HD Question

[LGW]

How do you hd broadcasters monitor off air in the field during live shots, since hd signal can take upto 8 seconds to encode/decode?

You really can't use the off air hd signal for cues, ready graphics etc etc . Are off-air field tv monitors going to be a thing of the past?

[Run 'n' Get 'em]

If there's also an SD signal available, Couldn't you just watch that? If you're framed well in SD you'd probably be framed well in HD

[thru-the-lens]

Are off-air field tv monitors going to be a thing of the past?


It will be just a matter of time before Radio Shack starts selling small overpriced handheld HD monitors. That will slowly drop in price.

A field monitor as we know it will exist as a lcd monitor of 14" to 17" in size.

thru-the-lens.

[LGW]

Assume no SD and yes we can buy small hd lcd to use in the field but the off air image will still be 8 seconds after the fact.

My question is, how would a sports anchor, field anchoring, be able to call highlights off the monitor if what he is referring to is 8 seconds late?

[photogguy]

The sports/weather people in the field are gonna have to trust the people back at the studio to do their jobs as scripted...which I know is a HUGE leap of faith.

There's going to be no way to get around the delay caused by an HD signal...which will be even worse when the transmitters in live trucks get replaced with digital transmitters/receivers.

[Canonman]

A very interesting question indeed for right now. However, looking to the future, you will likely see faster encode/decode. But more importantly, once the signal chain becomes purely digital from camera to end user, some of the delay should be eliminated. I was told by Sony that the reason they included an 18mb datarate in the XDCAM HD was to fit the digital microwave/satellite bandwidth without the need to re-encode which takes time. Since I'm not heavily involved in ENG, I'll leave it to those of you who are, to validate that claim by Sony.

cm

[Run&Gun]

Right now during simulcasting, I'd recomend still using the SD analog signal for monitoring for LS's where you need to see return for sports calls and the like. After the complete switch over, who knows...

[A/B roll]

To answer you question, we just use an SD television with bunny ears. Same way it's always been done. What will the future hold?...Donno

[Frank McBride]

I don't know where this 8 second number is coming from. The difference between our SD and HD broadcasts is about a second. It's enough to make it a poor option as a live monitor, but as has been said, SD is not only still a good option, it's what the majority of the viewers are seeing.

FMc

[pre-set]

I predict this will be an end to our business! Who will be the first station to be sued out of existance by some class-action assshat for not really being "live"?

[LGW]

I just went to MCR1 at our station and the delay was 4 seconds from Station to Demod. yes we are getting demod off air. With the cable Co. feed the delay was 8 seconds.

I think 4 second delay will make off air monitors for live shots a thing of the past and sports and wx...well forget it.

[Canonman]

The receiver also does a little bit of buffer filling like you get on the internet. That's why HD sets are slower to change channels. What I'm trying to say is that the receiver may be contributing to the delay.

cm

[LGW]

Anyone have first hand experience with this issue?

[Necktie Boy]

On the same lines......
I use a cable feed to monitor my program out. When the cable company switched to a MPEG System, a delay was introduced. I no longer use the cable feed to monitor. At another place of work, they also use MPEG Encoder. The delay was even worst. MPEG Encoders
will get faster in the future, we hope.