NFL game broadcast full 25 seconds behind DirecTV

[Mike1951]

I'm watching the Texans vs Colts game on DISH Houston while talking to a friend watching on DirecTV, also Houston. The live telecast is a full 25-26 seconds behind DirecTV.

Could an intentional delay be part of the NFL's deal with DirecTV?

 

[jcanavera]

I used to manage IT at the local NFL stadium. In most cases the local Fox broadcast of the games trailed live action by as much as 15 seconds. Add onto that the processing required for satellite and the local receiver, it is not impossible that you could see even more time above the live action. Lots of processing going on and without knowing the path of the feed all the way from the broadcast truck at the stadium to the path of the feed to Dish or Direct there could be lots of factors that play a part on broadcast delays.


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[dare2be]

If I'm reading the OP right, he is saying that the Dish live broadcast is 25 seconds behind the DirecTV live broadcast. He wasn't comparing it to the live action on the field.

 

[dfergie]

Had SNF on OTA thru my 211k & on my Genie for a short time last night, they were pretty close... I have seen the Dish local about 5 seconds behind before though...

 

[SamCdbs]

Could an intentional delay be part of the NFL's deal with DirecTV?

No. Just a difference in how long it takes each provider to uplink and process the "local into local" signals. Understand that the signal must be received by the local "pop" unlinked, processed, downlinked, and the uplined again to the sat you actually receive.

I find that DirecTV is about 10 seconds behind watching the same station OTA with an antenna. I also find that that my local OTA is about 15 seconds behind the NFL ST of the same game.

Unless you are gambling in real time or something, what does it matter?

 

[dare2be]

I also find that that my local OTA is about 15 seconds behind the NFL ST of the same game.

This is surprising. I would think that the OTA broadcast would be ahead of any satellite-delivered feed. It does sound like DTV is getting the Sunday Ticket feeds somehow faster than even the local OTA station.

This is also consistent with what the OP reported. NFLST -> 15 seconds -> OTA broadcast -> 10 seconds -> LIL retransmission

 

[Hall]

Could an intentional delay be part of the NFL's deal with DirecTV?

No, it's physics

 

[Mike1951]

We talk on the phone most evenings. In the past, when I could hear normal programming on his TV, DirecTV would be 1-2 seconds ahead of DISH.

This was actually humorous, as he was seeing one entire play ahead before I was seeing the ball hiked. I'd hear him say CRAP then have to wait for the play to see why.

 

[dare2be]

No, it's physics

Then how do you explain DTV's NFLST feed being 15 seconds ahead of even the local OTA broadcast?

 

[JSheridan]

Then how do you explain DTV's NFLST feed being 15 seconds ahead of even the local OTA broadcast?

Could be that DirecTV is getting the same raw feed that the network is taking and DirecTV broadcasts it directly. For the OTA it first goes through the network distribution and then to the local affiliate, hence the delay.

 

[sam_gordon]

Could be that DirecTV is getting the same raw feed that the network is taking and DirecTV broadcasts it directly. For the OTA it first goes through the network distribution and then to the local affiliate, hence the delay.

One question would be what commercials are shown on the NFL ST feed. Commercials aren't run out of the on site trucks. If ST doesn't have commercials (generally a camera will be put up), then ST is getting the feed straight from the truck (very possible).

 

[JSheridan]

One question would be what commercials are shown on the NFL ST feed. Commercials aren't run out of the on site trucks. If ST doesn't have commercials (generally a camera will be put up), then ST is getting the feed straight from the truck (very possible).

That's a good point. Even if ST is getting the feed directly from the network it might be quicker than the affiliate's processing and OTA broadcast by a few seconds.

 

[boba]

Has everyone forgotten the Superbowl wardrobe malfunction that forced a delay in broadcasts?

 

[dare2be]

Has everyone forgotten the Superbowl wardrobe malfunction that forced a delay in broadcasts?

So, the Sunday Ticket feeds are unfiltered?

 

[sam_gordon]

That's a good point. Even if ST is getting the feed directly from the network it might be quicker than the affiliate's processing and OTA broadcast by a few seconds.

I agree that's a few seconds difference, not the 15 mentioned earlier. I will say Direct and Dish are within a second or two of each other here (at least for the NBC) and about 5 seconds behind OTA (which makes sense).

 

[SamCdbs]

Then how do you explain DTV's NFLST feed being 15 seconds ahead of even the local OTA broadcast?

When I am talking about is the "bonus coverage" at the end of the game. Obviously you never get the local games on ST. Say your local game is A v. B. When you tune to the ST A v. B game it is blacked out. You have to watch that game on your local affiliate. But, say A v. B ends quicker than C v. D. Your affiliate will switch to C v. D for its conclusion. But the affiliate will be 15 or more seconds behind the C v. D channel on ST.

One question would be what commercials are shown on the NFL ST feed. Commercials aren't run out of the on site trucks. If ST doesn't have commercials (generally a camera will be put up), then ST is getting the feed straight from the truck (very possible).

ST has the network (Fox or CBS) commercials. As an aside, you will notice that every game has exactly the same commercials in exactly the same order. But when the local affiliate break for local commercials comes up, you get a card reading "NFL ST, Only on DirecTV".

 

[Mike1951]

In this case, SNF was being broadcast by the local NBC station, which we were both watching, then received by DISH and DirecTV.

Comparing the game clock told us exactly the extent of the DISH delay.

 

[dare2be]

In this case, SNF was being broadcast by the local NBC station, which we were both watching, then received by DISH and DirecTV.

Comparing the game clock told us exactly the extent of the DISH delay.

So you weren't comparing Dish NBC local to Sunday Ticket? You were comparing Dish NBC local to DTV NBC local? 25 second difference?

 

[sam_gordon]

Say your local game is A v. B. When you tune to the ST A v. B game it is blacked out. You have to watch that game on your local affiliate. But, say A v. B ends quicker than C v. D. Your affiliate will switch to C v. D for its conclusion. But the affiliate will be 15 or more seconds behind the C v. D channel on ST.

That makes more sense. The live look in is going through a control room so they can have the talent toss to them. I'm surprised it's a 15 second difference, I would expect maybe 5.

 

[Mike1951]

That's correct. Sunday Ticket not involved. The local NBC affiliate, KPRC, was being received by DirecTV and DISH, with DISH being 25 seconds behind.