Will we finally get "WWE HD"???

[Kizzo 0]

I'm not sure that anyone knows this yet....but NBC Universal has their own "HD" channel which is called Universal HD......that airs movies from Universal...and shows from Bravo, USA Network, special events(maybe Wrestlemania one day)...and NBC on the 24/7 HD network....

 

Now recently WWE did upgrade their cameras to the"hd format" , so my guess is the only reason we are not seeing RAW in HD is because of Spike TV not having a HD feed yet.....until now...because NBC Universal has their own HD channel and shows from USA Network and other owned NBC Universal channels do air shows on this network.......

 

With this opportunity the WWE can now start broadcasting shows in HD format and put those high pirce cameras to work....so with this opportunity could we finally see wrestling in HD.....although the blading will be noticeable

 

I know this would make some HD owners like myself very happy!!!

[Guest Shadow]

Do you REALLY want to see Eddy's acne that bad? ok.

[Astro7x 0]

Then there is the whole "is the money to prodce an HDTV broadcast worth it at this point?" factor... my guess is no.

 

Last time I saw an SD and HD live broadcast for Football they used two sets of cameras at the same time for both Standard Definition and High Definition. How can you do that with so many camera people located around the ring?

 

Also... little fun fact. Broadcasters are not required to broadcast in 16x9 when they go to HD too. Though yeah, a lot of broadcasters do go with bother the widescreen aspect ration and better resolution, they don't have to. I bring it up mainly because I saw nothing about aspect ratio in that press release.

[Guest Pariah]

What is this HD stuff?

[bradolson 0]

if they go to HD, i'm sure JR will claim the next camera HHH destroys with the sledgehammer is worth around half a million

[Kizzo 0]

I don't expect WWE to deliver an 1080i signal.....the highest they may go is 720P......

 

From reading the HD boards across the net....WWE has been ready to broadcast in HD for the longest......and I'm almost posititve that NBC brought this up when negotiations were taking place...

 

Does anyone know how much HD cameras cost?

[Dobbs 3K 0]

WWE in HD is a matter of "when", not "if." Mainly it depends on how quickly the cable companies get off their butts and start making more HD channels widely available. The satellite companies have been doing a better job of this. They will definitely be in digital format at some point, and HD is a no-brainer from there (especially if they really do already own HD cameras).

 

Btw, I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure true HD is only in 16x9 widescreen (720p or 1080i), not the 4x3 aspect ratio that we're all used to.

[JJMc 0]

Btw, I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure true HD is only in 16x9 widescreen (720p or 1080i), not the 4x3 aspect ratio that we're all used to.

You are correct, sir.

[Kizzo 0]

WWE in HD is a matter of "when", not "if." Mainly it depends on how quickly the cable companies get off their butts and start making more HD channels widely available. The satellite companies have been doing a better job of this. They will definitely be in digital format at some point, and HD is a no-brainer from there (especially if they really do already own HD cameras).

 

Btw, I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure true HD is only in 16x9 widescreen (720p or 1080i), not the 4x3 aspect ratio that we're all used to.

Did you read the press release....they have already purchased the HD equipment(cameras, video truck and etc).......I think they are either renting the equipment or the equipment is used...

 

Since WWE did sign with a providor that has there "own" HD channel, then I suspect this to come true.....Universal HD is on DIRECTV, Cablevision, Cox, Insight, Mediacom, Voom and probaly others as well....the only cable providor that doesn't carry Universal HD is Comcast and Dish Network(not sure though)

 

Bascially if you subsribe to HD channels...you should have Universal HD..

[Black Lushus 0]

is Smackdown presented in HD anywhere? I know UPN does HD programming but wasn't sure if that covered Smackdown...my cable provider only has about 8 HD channels and UPN isn't one of them, hence why my HD widescreen barely gets usage at the moment...

[Styles 0]

Yeah, but who gets this channel? My Comcast digital cable gets Mark Cuban's INHD1 and INHD2 (the former shows MMA shows like UFC, K-1 and KOTC in HD frequently ) but no other "specialty" HD channels. As someone who recently got an HD TV, the quality of these channels really is amazing (but for those without HD TVs you won't notice any difference).

[iggymcfly 0]

Actually, that would be kind of a good angle if somebody flipped out and destroyed the cameras, and then the HD feed cut out, and everyone had to watch on regular TV. It would just put over the angle a little bit more if they lost the HD feed as a result of something a wrestler did.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

First of all, to correct the post by Slapnuts!, Mark Cuban doesn't own INHD1 and 2. InDemand (the PPV provider) does. Mark Cuban owns HDNet, which is like INHD with a completely different set of shows that get run over and over endlessly.

 

I don't expect WWE to deliver an 1080i signal.....the highest they may go is 720P......

NBC uses 1080i for all their events, including NASCAR and Olympics broadcasts. Only if they were with ABC/ESPN would they use 720p.

 

While most sporting events do use two seperate sets of cameras, most pre-recorded sitcoms are recorded with one set of cameras in HD and then are clipped to a 4:3 box in every shot for the SD broadcast.

 

Because of this, if anything, I expect SmackDown to go HD before Raw or PPVs, which require two different sets of cameras.

 

However, at present, don't look for any of it to go HD, because Nielsen doesn't track HD viewerships, which means that WWE can't tell who is looking at their ad. It also means nobody is interested in buying the ad time on the HD channel in the first place (which is why, for the entire course of the Games, NBC's Olympic HD feed had only one lousy Sony commercial that repeated endlessly for a week, because Sony knew that channel would be playing in so many electronics stores.)

 

Basically, there's NOTHING for McMahon to gain money-wise from going HD, but there's equipment costs and stuff that means money to lose. He won't go for it.

[Styles 0]

First of all, to correct the post by Slapnuts!, Mark Cuban doesn't own INHD1 and 2. InDemand (the PPV provider) does. Mark Cuban owns HDNet, which is like INHD with a completely different set of shows that get run over and over endlessly.

Woops! [Johnny Carson]I...didn't know that[/Johnny Carson]. I had heard about Cuban owning an HD channel and assumed since this is the only ones I got that that was it. It makes sense to be owned by iNDemand though as it's iNHD. Where are all these HD channels carried? Do you need a satellite dish or something? Comcast gives you all the locals, ESPN, Comcast Sportsnet, a few PBSs, some premiums like HBO and Showtime and the 2 iNHDs. You'd think if all these other exclusive HD networks are out there they'd pick them up...

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

WWE in HD is a matter of "when", not "if." Mainly it depends on how quickly the cable companies get off their butts and start making more HD channels widely available. The satellite companies have been doing a better job of this. They will definitely be in digital format at some point, and HD is a no-brainer from there (especially if they really do already own HD cameras).

 

Btw, I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure true HD is only in 16x9 widescreen (720p or 1080i), not the 4x3 aspect ratio that we're all used to.

CRTC has ruled it has to be by the end of 2010.

 

As for the States, I believe the FCC ruled 2006.

 

 

   

I know this would make some HD owners like myself very happy!!! 

 

 

Give me a brief hand with this. I've heard a variety of things, the two most common being:

 

1) I need a cable box and have to punch in higher number, say CBC is channel 301, CTV is channel 302, etc.

 

2) If a show is broadcast in HD, and I have a HDTV, the TV will pick up on it and I will see it in that format, on a regular channel(CBC and CTV are 6 and 8 respectively where I live.) If a show is not HD broadcast, I see it in normal NRTC format.

 

I may have the NRTC thing wrong, but humour me please.

 

And no, I don't know why I can explain the HD deadlines, but not a basic question.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Where are all these HD channels carried? Do you need a satellite dish or something? Comcast gives you all the locals, ESPN, Comcast Sportsnet, a few PBSs, some premiums like HBO and Showtime and the 2 iNHDs. You'd think if all these other exclusive HD networks are out there they'd pick them up...

It depends on the provider. Right now, the cable companies are beginning to ally together a bit to battle satellite. INHD is an only-on-cable thing, since InDemand is at least funded if not owned outright by the conglomos of cable. Some cable companies carry both INHD and HDnet (I think Charter? Maybe not) but not many.

 

Our Comcast has FOX (although it took a while thanks to the affiliate being a hard ass), NBC, ABC, CBS, INHD1/2, Discovery, one PBS, some blank screen called HD/SE that sometimes turns into NFL network HD, local As/Giants games presented by FSN Bay Area on the same channel as INHD2 (overrun), and HBO/MAX/SHO/TMC/STARZ.

 

Cable's advantage over satellite is initial cost, as you rent the receiver for a few dollars every month instead of buying it for several hundred.

 

There's also some complicated issues over getting the NBC/CBS/ABC/PBS stuff, as it's basically easier to get that stuff in HD via cable than it is over satellite due to bandwith issues. If you actually live inside your major metropolitian area and can get those signals out of the air with an antenna, it makes things much easier, because as it is, the most the dish groups will do is give you your local affiliate in SD, and give you a major time zone affiliate (i.e. an LA station in the west, an NYC station in the east) in HD, and that requries a ton of paperwork to get through so that the satellite company can legally hook you up. And if your local affiliate doesn't want to play along with that paperwork, poo on you.

 

Although cable generally gives you less reasons to tear your hair out, satellite seems to have all the programming at the minute, but perhaps not for long. VooM is a service that revolves around giving HD viewers something to watch, as they carry pretty much every HD channel as well as make something around 6-8 HD channels of their own that play movies, cartoons, music videos, etc. Unfortunately, things went sour at the top executive level and the company may blink out of existence on any day now.

 

For a list of just about every HD network in the country and what they're playing today, use this page.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

CRTC has ruled it has to be by the end of 2010.

 

As for the States, I believe the FCC ruled 2006.

I don't know about the CRTC, but Congress continues to legislate that it either be by that date or when the amount of Americans owning HD-capable TVs reaches a certain high percentage (can't remember the exact number), whichever comes last. So over half of America would have to replace their current sets with HDTV or HD-ready TVs in the next year for that 2006 date to mean anything.

 

As it is, 2006 will come and go, HD will still be a niche toy owned by the rich and the techno-philes, Congress will push it the next year to 2009, and nothing will happen. This wonderful leadership is brought to you by contributions from various entertainment firms that do not want to go HD until they're ready to, and they're not ready to unless there's enough viewers to make it profitable for them.

 

And since there won't be profitable numbers until people find enough HD channels to make buying the set worthwhile, this little chicken and egg problem will likely continue over the next couple decades.

[Kizzo 0]

MORE HD NEWS

 

November 17, 2004

 

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has recently acquired an HD upgrade to its Snell & Wilcox Alchemist Platinum Ph.C standards converter and Ukon system to do up-, down- and cross conversion.

 

WWE produces nine hours of original programming for domestic broadcast every week. It also creates 40 hours of international programming weekly, in addition to producing assorted specials and home videos, and launching a video on demand network.

 

HDTU called Marty Ludwin, WWE senior director of engineering, to find out if the organization has plans to deliver high-flying ring hijinks in high-definition television.

 

HDTU: What are the WWE’s plans for HD programming?

 

Marty Ludwin: While there are no plans to start producing weekly programming in HD in the near future, we do have to prepare for the day when the phone call will come.

 

HDTU: So, what shape have your preparations taken?

 

Ludwin: We’ve been laying the roadmap for the growth into HD for sometime.

 

We started in 2001 on a project to update our 15-year-old facility that was built around 1in VTRs. We began working to bring the facility up to full digital. HD has been a consideration from the onset of this task, especially in terms of cabling, jack fields and location of the HD-capable router. All of this has been part of the process.

 

The facility was based on an old BTS router with two-channel audio. It was beginning to fail, and it needed to be replaced. Initially, the rebuild was based around the router.

 

We performed a testing and approval process of cable types to ensure that everything was HD-ready.

 

We have a strategic relationship with Thomson Grass Valley and the majority of our design is based on their products, including the Venus and Trinity routers.

 

HDTU: So, HD was part of your thinking in shifting from your old analog facility?

 

Ludwin: Right. We are seeing a very big shift in the trends of production throughout the industry, and that affects us as well.

 

For instance, in the past WWE specials and promos have been shot on film. Now they are being shot in HD.

 

In fact, we are in the process of installing a few nonlinear editing systems based on Apple’s Final Cut Pro HD. We are looking to edit those specials and promos in HD.

 

HDTU: So what is your thinking on a preferred HD standard when you eventually get the call to begin weekly HD program production?

 

Ludwin: We haven’t decided yet, but since we provide content to our many broadcast partners, the HD standard they choose will help determine what we provide. With that thinking we have to be prepared to accept the many HD standards and deliver just as many standards. We’re already seeing HDCAM and DVCPRO HD starting to roll through our facility.

 

HDTU: So your goal is to support current HD production of promos and specials, while planning for an eventual roll out of weekly WWE programming in HD at some indefinite future date?

 

Ludwin: On one level that’s correct. But the bottom line is our fans are the most important element. We are always pushing to improve their experience, and HD will help do this. Our live shows can be improved with HD, enhancing the fans’ experience. And of course, there is the expectation that the viewer at home will have an enhanced experience when HD is rolled out. That’s something we are all looking forward to.

 

WWE HD

 

They were prepared which is good....but they were waiting for someone to call......and now they have an answer(NBC Universal)

 

Remember this interview was done in November...and they just signed with NBC this week.....so who knows how far along they are with the upgrading....I think we may see RAW debut in HD when they go to USA Network......I'm not positive...but I think we may see it...

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Again, I'll doubt it. Raw is live, which means they need to have an HD crew and a standard crew. SmackDown can be recorded entirely in HD then downconverted and cropped into a 4:3 shot.

 

Also, if they're using Final Cut Pro, no wonder the video packages kick so much ass.

[Kizzo 0]

Again, I'll doubt it. Raw is live, which means they need to have an HD crew and a standard crew. SmackDown can be recorded entirely in HD then downconverted and cropped into a 4:3 shot.

 

Also, if they're using Final Cut Pro, no wonder the video packages kick so much ass.

WWE already has atleast one production truck(which is rented) with them at all times, and they just rented an HD truck(or in the process since they already have the video equipment).....Again I'm not saying its going to happen, but all signs point to it happening...and the NBC Universal signing only increased its chances.....because it will help with the adjustments and costs since NBC Universal(USA Network and etc) are already broadcasting in HD......

 

I think the regular broadcasts use atleast 7-10 cams.....there are 3 on the side, 2 ring, 1 were the announcers are located, 1 on the crane, and 1-2 backstage(With that many cameras, upgrading to HD cameras must have been very expensive)...

 

And yes using that kind of software we now know why its so sweet looking(video packages)

 

And again, I'm not sure they will broadcast in HD or not this year or next...I'm just happy they have prepared for it...and are on a network that broadcast in it...

[Guest jumpingbombangel]

Wrestling should go high definition solely for the purpose of showing how ugly some of the workers are at close range.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

I was just thinking, if Vince could get on Mark Cuban's HD Net, we could have nudity out the wazoo in a latenight timeslot.

 

Personally, I like to think that I've beat the "WWE needs to be in HD" horse to death, and no one else seemed to care, so its good to see that theres someone else out there that wants it.

 

I would think they would go with 720P since thats what most sports use, as its the best resolution for fast movement. 1080i is good for stuff like sitcoms.

 

Right now, I have Directv and I get - ESPNHD, Universal HD, Discovery HD Theatre, HD Net, HD Net Movies, NBC East HD (NY), Fox East HD (NY) and Fox West HD (NY) from Directv, along with CBS and PBS in HD and ABC/UPN in digital standard definition via an over the air antenna (OH MY GOD AN ANTENNA!). It still befuddles me why my ABC station doesn't do anything in actual HD...maybe next year's Super Bowl will change that. I could be getting some of the movie channels in HD if I subscribed to the, as well as Spice HD if uh..I wanted. Directv is in the process of launching satellites blah blah blah, and with their new MPEG4 compression scheme, they are looking at adding 1500 HD Channels (100 of which could be national networks which would be a lot more than what any cable system could/would carry).

 

As for the whole "HD TVs are too expensive!!" argument..Wal Mart has a decent 30 inch widescrreen HD set with a built in tuner for less than $600.

Its not a name brand (Its Sanyo) but it gets reviews almost as good as Sony and Samsung. Eventually, lower end HD sets (big hefty CRTs, which actually are better than LCD/Plasma/DLP/etc in a lot of respects) will only be like $100 or so more than regular TVs. Most people only equate HD TV with $5000 Plasma TV, but thats not really the case.

[Astro7x 0]

Btw, I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure true HD is only in 16x9 widescreen (720p or 1080i), not the 4x3 aspect ratio that we're all used to.

That's correct, but there is not requirement saying that broadcasters MUST broadcast in 16x9 and 720p/1080i either. For example, PBS is going to be using the additional bandwidth to multiplex 4 different television stations during the day, and then switching to 1 station in True HDTV during Prime Time. Also, your standard cable stations are broadcasted over cable or satellite, which has your built in converter, so they have nothing to worry about... they can broadcast in 4x3 with reruns as long as they want, and then purchase HDTV Programming as they go and mix it in with SD programming

 

In a lot of major markets, like Detroit for example, ABC multiplexes a SD broadcast of camera from the renaissance center which is seen on Action News a lot, and then the other is a weather radar. They are not doing anything with it now, but they are able to.

 

The current issue though is if cable companies are required to carry all channels that a broadcaster multiplexes due to Must Carry laws. There is already an agreement to carry all 4 PBS stations, but not from ABC, NBC or CBS.

 

However, at present, don't look for any of it to go HD, because Nielsen doesn't track HD viewerships, which means that WWE can't tell who is looking at their ad.

Neilsen tracks anything you want them to... the catch is that it costs money for them to track your ratings. You don't see ratings for community access stations because it costs too much money for them to do.

 

I would think it's possible that due to low HDTV viewership that many stations decide to not have their ratings calculated so it doesn't look bad to advertisers. But who knows, that's all my speculation

 

CRTC has ruled it has to be by the end of 2010.

 

As for the States, I believe the FCC ruled 2006.

The FCC keeps giving dates and pushing them back. They recently said 2009 due to broadcasters not being able to convert in time.

 

A lot of people are saying that it does look more likely they will reach their goal in 2009. It's not your big markets like NY, LA that are not keeping up with changing over to HDTV broadcasts, it's the smaller markets...

 

There's also some complicated issues over getting the NBC/CBS/ABC/PBS stuff, as it's basically easier to get that stuff in HD via cable than it is over satellite due to bandwith issues.

DirecTV is launching something like... two Satellites this year, and another two next year for HDTV progamming I believe (mainly locals).

 

I don't know about the CRTC, but Congress continues to legislate that it either be by that date or when the amount of Americans owning HD-capable TVs reaches a certain high percentage (can't remember the exact number), whichever comes last. So over half of America would have to replace their current sets with HDTV or HD-ready TVs in the next year for that 2006 date to mean anything.

 

As it is, 2006 will come and go, HD will still be a niche toy owned by the rich and the techno-philes, Congress will push it the next year to 2009, and nothing will happen. This wonderful leadership is brought to you by contributions from various entertainment firms that do not want to go HD until they're ready to, and they're not ready to unless there's enough viewers to make it profitable for them.

Lets see if I can remember....

 

I believe it's something like 85% of any given market must be able to view Advanced TV signals. Keep in mind... i did not say HDTV programming. Want to know what congress considers Advanced TV? If you have Cable or Satellite, you are considered being able to get advanced TV. Because even if you do not have an HDTV, and lets say your local ABC only broadcasts in HDTV, your satellite/cable company's receiver/cablebox will be able to convert that signal to watch on your analogue TV.

 

The FCC doesn't care if you are viewing true HDTV on an HDTV set, just that you are SOMEHOW able to watch your local broadcast channels on your television set, either with a DTV tuner, or a Converter Box.

 

Most people only equate HD TV with $5000 Plasma TV, but thats not really the case.

Plasmas have such a short life span too of only like... 4-5 years I think. And the problem with burn in and playing video games turns me off to a plasma screen anyway.