All Stories FeedLow definition tennis for Seven
Seven’s broadcast of the 2009 Australian Open kicks off tomorrow. Two whole weeks of almost wall to wall tennis,
If you’re a die-hard sports fan its a veritable feast, and it conveniently allows Seven to promote its key shows for February.
And as a fan you are probably looking forward to seeing the broadcast in all its glory. But you won’t see much difference in the quality of sound and vision on 7HD over Seven’s standard channel.
Seven won’t be broadcasting the tennis in high-definition.
No, in 2009 it will again be broadcast in SD on both its channels.
This is a disappointing decision by Seven.
Nine broadcasts its cricket in high definition on 9HD and TEN does likewise for the AFL on TEN HD.
While networks are trying to impress us with promises of Freeview and goading us to upgrade to digital HD television, Seven continues a go-slow on offering contemporary vision.
No doubt one of the reasons behind this is the fact that the revenue is driven by Seven’s SD channel. Offering a more appealing broadcast on 7HD doesn’t add-up when it ratings (and revenue) are not supplied.
ABC2 (which is digital but not high-def) is the only FTA network outside out traditional 5 FTA channels included in OzTAM ratings.
OzTAM is jointly owned by Seven, Nine and TEN.
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there using hd cameras u see them when they got the cameras on screen.
also both in the uk and the states the tennis is in high def
and i think foxsports have it on hd too
wtf channel 7
Check the cameras closely. They all have the seven logo and they all say HD just near the lens.
This situation has made me livid. Broadcasting SD quality on their HD channel almost does amount to false advertising, as Jon mentioned. To do so when they are filming on their own HD equipment to satisfy overseas markets rather than their local one is not only dissapointing, it’s insulting.
Don’t even get me started on the inane cross-promotion they’ve forced the commentators to do…. Oh and those ridiculous set-up-ball-on-court shots with even more cross-promotion when they come back from a break…. aaargh
wat a joke you would think the monkeys running channel 7 would have learnt after the olympics ………
It’s just not cricket, that there is no HD coverage and that us Queenslanders have to suffer hour delays due to southern programmers who don’t know the difference betweed high and standard definition and AEDT and AEST.
If anyone is angry about these decisions, from either Brisbane or Perth, send a comment David’s way.
Isn’t it a breach of protocol (or a breach of logic) to have a dedicated HD channel that broadcasts in Standard Definition? It’s like getting standard unleaded out of the high octane hose at the petrol station. It is nothing short of false advertising. I say if 7’s not broadcasting a particular show in HD then they shouldn’t be able to advertise it as being on the HD channel. Indeed, if there is no HD content at a given time, there should be nothing showing on the HD channel—the HD channel should be blank. As for ratings excluding the HD viewers of the same show…if this is true, then it is also a breach of logic.
I can’t get any 7 digital signal, HD or SD. I have never had an issue with any channels before tonight and all the other channels are received fine. Is anyone else not recieving 7HD or 7SD tennis??
@ Ella. I have got to agree with you that “wehearttv” is quite lame. I’m actually talking about throughout histroy, I have preferred Nine’s promos, compared to Seven’s. The main reason for why I like Nine’s promos better is because I was in love with their 2004 promo, with the whole “Still The One.” So I do got to admit, we heart tv is a pathetic slogan. Channel Ten has the bet slogan. Seriously.
@gerrard, so do you think wehearttv is better? OMG it makes me want to vomit.
personally i cannot see much difference HD or SD but i know this will cause a lot of disapointment
The tennis is quite annoying. It starts off quite good and enjoyable, but after a couple of days or so, it’s unbareable. It also interrupts normal viewing.
Maybe Channel Seven should just show the tennis on either 7 or 7HD. Not on both channels.
Channel Seven also need to revamp their on-air look for both sports and normal TV. Their on-air presentation, especially their watermark, is disgusting and needs a serious overahaul. However, I do prefer Nine so it is good that Seven is ugly.
Digital FTA TV in this country is a joke.
Do we know for sure that it is shot and produced in HD?
Last time I say it on ESPN USA in the US it was not HD – just 16×9 SD upscaled.
This is ridic of Seven.
The FreeView and digital joke continues…
1. If tennis not in HD, then why not offer regular or alternative programming on 7HD for those who are not into the tennis?
2. Suggest that ESPN and the like will be upscaling the coverage to HD. If 7 filmed in HD, they’d show it in HD. Suggest 7’s HD equipment tied up in their local productions like Home and Away, City Homicide and Rafters.
3. HD and extra channels not counting in ratings? That explains everything. Ideally that would be changed by Feb 8, and 7 and 9 would start using 2nd SD channel then too. Wouldn’t be surprised if there was no change until the launch of ONE.
This is absolutely hilarious and will be the best comedy on Oz tv this year (“Freeview” lol)! Clever country… hmmmm. The government should give those extra channels to others to put new content on (if all they will be is just a duplicate of existing content).
“…”7HD doesn’t add-up when it ratings (and revenue) are not supplied.”
Shows hows a screwy ratings system can undermine digital tv intentions. So the writing is clear for digital tv in Oz. Even if they fix the rating system the current broadcasters don’t want to risk splitting their viewing base across other channels (even if they own them) – So they will put crap on them instead. Do we really have to wait years before the government and authorities wisen up?
Simply the co$tof it…Seven is too scummy to invest in the technology to broadcast it properly…..can’t wait until the Tennis ends up on ONE.
In HD in other countries, but not the host country? Embarassing… Wonder if Fox Sports might even do HD coverage.
well this is very poor form. i expected better from 7. they have proven to be using their HD well so far, they are still the only ones to produce local content made for 7HD, and i am loving all the scrubs episodes scattered everywhere.
but this is not very good. i don’t have surround sound and can barely tell the diff between HD and SD on my new LCD. but i know there are people out there that are very passionate about having shows in HD that will be very disappointed.
Didnt they use one of the spare SD channels to provide live scores, trivia and whatnot a few years ago? Shame they dont even do that anymore.
Better to spend your $$ on a ticket to the tennis!!
It’s on DirectTV in the states in HD guess I will be watching it via DirecTV. How poor
The easy thing in protest is not to watch channel 7 sport , particular the tennis, reason why viewers in Australia are getting treated like this , is because people are still watching the station when people arent watching then channel 7 will take notice.
If people had any sense the majority would boycott tennis
This is why Ten is the home of sport.
This is an unbelivable decision when it is being filmed in HD. ESPN and the Tennis Channel in America are showing it in all in HD so they must filiming in HD.
If they really want to broadcast alternative programming how about getting that extra channel set up that they are promising us.
Wankers.
this is a joke! Massive tennis fan here, with a massive hd tv which will for another year look like shite whilst watching the tennis! so annoying!
My opinion is: Digital take up would have been faster is the drive behind it was more channel choice rather than the promise of exactly the same channels but in slightly higher definition.
Think back to your old 4:3 tube TV days. Did you ever set your VHS machine to record a sport event to watch it at a later time? Well, did you enjoy it less because of the lower definition?
People watch YouTube! It’s not about the level of definition which, after the Wow impact, is quickly forgotten. It’s about programming choice, in my opinion.
Another inferior sporting telecast by Seven. Surprise, surprise. Thank goodness they have no Olympics or Commonwealth Games in the near future!
Yeah, it’s bad. Surprised other networks around the world hasn’t forced Seven to show it in HD. Man, they are slow
who cares. We still see the f**** game don’t we
Our government and networks really have an amateurish outlook when it comes to digital TV. Look at the UK where the public and commercial networks there have all embraced multi-channelling under their Freeview banner. Even NZ has a more progressive setup than here.
Here, our networks are showing a complete lack of interest in multi-channelling except for Ten although their new sports channel is essentially going to rob any viewers of being able to watch their normal shows in HD. Seven has an HD channel which they are not going even going to utilise for their showcase sporting event of the summer, and not any word at all as to their new SD channel.
And Nine isn’t much better. Not surprising given that a chunk of the flow of viewers from FTA is going to their partners at Foxtel, so what do they care?
ABC and SBS are left begging for funding to allow more digital channels.
And the government isn’t even giving community TV a mere foot in the digital door.
So when will OzTAM starting counting HD channels so this whole mess can end?
they are nto showing in hd because. they are going to flog to death there brilliant hd package, just like they did with tivo and it probably isnt a brilliant package like tivo. 7 should be banned from covering all sports in australia. briz 31 would do a better job at covering sports than channelm 7 do
in November 2007, seven had released an official article that said that the Open tennis would not be HD in 2008, but would be in 2009. I guess they must’ve gone back on their word.
Also just to correct something already mentioned, oztam has been separately reporting the HD Channels since late November 2008.
7 treating viewers with contempt. Hardly surprising.
The reason their not airing it in HD is coz at night time, they will only be airing 2 hours of the tennis on 7HD, as opposed to the SD channel airing the tennis from 7:30-12:30. There’s gonna be unique programming from 9:30pm on 7HD.
It is a pity that it isn’t in HD, but I think that is another of their reasons.
“You really need to see a ball being smacked over a net in HD?? Seriously”
If you saw HD sport on a good set-up you would see that it can look fantastic. And clearly superior to SD.
The AFL Grand Final was on 7HD so they can do it, though I think the OBs are done by private companies.
Yep, we all need to watch overpaid, under talanted people who cannot get a real job in the world bash a little ball over a net in HD.
I’d rather wath grass grow in HD, would be much more exciting.
But, maybe people really want to see those women/girls in skimpy outfits in HD, that I can understand
You really need to see a ball being smacked over a net in HD?? Seriously…….
AFL and cricket in HD! not if you’re watching SC10 in the regionals, meanwhile SC10 broadcasts 9am with David and Kim and House in HD. Obviously not HD sports fans. LOL.
am i imagining things or was this promised to be in HD? and also those HD ratings were supposed to start in november, much like southern cross ten delivering 10HD, promises in tv land aren’t worth a dime.
Sloppy, sloppy, work! The signal isn’t broadcast in ‘analogue’ it’s actually a digital signal only in standard definition, not high definition. Come on TVTonight!
So not only will it be in SD again, there’ll be exactly the same content on 7 and 7HD, not even different matches or something? Wow…
Seven really should be banned from sports broadcasting, they screw it up every single time.
Give us grunts and umpires calls in 5.1 surround sound…
They really need to start using the HD channel! so far its useless. The australian open would of been a great start.
If Seven was rebroadcasting the ananlouge signal on 7HD, the 7HD broadcast would be 4:3. It’s not, it’s 16:9, which means that they are rebroadcasting their wide screen digital SD signal as HD.
I think you mean 7 is transmitting in digital Standard Definition, not analogue.
This is stupid, they have HD just sitting there with 1080 waiting but it will be the SD signal we see, so much for FreeView.
Speaking of the ‘crystal clear pictures’ all falls to crap with the slightest bit of bad weather, which is common this time of year on the east coast! Last night 7 was unwatchable at times with pictures and sound break up on what is normally good reception here.