CBS HD vs ABC HD?

HockeyCoach · 12-09-2010, 07:51 AM

My family are big Criminal Minds fans. It's got to be one of the best HD shows I've seen in terms of image quality and detail. To compare, Grey's Anatomy (wife is a fan) on ABC looks very soft and subdued. Is this because ABC broadcast in 720p or could it be that Grey's is filmed that way intentionally?

Gentilesc · 12-09-2010, 03:30 PM

I don't know where you live or where you get your signal, but I am in West Haven, CT and with Comcast. I have found the HD quality on our ABC affiliate (WTNH) to always be inferior to that of the other 3 networks. Soft and subdued are an excellent description of what I am seeing also.

Nexgenrulz · 12-10-2010, 12:33 PM

Also holds true with sporting events on CBS as well. College football and the NFL are far superior vs the other networks. I think it has to do with the HD cameras that are used. I know for a fact that CBS uses Sony HD cameras (as well as TBS) and Fox uses Canon. Fox here lately as well as ESPN have gone down hill in terms of picture quality.

rantanamo · 12-10-2010, 12:52 PM

I'm guessing you guys have 1080p sets?

Nexgenrulz · 12-10-2010, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rantanamo

I'm guessing you guys have 1080p sets?

2 of my 3 are. But what does that have to do with the picture quality of network tv?

jmwatkins · 12-10-2010, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nexgenrulz

Also holds true with sporting events on CBS as well. College football and the NFL are far superior vs the other networks. I think it has to do with the HD cameras that are used. I know for a fact that CBS uses Sony HD cameras (as well as TBS) and Fox uses Canon. Fox here lately as well as ESPN have gone down hill in terms of picture quality.

I agree, CBS has the best PQ for football. I don't watch much baseball, but the PQ on TBS's playoff baseball coverage is the best looking baseball I've seen. I don't know what it is about ABC and ESPN, but football games have by far the worst looking PQ on those networks.

Gentilesc · 12-10-2010, 02:36 PM

Yes I do have a 1080p

Nexgenrulz · 12-10-2010, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmwatkins

I agree, CBS has the best PQ for football. I don't watch much baseball, but the PQ on TBS's playoff baseball coverage is the best looking baseball I've seen. I don't know what it is about ABC and ESPN, but football games have by far the worst looking PQ on those networks.

Here is an article written about the PQ of Fox's baseball coverage back in October.

http://www.tvpredictions.com/foxpix102110.htm

That's right. I'm not sure what Fox is putting on the air this week, but it's definitely not a high-def picture. I have two TV providers (DIRECTV and Comcast) and three televisions, including a state-of-the-art $22,000 Home Theater system, and I can assure you that the picture is not HD.

In contrast, the TBS broadcast of the AL Championship Series between the Yankees and Rangers has been crystal-clear HD with vivid, eye-popping color. Going from TBS to Fox this week has been like going from day to night.

oblioman · 12-10-2010, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nexgenrulz

Here is an article written about the PQ of Fox's baseball coverage back in October.

http://www.tvpredictions.com/foxpix102110.htm

That's right. I'm not sure what Fox is putting on the air this week, but it's definitely not a high-def picture. I have two TV providers (DIRECTV and Comcast) and three televisions, including a state-of-the-art $22,000 Home Theater system, and I can assure you that the picture is not HD.

In contrast, the TBS broadcast of the AL Championship Series between the Yankees and Rangers has been crystal-clear HD with vivid, eye-popping color. Going from TBS to Fox this week has been like going from day to night.

One more reason to quit watching Fox!

nah,,,,just pulling on yuh. Me notices the same thing,,,and someday's it be hit and miss. There be days when Fox is pristine,,,,,and other days when CBS is great,,but ABC seems to always be shabby when it comes to sports.

Nexgenrulz · 12-10-2010, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oblioman

One more reason to quit watching Fox!

nah,,,,just pulling on yuh. Me notices the same thing,,,and someday's it be hit and miss. There be days when Fox is pristine,,,,,and other days when CBS is great,,but ABC seems to always be shabby when it comes to sports.

I'll

to that!

Buddyjay · 02-18-2011, 06:24 AM

Even though this thread is over 2 months old I just wanted to chime in.
I too thought FOX had an amazing picture...last year. Especially pre-game football with Howie and Terry in the studio. The picture used to jump off the screen with vivid colors.

Now it is no where near as good. I though it was my set but reading this thread confirms that it is the studio.

Why would networks switch to inferior equipment? I sure hope other channels don't follow FOX.

**ImRizzo** · 02-18-2011, 08:13 AM

In the New York market FOX has very good PQ especially in their higher rated series, ie
House, Fringe, and most sporting events. At least on Cablevision Optimum svc.

lsilvest · 02-21-2011, 04:40 PM

In our local market CBS sucks. They've had problems for a while with equipment and just switched from VHF to UHF but that didn't even help. At one time they were very good. All the others have excellent PQ. Football on both ABC and Fox are far superior to CBS.

Sports should be better on both ABC and Fox because they are broadcasting progressive instead of interlaced and therefore are less susceptible to any motion blur. That's the main reason they opted for 720p instead of 1080i.

**rbinck** · 02-21-2011, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsilvest

Sports should be better on both ABC and Fox because they are broadcasting progressive instead of interlaced and therefore are less susceptible to any motion blur. That's the main reason they opted for 720p instead of 1080i.

Should be technically, but the truth is there is a great deal of camera motion blur on every channel when it comes to fast motion. Here is an example. It was cut out of a frame grab. The frame grab was from the NASCAR Daytona 500 that I recorded OTA and I cut a smaller portion in order to make it small enough to fit in a post. The original grab was 1280x720.

As you can see the cars are pretty clear, but the fence posts and the crowd is quite blurry. Being FOX it was 720p, but you would get that at 1080i as well. You would get that on both LCDs and plasmas for that matter because it is in the source.

**ImRizzo** · 02-21-2011, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbinck

Should be technically, but the truth is there is a great deal of camera motion blur on every channel when it comes to fast motion. Here is an example. It was cut out of a frame grab. The frame grab was from the NASCAR Daytona 500 that I recorded OTA and I cut a smaller portion in order to make it small enough to fit in a post. The original grab was 1280x720.

As you can see the cars are pretty clear, but the fence posts and the crowd is quite blurry. Being FOX it was 720p, but you would get that at 1080i as well. You would get that on both LCDs and plasmas for that matter because it is in the source.

That is also a product of TV cameras on fixed focus panning the action. A lot of factors involved to inc fast movig action against a fixed background and foreground the depth of feild on the lens openning etc.

12-09-2010, 07:51 AM	#1
HockeyCoach High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 53	CBS HD vs ABC HD? My family are big Criminal Minds fans. It's got to be one of the best HD shows I've seen in terms of image quality and detail. To compare, Grey's Anatomy (wife is a fan) on ABC looks very soft and subdued. Is this because ABC broadcast in 720p or could it be that Grey's is filmed that way intentionally?

12-10-2010, 12:33 PM	#3
Nexgenrulz Damn B! Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Kansas Posts: 3,083	Also holds true with sporting events on CBS as well. College football and the NFL are far superior vs the other networks. I think it has to do with the HD cameras that are used. I know for a fact that CBS uses Sony HD cameras (as well as TBS) and Fox uses Canon. Fox here lately as well as ESPN have gone down hill in terms of picture quality. __________________ Liberalism is a mental disorder!

02-18-2011, 08:13 AM	#12
ImRizzo HDF SUPER MODERATOR Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Formerly: Brooklyn, New York .... It's not a place, it's an Attitude and a State of Mind !! Posts: 19,031	In the New York market FOX has very good PQ especially in their higher rated series, ie House, Fringe, and most sporting events. At least on Cablevision Optimum svc. __________________ ..................................... PFC5 & Loves2Watch ~ RIP

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12-09-2010, 03:30 PM	#2
Gentilesc High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: West Haven, CT Posts: 123	I don't know where you live or where you get your signal, but I am in West Haven, CT and with Comcast. I have found the HD quality on our ABC affiliate (WTNH) to always be inferior to that of the other 3 networks. Soft and subdued are an excellent description of what I am seeing also.

12-10-2010, 12:52 PM	#4
rantanamo High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 153	I'm guessing you guys have 1080p sets?

12-10-2010, 02:36 PM	#7
Gentilesc High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: West Haven, CT Posts: 123	Yes I do have a 1080p

02-18-2011, 06:24 AM	#11
Buddyjay High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Glenolden, PA Posts: 102	Even though this thread is over 2 months old I just wanted to chime in. I too thought FOX had an amazing picture...last year. Especially pre-game football with Howie and Terry in the studio. The picture used to jump off the screen with vivid colors. Now it is no where near as good. I though it was my set but reading this thread confirms that it is the studio. Why would networks switch to inferior equipment? I sure hope other channels don't follow FOX.

02-21-2011, 04:40 PM	#13
lsilvest High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,508	In our local market CBS sucks. They've had problems for a while with equipment and just switched from VHF to UHF but that didn't even help. At one time they were very good. All the others have excellent PQ. Football on both ABC and Fox are far superior to CBS. Sports should be better on both ABC and Fox because they are broadcasting progressive instead of interlaced and therefore are less susceptible to any motion blur. That's the main reason they opted for 720p instead of 1080i.