of the new HDC-F5500 camera system include a highly sensitive Super 35mm, 4K CMOS global shutter image sensor that enables lush images with several available color gamuts, as well as the use of PL mount 35mm lenses.

The camera also features a high frame rate capability of up to 120fps, making it a valuable tool for sports production.



These are more video cameras used by ESPN, easily found using Google, I also worked for Disney till last May, mostly doing reports on Television/Streaming.

ESPN uses a variety of video cameras for its broadcasts, including:
  • Sony HDC-5500: Used for the NBA Finals

  • Sony VENICE: A digital cinematography camera used in ESPN's Amsterdam studios

  • Sony Alpha 1 RF: A mirrorless camera used for NBA broadcasts

  • Canon 95X lenses: Used on most of ESPN's other game cameras

  • Canon UHD-DIGISUPER 122 AF 122x zoom lens: Used for the main tight-iso camera

  • Sony HDC-F5500 Super 35mm 4K Camera System: Used for live sports coverage

  • Sony FX9: Used as an on-field camera for ESPN Monday Night Football

  • Spiideo cameras: Used to cover multiple sports at the Wide World of Sports Complex
 
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In studio Sportscenter is done in 4K... but the only people seeing it in 4K are those there in the control room.

I am shocked that there is no ESPN 4K channel out there anywhere. Hell even NESN has their own 4K channel and actually broadcasts many games in full 4K.
 
Ok, that's pretty cool getting nice Sony video cameras and putting out 1080p or even 2160p "4K" and downconvert to 720p for streaming or OTA broadcasts.

Now when you say Disney +, ESPN and + use 1080p for movies and sports for streaming use.

Assuming you get good internet bandwidth bitrates in your areas.

ABC still use 720p due to legacy old ATSC 1.0 MPEG-2 and modulation bandwidth limitations and of course too many subchannels out they various OTA stations. :p :hatsoff
 
Ok, that's pretty cool getting nice Sony video cameras and putting out 1080p or even 2160p "4K" and downconvert to 720p for streaming or OTA broadcasts.

Now when you say Disney +, ESPN and + use 1080p for movies and sports for streaming use.
ESPN+ is all 1080P.

Watch ESPN is the TV Everywhere app, if you have a Live TV Service, sign in with those credentials, all ESPN content from the channel(s) will be in 1080P.

Disney+ is in 1080P and/or 4K with HDR/DV.

ESPN content on Disney+ is in 1080P.

ESPN on any Live TV Service, Streaming, Cable and Satellite is in 720P, not up converted.

Hope that clears it up before you put out anymore incorrect information.
Assuming you get good internet bandwidth bitrates in your areas.
That is a different issue, has nothing to do with what ESPN/Disney does.

By the way, I live in a rural area, I have gigabit speed, about to have fiber if the company handles all the delays.
ABC still use 720p due to legacy old ATSC 1.0 MPEG-2 and modulation bandwidth limitations and of course too many subchannels out they various OTA stations. :p :hatsoff
All OTA Stations still use ATSC 1.0.

There are some that use 3.0 ( dead in the water), but the video quality is still a up converted picture.
 
Still doesn't address the OP's frame rate concern. Is ESPN content on Disney+ 1080p at 30fps or 60fps?
It's 30p FPs ESPN+ on Disney +, while on Hulu, ESPN + is at 60p FPs... :hatsoff
It is 30P on Disney+, but on ESPN+, it is 60P, but not 720P as he posted originally,

From Google-

ESPN+ streams content at 60 frames per second (fps) in 1080p HD resolution. This is similar to the quality of other top streaming services, such as Hulu and Netflix.

Disney+ supports frame rates of 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, and 30 frames per second.

On Hulu/YTTV, it is 720P and 59.94 fps (close enough).
 
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If Disney wants people to watch ESPN on Disney+, they need to add 60fps support. It really smooths out the sports action on TVs that support it. 30 fps seems choppy in comparison.
 
If Disney wants people to watch ESPN on Disney+, they need to add 60fps support. It really smooths out the sports action on TVs that support it. 30 fps seems choppy in comparison.
I would never watch it, already canceled ESPN+, for the rest of the Football season, just use Watch ESPN TV Everywhere app for the superior quality.

Then after that, dropping YTTV, do not watch ESPN February to August, so do not need access.

When ESPN streaming starts up Summer 2025, I assume it will be 1080P/60fps, based on the ESPN+ app
 
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