View Full Version : FOX in Tampa Bay, Florida
MLapointe
11-23-2002, 06:58 PM
Did anyone get last weeks bucs game against the Panthers in Fox Widescreen Digital TV. I've emailed FOX over the last 2 weeks to ask when they will be broadcasting their NFL Games in Fox Widescreen Digital TV in my area I haven't gotten once responce back and they haven't posted anything on their website saying anything about this. Thanks for anyone in the Tampa Bay area who can tell me if this game was or was not in Fox Widescreen Digital TV format.
Unfortunatley it was not. Fox is passing the signal on certain games but i'm not sure if this was one of them. I know several people who have said they have caught it in widescreen but no one in this area.
MLapointe
11-23-2002, 10:24 PM
is there some website that will tell me what programming Fox has in Widesreen Digital TV formet. I was given one website that only had their primetime programming but I was looking for a whole days information where I can find out whether or not NFL games on at 1 or 4 pm are in this format.
kevinw
11-24-2002, 10:08 AM
I am willing to bet that no one has seen it in widescreen yet
I watch fox every sunday and not once do they even mention WS in pre- game shows or during games. The only word I hear of it is on the Forums of people asking but no confirmation exists.
Kevin, I'm not sure if your comment was relating specifically to Tampa or all of the US. I can tell you that we have been getting Fox EDTV widescreen on the Detroit affiliate for several weeks now. If I remember, I'll check again this afternoon and report back.
It's about 1:30 on Sunday, November 24, and the "HDFox" game between Detroit and Chicago is not EDTV Widescreen. It's being shown as 4:3 "upconvert". If I were in Detroit, or cared about football, I'd be on the phone to Fox Detroit right now.
OK, it's 4:45 and they just started the GB/TB game after the Chi/Det game went OT.
1. Neither Fox game today was in EDTV Widescreen from Detroit.
2. Buffalo showed the Min/NE game at 1PM, but I don't get Buffalo in ED, so, not sure what format it had.
3. Both Buffalo and Detroit are carrying the GB/TB game now.
What happened?
trudy
11-24-2002, 06:03 PM
I am in southern California and the GB/TB game is shown in wide screen digital here now.
kevinw
11-24-2002, 08:06 PM
Here in Atlanta the Falcons game(earlygame) was not in widescreen. It was stretched to fill the screen though. The Tampa/Greenbay game was in widescreen. I could tell this because some replays were window boxed.
As for actual PQ, the picture was only slighty better than what I was getting off DISH. The ED version was noticably bad on long shots. It does not even come close compared to the SEC game on CBS every saturday. Perhaps that is why FOX does not promote the WS presentation in advertisements.
I find it very sad the the Fox affiliates cannot get their act together on this widescreen issue. It's obvious from our comments these past few weeks that at least one game per weekend is in EDTV widescreen, but even Detroit, which has had EDTV widescreen for several weekends couldn't get it right this Sunday. Sad, Sad, Sad.
Here is the Fox Feedback page, click on Feedback (just below #14) and send them an e-mail with your concerns.
http://www.fox.com/community/askfox/
Here's a copy of what I sent, feel free to plagiarize.
For the past several weekends I've watched at least one NFL game in EDTV
Widescreen, via Fox EDTV in Detroit, brought to me by Rogers
Cablesystems in Toronto.
I am a member of an HDTV forum, and we discuss all things HDTV/EDTV.
This Sunday, Fox Detroit did not provide either game in EDTV widescreen,
but I know that at least the second game was in EDTV widescreen because
the affiliates in Orange County, CA and in Atlanta GA transmitted the
game in EDTV widescreen, confirmed by our HDTV members.
This is a sad state of affairs and I thought you might wish to be aware
of it, so that it can be corrected.
Thanks, 57U
Toronto, Canada
Rogers Cablesystems,
Fox on Channel 285
PS, I have copied Rogers Cablesystems so that they are also aware of
this situation.
MLapointe
11-24-2002, 10:14 PM
I just got back from the Bucs game itself in Tampa. I was told by my brother and by 2 other friends that the 1 o'clock game was "not" in Widescreen Digital TV format by the Green Bay and Bucs game 'was' in deed in Widescreen Digital TV format. These people told me that the picture was no where near HDTV quality but the alternative is analog and so this picture was better than the alternative so they said it was better than nothing.
kevinw
11-25-2002, 08:24 AM
In Atlanta, the early game was the Falcons trouncing Carolina, It was not wide screen but it was stretched to fill the screen.
The afternoon game, Greenbay/Tampa was shown in WS. PQ was average at best. Long shots were not very good. Close ups were as good as a DVD.
Still none of this compares to the SEC college game on CBS.
From what I understand the cameras are the same for standard or enhanced. Crop the picture for the analog or frame the shot closer for ED. Either way the picture is only as good as the conversion by your local affiliate.
