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The first 4K NBA broadcast in the US happens tonight on DirecTV
NBA fans in the US will get their first chance to check out a live game in 4K Ultra HD on Saturday night when the Utah Jazz visit the Denver Nuggets. The broadcast will be available via DirecTV if you have the proper package and equipment (Genie HR54 DVR), as AT&T is working with NBA TV on the broadcast. In early 2015 (pre-Porzingis), the NBA did a very limited test 4K broadcast of a Knicks game, and in January it tried one on UK and Canadian TV, but this is apparently the first one available widely in the US. Keen-eyed forum posters noticed another Nuggets home game listed as 4K in November, but it's unclear whether that one was actually in 4K. Additional 4K games are planned, although there's no word yet on which ones.
New NBA stats deal will put motion tracking cameras in every arena
The NBA faces a big challenge now that it offers all its player statistics to the public -- how does it generate stats that hold the interest of basketball fans? The league's solution is a multi-year agreement to use Stats LLC's SportVU motion tracking system in every arena (15 teams had already implemented the technology on their own). As of the 2013-14 season, every NBA arena will have a six-camera setup that creates a steady stream of player data based on ball possession, distance, proximity and speed. The NBA's website, NBA Game Time and NBA TV will all use the information to expand game stats beyond what we see today with heat maps and specific details on each possession. There's no telling how useful that extra knowledge will be, but we won't be shocked if it helps settle a few sports bar arguments. [Image credit: Rondo Estrello, Rondostar.com / Flickr]
NBA TV follows NFL Network to Comcast's digital classic tier
It doesn't appear to be coming in time for everyone to enjoy C-Webb and The Glove's studio antics during the NBA Finals, but now that Comcast closed a deal to bring NFL Network to its many digital classic subscribers, working out an agreement to add NBA TV (home of the pioneering all-SkyCam broadcasts & silent game) as well was the only logical followup. No word on exactly when the switch will happen, but hoops fans should keep an eye on their (soon to change drastically) channel lineup with the long term deal slated to shift the channel off the sports tier and into mass availability ahead of the 2009-10 season, bringing along plenty of VOD and streaming content to Comcast.net. Unfortunately, NBA League Pass is still a pay add-on, but we guess that would be asking for just a bit too much, right?
HD channel expansion roundup
Once upon a time, a smattering of new HD channels in one major metropolitan area was a huge deal. Nowadays, it's almost expected that one area or another will experience some HD expansion each week. In order to keep things nice and tidy around here, we deliver high-def expansions, market expansions and anything else dealing with HD channel growth right here. If we missed an area that you're familiar with, drop us a line in comments so everyone can catch up. The more the merrier, we say!Read - Verizon to Distribute the YES Network Nationally in High Definition to FiOS 'Extreme HD' Subscribers, Under Multiyear Agreement Read - NBA TV Scores Multiyear Distribution Deal With DirecTV Read - DIRECTV Delivers Local HD Programming To Customers in Bangor, Maine Read - Comcast project to increase available Internet speeds, add HDTV in Farmington, NM Read - Comcast To Begin Rollout Of 22 More High Def Channels - Chattannooga, TN Read - Comcast adds HD channels - Houston, TX DISH adds HD Locals in Tucson [Thanks, Adam] DISH adds KCAL9 in Los Angeles [Thanks, Ryan]
NBA TV HD launches on DirecTV and DISH
Just in time for the start of the NBA season, NBA TV HD launches on both DirecTV and DISH Network. Every major sports league needs their own channel and now NBA steps up to HD, bringing over 70 national HD games to their subscribers. In addition, they'll have 24 hours of programming, but who knows how much of that will actually be HD. At this point we've lost count of how many HD channels these two providers carry and wonder how many big time NBA fans are going to give up on their cable provider -- assuming they haven't already.
Did you catch the NBA's dual SkyCam special HDTV broadcast?
As we told you about previously, the NBA debuted a whole new way of broadcasting their game last night for HDTV owners. I caught it and came away pretty impressed. The angle provided by the two SkyCams was far superior to the usual camera angles used. It brought you in a lot closer to the floor and made it feel like sitting close to courtside instead of simply being in the arena way up in the upper deck.One of my complaints about NBA broadcasts in high definition in the past has been how far out the cameras zoomed. There was often too much empty court or stands in the view and the players seemed small and far away (although amazingly detailed). Maybe having a bigger TV would have helped, but I don't and so I'm complaining. With these new camera angles I did not have that complaint at all.(Sorry about the painfully SD screenshot, but hopefully you can get an idea of the angle as Chris Wilcox goes in for a dunk)
NBA announces new dual-Skycam broadcast plans
For the first time, an NBA game will utilize two "SkyCams" during the April 11th meeting between the Seattle Supersonics and the San Antonio Spurs (lot of Ss there). Instead of using two center court cameras like most NBA games, they will use the suspended high definition skycams to give the impression of sitting about 10 rows up from the floor.Two robotic high definition cameras above each backboard plus one at center court on the scorers table will give a unique "you are there" perspective for this game. For the audio, it will be in 5.1 surround, with the focus given to on court and arena sounds, much like the recent "silent game" in Orlando. Rick Kamla will host the game, checking in from various spots around the arena as well.This is great, I really feel like the NBA "gets" high definition and are looking to build around it for better quality broadcasts. The only real complaint I've had so far is that the camera angles don't seem to take advantage of HD's aspect ratio and detail enough, and I hope that these changes will enhance the experience. All we need now is for ESPN, ABC and TNT to take the hint, shut up blabbering on-air personalities and give us just basketball, raw and uncut.
Anyone else checking out NBA TV's "Silent Game"?
In case you missed it, today the NBA is broadcasting a game between the Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets, with no announcers, and all sound coming from the arena announcer and courtside mounted mics. So far so good, it's so much like being there I stood in line for 20 minutes to get a beer from my own refrigerator. The only weird thing is going to commercial breaks because there's no segue.It's being broadcast in high definition on INHD1, so check it out This also an excellent opportunity to check out DARKONATION in action, recently freed from the Detroit Pistons who played the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier today. I didn't catch that game (too busy playing Fight Night), was it broadcast in high definition or another disappointment?
What's on HDTV today: Not the NBA
I woke up excited to check out the basketball games today. The stars are out:, Lebron James, Steve Nash, Tracy McGrady, Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, Chauncey Billups and more, but despite an excellent first game to the triple header, today is definitely a bust.Three games: Cleveland vs. Phoenix, Houston at Miami, and Pistons vs. Lakers, but I'm only going to see one of them in high definition, and if you don't live near one of the home teams, you may not even get that. The Detroit Pistons game will be broadcast locally in 1080i by WB20, as many of their home games are, but it will also be available nationally on ESPN, however not in HD. Neither of the two earlier games were broadcast in high definition on ABC. I don't know if this is due to local licensing agreements (what I suspect keeps ESPN from broadcasting the Pistons game in HD tonight) or what, but David Stern needs to take care of this. With no NFL on this weekend, the NBA is the only game in town. Sports fans love their high definition, but with none available my attention is wandering over to the X-Games and Arena League football. If I want to catch some HD sports, my best bet at the moment is probably Gotham TV on my Xbox 360.With all the expenses paid to broadcast and view games in high definition, how professional basketball can simply ignore national high definition broadcasts is a mystery to me. It seems the NFL is taking a page from the NBA's book and broadcasting some games themselves, but maybe more is needed for professional basketball to continue to grow as HDTV adoption does.Update: Apparently the NBA is more on the ball than I thought, the Miami game switched to HD later on, and the Pistons - Lakers game is available in high definition on both WB and ESPN, unlike games earlier in the season which were nationally broadcast only in SD. More later, I'm watching the game. (Go Pistons)
