NBC HD and the Olympics

[Vreesar]

I know I've seen some talk about this subject before but not sure I ever saw any final information. See below the link and the quote I took from NBC's page.

http://www.nbcolympics.com/tvlistings/5016748/detail.html

For the first time by a U.S. broadcaster at a Summer Olympics, NBC will provide high definition coverage. NBC's separate, unique HDTV coverage on NBC's digital affiliates, presented by Sony Electronics Inc., will provide HDTV coverage on delay of six sports from the only main Olympic venues provided in high definition by the Olympic host broadcaster. Those sports include swimming, diving, gymnastics, track and field, medal rounds of basketball and the men's soccer gold medal final. The HDTV coverage will total 399 hours and is a completely different production from the standard definition broadcast on the network. NBC has 124 HDTV affiliates with the potential to cover 86 percent of the country.

 

[jawilljr]

Also NBC has Requested a Temporary waiver of the DTV simulcast rule.

Jerry

 

[wasch_24]

Also NBC has Requested a Temporary waiver of the DTV simulcast rule.

Jerry

Dang Jerry, that is quite the find. I think this year is the first time I have ever gotten excited over the Olympics.
One thing kind of makes me nervous though...
"In order to enable all NBC-affiliated stations to have the option to air as much of
the HDTV feed as they think best, NBC hereby requests, on behalf of all NBC-affiliated
stations, that the Commission waive, from August 13 through August 30, any application
of the Simulcast Rule to those stations that choose to air NBC’s HDTV Olympic
programming feed in lieu of a digital simulcast of the station’s analog programming."

 

[jawilljr]

Dang Jerry, that is quite the find. I think this year is the first time I have ever gotten excited over the Olympics.
One thing kind of makes me nervous though...
"In order to enable all NBC-affiliated stations to have the option to air as much of
the HDTV feed as they think best, NBC hereby requests, on behalf of all NBC-affiliated
stations, that the Commission waive, from August 13 through August 30, any application
of the Simulcast Rule to those stations that choose to air NBC’s HDTV Olympic
programming feed in lieu of a digital simulcast of the station’s analog programming."

I won't take all of the credit for find. I got the link from dt_dc's post from the AVS Forum.

Jerry

 

[Vreesar]

The thing that bothers me the most are highlighted in red below.

will provide HDTV coverage on delay of six sports

this high-definition coverage will be distinct from NBC's analog Olympic programming. It will include separate announcers, separate video and comprehensive coverage of all major competitions.

 

[Dvlos]

Ok so that seems to indicate that the seperate HD feed will come through NBC affiliates, like Bravo etc, as well as maybe some HD feeds from the local OTA tower, at first when I saw 24 continuous Olympics feed I thought 1 channel All HD Olympics all the time.


EDIT: Vreesar, I don't get it, it would seem to make sense that most of the HD feed would be done on seperate cameras and equipment, maybe because of space and what not, they can't have all the cameras trained on the same announcers? Also their regular prime time Olympic announcers may have signed on to do just that, be on prime time and that's it.

 

[Vreesar]

What I was getting at was that I can live with not having all of the olympics in HD but the time frames they do plan on broadcasting in HD why have two completely seperate feeds?

 

[Dvlos]

I guess they still want to continue to support the SD people, who knows, I would think it wiser to cover the Olympics how ABC covered the NBA Finals. I just tuned to the game and saw it in HD while others that didn't have HD capable sets in my area, just saw the game in SD, however in that NBC press statement they say they plan on covering these events in 24hour loops. There seems to be more HD hours of programming than SD, maybe they aren't going to tie up all their air time on the Olympics they still have other shows and news broadcasts they will no doubt, air on their SD feed like always?

 

[voomvoom]

Ok so that seems to indicate that the seperate HD feed will come through NBC affiliates, like Bravo etc, as well as maybe some HD feeds from the local OTA tower, at first when I saw 24 continuous Olympics feed I thought 1 channel All HD Olympics all the time.

Bravo is not an NBC affilliate... Bravo is a subsidiary of NBC or the company that owns NBC... NBC affilliates are the local OTA stations that carry NBC programming... what this probably means is that the local OTA stations will have two feeds, one in HD (where available) and one in SD (or analog)... each having their own distinct (and separate) programming coverage... don't confuse Bravo with NBC, Bravo will have it's own SD coverage of certain events and Bravo HD (so far) has no indication of any coverage at all... one thing for sure, whatever does finally happen with all the coverage (HD and SD alike)... NBC (the powers that be) will screw it up...

 

[ddeloach1228]

voomvoom, you got it right. NBC will find a way to screw it up.

 

[vinnyv07]

Well, For the life of me I cant get any sig strong to get a solid picture on NBC. Im in Staten Island, NY and alot of people in my area cant get or have trouble pulling in a solid sig for NBC. NBC has said that they will try to have something in place by the olympics but August is coming and I have the feeling I wont be watching this olympics in HD.