NBA TV Counts On HDTV To Deliver ëCourtside Seatí To Home Viewers

3-Mar-04

This season the National Basketball Association (NBA) will broadcast 50 games in HDTV, taking clean HD feeds from regional production partners and inserting HD graphics, studio cut-ins, and commercials from its broadcast center in Secaucus, N.J. Bringing the NBA courtside experience to fans watching at home has gotten a little easier this season thanks to the 50 games NBA TV will deliver this year in high-definition.From its wider screen that takes in more of the court to its crystal-clear pictures that let fans see the sweat dripping from a playerís nose, HDTV has a lot to offer NBA fans. ìWe think that the medium of HDTV is perfect for our sport because of the aspect ratio and the quality of the picture that replicates the experience of having a courtside seat,î said NBA Vice President, Operations And Technology, Steve Hellmuth. ìIt gives the fan at home the opportunity to really appreciate the NBA and the spectacular athletes these guys are.îThis season, NBA TV will produce 15 games in HDTV and rely on clean HD feeds from Comcast, Fox Sports, and other regional partners to produce NBA action in HDTV for a national audience. HD graphics, studio cut-ins and commercials are inserted from the leagueís teleproduction center in Secaucus, N.J., and fed to distribution partners like inDemand via satellite. NBA TV also downconverts its HDTV feed to SD to serve the large audience still watching NTSC. According to Hellmuth, inserting HD graphics and studio shots from its headquarters rather than producing the entire game in HD from the field not only makes sense financially but also from a talent point-of-view. ìFinding people on a regional basis to operate the (Chryon) HD Duet is more difficult than drawing on talent pool thatís here,î said Hellmuth.Sound is also an important element in delivering the true game experience to HD viewers. ìWhen we do 5.1 Surround, the crowd is behind you,î explained Hellmuth. ìSneaker squeaks, whistles and other court sounds are in front of you and left and right, and the announcers are a little in front and behind. We are attempting to put the viewer in a courtside seat.îHellmuth takes the potential impact of HD on the viewerís experience seriously. ìI was privileged enough to watch Michael Jordon play -watch him play defense- and watch how intense he was firsthand. With HD, fans will be able to experience that same intensity right in their living rooms.îFor more information, please visit: www.nba.com/nba_tv.

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