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WTF is wrong with US network's colour?


Daniel

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NBC is showing the final and the colours look so washed out compared to the original, bright and lush signal (as seen on RDS). The same thing seems to happen with MLS games and WC games on ABC, which all look as if someone turned on the brightness and downed the contrast.

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quote:Originally posted by Daniel

NBC is showing the final and the colours look so washed out compared to the original, bright and lush signal (as seen on RDS). The same thing seems to happen with MLS games and WC games on ABC, which all look as if someone turned on the brightness and downed the contrast.

I have wondered about that for some time. I have theory as to why that is is the case. I think that it is your local cable company that is doing that as a subtle way to pressure the viewers to watch the these programs on the canadian network. maybe to make sure that during rating sweeps the viewer will mark in that he/she watched the Cnd channel rather than the US affiliate for which no advert $$$ can be gained. I notice this moreso when I am in Montreal.

If you ever visit the USA and watch the same events you will notice that the colours are crystal clear. I have noticed this with NFL games that are simulcast ( ie,; US network and Global). The picture sound and everything else is vastly superior on the canadian chanell even though its the same event.

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What, NBC is actually showing some LIVE Olympic coverage??? [:0]

quote:Originally posted by Free kick

I think that it is your local cable company that is doing that as a subtle way to pressure the viewers to watch the these ptrograms on the canadian network. maybe to make sure that during rating sweeps the viewer will mark in the he/she watched the Cns channel rather than the US affiliate for which no advert $$$ can be gained.

That's not it, because when a show is simulcast by, for example, NBC and Global (which is common during prime time), even if we watch NBC we will see the same commercials as shown on Global (this is done precisely to counter the scenario you describe). This issue usually comes up during the Super Bowl, because we can't see those "big" commercials at halftime that are shown in the US.
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Another thing than many may not be aware of, The simulcasting of events like the NFL means that you are not seeing it live.

I used to live in a unit within a building whereby the landlord had a long standing dispute with the cable company. The result being that they would not allow rogers to install the equipment. Thus none of us residents were able to get cable ( even if we wanted to). Instaed the building was equiped with certain antenna strong enough to pick up some of the US network affiliates in Buffalo. The drawback of course was that we could never get TSN or other cnd cable channells. In fact, now that I remember, this was a big aggravation in 1994 when Canada was playing in WCQ in that I was unable to watch any games witjout having to go out to watch them in pub. I had a hard time finding a place that would show Canada versus Mexico at Varsity. Anyways, Back to the main point, The NFL games that we got were often on both the US affilate that we got direct through Buffalo and of course separately on Global. What I learned was that the play was about 5-10 seconds behind on the Global telecast comapred to the US channell.

But later on they resolved this issue with rogers and we all got Cable and the Cable company forced them to take down their existing antenna. So we ended up getting cable hence the simulcasts on both channells.

I have grown to really hate simulcasting of sport events. What a cheap and sleazy way by networks to make a buck without doing any work. IMO its one of the things to hate about canadian broadcasting practices. Global or any other hick channell just buys the rights for a product that anyone else could see on a US cable channel, and they add No production investment what so ever and simulcasts it on a 5 second delay thus giving the viewer an inferior product without even telling the viewer. In the process they created no jobs at all in production and technical staff. I wish there were some legislation against this kind of practice. At least with the EPL, the broadcast features a pregame and half time segmant with Gerry as well as Soccer central. Plus the viewer has no other options to watch the game without going to a pub with sattelite. But things like the NFL and Baseball, the viewer could just as easily watch this stuff on the US cable channel. Who still doesn't have at least basic cable these days?

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quote:Originally posted by DJT

That's not it, because when a show is simulcast by, for example, NBC and Global (which is common during prime time), even if we watch NBC we will see the same commercials as shown on Global (this is done precisely to counter the scenario you describe). This issue usually comes up during the Super Bowl, because we can't see those "big" commercials at halftime that are shown in the US.

precisely, but the canadian channell might be concerned that someone who happens to have a Nielson ratings booklet at that time, might fill in that they watched the US channel instaed when it in reality its the Canadian who bought the rights who get the ad revenues and is able to show the ratings under their broadcast schedule. Again, I am speculating here, do NOT know it for a fact.

PS.: Another way to give credance my point. Have you ever noticed that when they publish the list of top rated shows in Canada, you will never see US shows on that list for which a Canadian network ( CTV or Global) doesn't own the Cnd broadcast rights for ( ie.: gets to insert canadian commercials for). Why is that?

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I once asked the Toronto Star media guy (Zelkovich) as to why hockey always looked so crappy on the American networks (dull grey ice) compared to the bright and shiny Canadian productions.

I forget the exact description as to how it all worked, but he said something to the extent that the American feeds were delivered from the venue to the transmitting station via cable, while the Canadians used satellite, which gave a better picture.

Not that that logic would necessarily apply for the Olympics.

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quote:Originally posted by Free kick

precisely, but the canadian channell might be concerned that someone who happens to have a Nielson ratings booklet at that time, might fill in that they watched the US channel instaed when it in reality its the Canadian who bought the rights who get the ad revenues and is able to show the ratings under their broadcast schedule. Again, I am speculating here, do NOT know it for a fact.

I would think that the system would be set up so that if you are watching NBC when the same show is on Global then it will count (for advertising purposes) as if you were watching Global?
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Anyone ever notice the lack of quality of the picture of HNIC on CBC? TSN's games are much crisper looking, on CBC all the players are blured. The EPL on SN often has better picture quality then the NHL on CBC.

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This may have nothing to do with the blurred pictures but just in case it may help some. If you are on cable, cable companies have distribution boxes with individual amplifiers. With time these need adjusting, so just call the cable co. and tell them your signal on channel so and so is too weak and they will fix it. Beware that if you are using cable splitters your signal also goes down.

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Comparing the R-C and CBC broadcasts of the WCH, you can clearly see that CBC's is much more blurry. However, I prefer the overall look and sound of it. R-C has a sort of grey blandness to the image, the announcers don't sound nearly as excited and the crowd noise is turned down.

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