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HDTV Listings for April 25, 2006
What we're watching: As your high definition counsel, when LeBron James is on we cannot in good faith recommend you watch anything else. Cavaliers vs. Wizards, Game 2 tips off at 7 p.m. No really, that's pretty much it, put Veronica Mars, American Idol & everything else on the DVR queue because the King is here.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for April 23, 2006
What we're watching: Our usual Sunday night standbys, Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives take the night off to do recaps of the story to this point. If you've missed a few episodes or haven't watched at all, this may be a good night to check them out. But c'mon, we all know what time of year it is and we know why you got your HDTV. Sports.NBA and NHL Playoffs are kicking off this weekend, with four NBA games today and a couple hockey games. Nice to see the NHL back in the national spotlight and in high definition, playoff action is always must see TV. After LeBron's triple-double last night, Carmelo's attempt to be the last second hero (again), and the Spurs' dismantling of the Kings, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top today.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for April 22, 2006
What we're watching: NBA Playoffs time is here. The best basketball between the best teams (except for the Eastern conference, three teams under .500? Weak.) Lebron, Gilbert, Dwyane, Carmelo, Ron-ron, Timmay and all their rowdy friends are in HD all day on ABC and ESPN, you gotta love it.Also on deck is some evening NASCAR action from Phoenix, you gotta watch that, if there is one more girlfriend fight they may as well add Jell-o wrestling to the schedule (not a bad thing).Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for April 12, 2006
What we're watching: You know we're watching Lost, why even ask? King James and his band of merry men take on the Detroit Pistons at 8 p.m., unfortunately ESPN left their SkyCams at home. We don't usually watch Veronica Mars, but TVSquad says this is a great episode for new viewers to jump into the series on. Maybe its worth a shot at 8 p.m. on UPN as they replay last night's episode.We need a new Wednesday night fix since (after tonight) Lost is all repeats until May.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
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)
HDTV Listing for April 11, 2006
What we're watching: Once again, you have the choice between a program about a man divinely chosen as a leader for his people, and The Ten Commandments on ABC. One has the guy who was in Heist, while The Unit features an assassinated ex-President who sells car insurance. We'll call it a push.Don't forget, tonight is the night for the NBA's dual-skycam broadcast of a game between the Spurs and Supersonics so be sure to check that out. There's also some new series on WB, Pepper Dennis is about a spunky female reporter etc. etc., it might be worth a look at 9 p.m.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for April 9, 2006
What we're watching: No Desperate Housewives, no new Grey's no problem? Seems that way today . We'll be checking to see who puts on the green jacket at Augusta today, the broadcast is absolutely beautiful. There's also NASCAR action, NBA and MLB on deck for tonight. A couple of TV movies should spice things up, with Covert One:The Hades Factor on CBS and Avenger on TNT.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for April 7, 2006
What we're watching: NBA, NBA, NBA. The Western Conference stars continue to shine tonight with Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant all showing out in a doubleheader on ESPN. If you like your round balls slightly smaller size, theres always MLB action on INHD as the Rockies face the Padres at 10 p.m.Of course if the dramatics of basketball players arguing foul calls and major league managers arguing foul balls just aren't enough, please consider Discovery-HD's offering of Puccini's Tosca, "a fiery Roman melodrama of lust, betrayal and revenge". Sounds like the Lakers to me.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
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.
HDTV Listings for April 5, 2006
What we're watching: Lost continues to grow increasingly convoluted, and yet we can't stop watching. It would have been great to read that map last week in high definition, if it had been written in English of course. Even though March Madness is over, things are just heating up in the NBA, with the playoffs right around the corner and everyone fighting for seedings. Four teams that are going to be a part of the postseason action in the Western Conference are in action tonight in a doubleheader on ESPN-HD.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Listings for March 26, 2006
What we're watching: No new Grey's Anatomy? Nooooo. Where will we get our soap operatic exploits of doctors in 720p? Until General Hospital upgrades to HD and ER becomes the show that it was 10 years ago, nowhere would be the appropriate answer. In it's stead we will accept warmed over episodes of CSI (after watching The Evidence, we appreciate this show much more) and Pistons vs. Nets on ESPN. I went to a couple Pistons games this week and after several overpriced beers experienced considerable compression issues and artifacting, real life isn't all it's made out to be.I haven't seen tonight's episode of Rides before, where four teams of designers take a crack at the Chevy HHR, so that will get at least a look as well.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
HDTV Sports Sunday: Golf & Indy don't get it done
NBA: CheckNCAA: CheckNASCAR: CheckPGA & IRL: ZzzzzzzzzzzzI guess I don't have much to complain about. A close game between the Pacers and 76ers is on ABC, NASCAR Nextel Cup action is about to kick off in Bristol on Fox, and CBS' sharp-but-pixely Elite 8 coverage is less than an hour away. But what if I wanted to check out Vijay, Retief, Tiger and the guys out at Sawgrass? Golf is already boring to watch (it is, I like to play golf but watching it is like watching someone else take a walk in the park), in SD it's a no-go. The IRL (R.I.P. Paul Dana) keeps trying to tell me how big a star Danica Patrick is going to be but if I don't see her in 720p then well, I won't see her.
Shane Battier won't travel without his games
Former Dukie and current Memphis Grizzlies Forward Shane Battier takes his games on the road. According to the March 13th edition of Sports Illustrated, his travel bag is stuffed with all sorts of gaming paraphernalia, including:
