CBS lays out its HD broadcast plan for Super Bowl XLIV

We're still working out our attack plan for the Super Bowl but CBS is more than ready for the big game with a significantly larger outlay of cameras and equipment than it brings to regular season games. Broadcasting & Cable learned from VP of engineering, operations and production services Ken Aagaard that its setup is "eerily similar" to the one CBS used for SB XLI two years ago, upping the number of HD cameras to 50 from 48 including a healthy mix of manned, unmanned handheld, fixed, RF and super-slo-mo setups among them. New for 2010 are cameras capable of up to 450 fps for replays, plus "HyperZoom" graphics tracking to magnify the smallest details of a play -- like whether or not Meachem made that catch in overtime -- a new virtual system to extend the goalposts upwards on field goals and an impressive network of servers for replays.

[dmccall Posted Jan 25th 2010 4:55PM]

I'd just be happy with surround sound. That would be a step up from what FOX gave us in the MIN/NOS game last night.

Instead of more angles to which they can drive us batty with all the switching, I'd rather see another channel that just runs a high angle camera during the plays. They could even produce it in SD, I don't care. It seems that affiliates all have some X.2 or X.3 channel on which they could run that feed. Commercials could be the same, or they could be different. With that second feed, people would likely run two TV's side by side, so the second broadcast could be an additional source of revenue from advertisers.

I really wish that TV production for football would quit catering to SD broadcasts and center the screen between the running backs and the safeties, and quit zooming in after the snap. I like to watch linebackers, and even with all of that real estate on my TV, I still get the QB in the center of my screen. NOTE: Offensive backfields are NOT INTERESTING!!!

[brianbobcat Posted Jan 25th 2010 8:32PM]

@dmccall Doesn't Fox usually do surround sound for the games? Maybe it was just a technical problem?

That multiplexed idea is an interesting one. I can tell you that both my local Fox and CBS affiliates neither have multiplexed channels. My ABC and NBC both have two other channels stealing away bandwidth. I'm not sure how I would like it if Fox's 720P broadcast which when scaled up to my 1080 display already looks a little fuzzy compared to CBS' or even NBC's 1080 football broadcasts. Certainly an interesting idea though. I wouldn't run two sets, but I would setup my HTPC with my TV to do PiP and see both angles.

I can TOTALLY feel your pain. I like what Fox is doing with their TV shows, at least House and 24, where you get widescreen regardless of your resolution, but us HD viewers get the full resolution in native widescreen. I do like thought when they go to show a replay and the action happens outside of 4:3 action safe like a catch or fumble. Only once have I actually seen the network shift the image horizontally for 4:3 viewers, and that was baseball and a catch at 1st base.

-Brian

[intrglctcrevfnk Posted Jan 25th 2010 6:22PM]

As long as they turn off the "HD lite" and stop that silly compression for the game I will be happy.

Having scene changes turn fuzzy for a second really annoys me.

Come on cable, its not like anyone is going to be watching that other channel you cram in there.....

[TVGenius Posted Jan 25th 2010 6:50PM]

Ah, if only our local CBS affiliate was showing it in HD. Someday maybe...

*cough* KSWT *cough*

[john Posted Jan 25th 2010 10:39PM]

If I were at CBS, I'd just give Inertia a call and say "bring me your prototypes"

[Mexigun Posted Jan 26th 2010 10:59AM]

I liked it about 8 years ago when they had the "Eagle Eye" vision cameras all around on top of the stadum, and they were able to basically do "bullet time" replays. THAT was bad ass.

[brianbobcat Posted Jan 26th 2010 7:29PM]

@Mexigun That was cool, but MEGA expensive. Back then they had 1 server per camera. I think the video is on youtube if you search for Eye Vision explaining all the backend that went into it. Now with ESPN Axis and the like, they do it via existing camera angles and interpolate the action. Also cool, but not quite as cool. I wonder if it could be done now a days for cheaper, and if so, by how much. Let me know if you can't find the video, I think I have a copy.

-Brian