http://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/ Engadget HD Comments for Annoying sound, video problems mar high-def World Cup broadcast http://hd.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://hd.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2010 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/http://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/Jun 13th 2006 11:02PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/http://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/Jun 13th 2006 11:38PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/http://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/
Neal Saferstein]]>Jun 14th 2006 2:09AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/http://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/Jun 14th 2006 2:25AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/http://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/
DOG = digital on-screen graphic]]>Jun 14th 2006 3:49AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/http://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/Jun 14th 2006 5:15AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/http://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/
You also have to crank your volume, which means you get blown across the room when you change channels.

Brian]]>Jun 14th 2006 11:02AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/http://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/Jun 14th 2006 11:32AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/http://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/Jun 14th 2006 2:12PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/http://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/
With a 50" panny, total image height ~25", ESPN2's banners take up +5", or over 20% of the vertical.

Plus, why do they need "ESPN2" in two locations on the screen?

I did notice sound improved for AUS v JPN, as compared to the opening match. But even with my center -10dB and surrounds +10dB, audio commentary by the presenters is still much too loud.]]>Jun 14th 2006 3:08PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/http://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/Jun 14th 2006 3:20PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/http://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/
That BBC coverage screenshot up there looks pretty nice. I'd pay money to BBC if I can get their coverage here in the US.]]>Jun 14th 2006 7:02PMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/http://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/
Hmm... the reason why the on-screen graphics obscure the action MOST (not some) of the time is that ABC and ESPN use dark, opaque graphics and borders that go all the way across the screen. ESPN had time to plan all this. They knew that they weren't going to be in control of the cameras and should be doing a better job with these graphics. Instead, both HD and standard viewers are getting poor coverage. Take a look at the BBC screenshot above. Graphics are mostly translucent, no borders, very small, and it manages to tell you team shirt colors to boot!

Also, they cannot switch between the cameras at will as you wrote. There are about 10 isolated feeds from each game. Most of them are "supplemental" and not available in HD at the Int'l Broadcast Center in Munich, where the games are beamed back to ESPN in Bristol, CT. See http://www.hostbroadcastservices.com/06prodplan.php]]>Jun 15th 2006 5:45AMhttp://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/http://hd.engadget.com/2006/06/13/annoying-sound-video-problems-mar-high-def-world-cup-broadcast/
Also, the graphics are huge and annoying, and they over compress the video.

Does know if the video compression artifacts vary between different US broadcasters (Dish, DirectTV, Comcast, etc.) and also between different countries?]]>Jun 17th 2006 3:59PM