StudioTech 13 Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Has anyone else noticed that for the past couple of weeks, the live remote reporter shots are no longer widescreen and have reverted back to 4x3? Wondering if there have been any technical changes over that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StudioTech 13 Posted October 13, 2009 Author Share Posted October 13, 2009 It appears that the entire Colombus Day Parade was 4:3 so something changed where they can't/won't do live remotes in widescreen anymore, yet taped footage for newscasts are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caliwxdude 252 Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 I think this has something to do with NBC O&Os phasing out their Betacam SX camcorders and going to the smaller, hand-held Panasonic HVX series of P2 tapeless camcorders. These new cameras are only equipped with HD-SDI and composite outputs, and most live trucks aren't upgraded with the capability to handle HD-SDI. So field crews are thus forced to use analog composite out on the cameras (the same cable that you used to hook up your VCR in the early 1990s) and into the live truck, forcing them to downgrade to a 4:3 signal. Once the trucks are upgraded with the capability to handle an HD-SDI signal, 16:9 should be back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alaskanews 108 Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Doing liveshots in HD limit your range greatly. We just upgraded our vans to digital and in SD we have a range of about 60 miles, but if you were to transmit in HD it's down to about 5 miles... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMA 135 Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 IIRC, WNBC live trucks weren't transmitting in 16:9 SD, it was sent out as a "squeezed" 16:9 image, in a 4:3 SD frame, then stretched in the control room. As a result, it looked awfully soft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProButtonPusher 230 Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Usually anything that is "broadcast" in 16x9 SD has been compressed to 4x3 somewhere in the process, usually using pre-existing 4x3 SD equipment. I don't think many things are made for 16x9 SD (doesn't really make economic sense to actually buy such equipment), so they use older 4x3 SD equipment until newer 16x9 HD equipment is put in. I *believe* Panasonic HVX cameras can put out a 16x9 SD picture (they're HD cameras) through the analogue/composite outputs. Another theory to think about, they could have temporarily reverted back while they install new equipment to make HD live possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IceManNYR 223 Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I don't believe WNBC has ever done a local parade in 16:9 they have all been 4:3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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