Video Asylum

Posted by Some Guy on March 14, 2003 at 13:09:08

In Reply to: To Date, what is the best video picture you have ever seen? posted by jmiyake@earthlink.net on March 02, 2003 at 18:50:02:

I saw a demo in 1998 at WRAL-TV (the first broadcast in the US of HDTV was done from there, I believe) of some of the first HD TVs. These were prototypes, all of which were direct view sets of roughly 31" to 35" diagonally. I'm pretty sure at least one of the two on display was made by Sanyo, which surprised me a lot at the time.

Anyway, they showed some locally shot video of a musical event held at Meredith college, filmed with some of the latest (at the time, of course) digital HD cameras. By that point there were a few digital tape solutions to record the signal. This was the digital version of VHS that came out to compete with BetaSP and DigitalBeta... I think it was put together by Matsushita (Pansonic, et. al) and perhaps called M2... anyone want to help on that? The problem then, though, was that most of the equipment used to mix the signals and do the switching was either still analog or not 16x9 capable. What made this event unique is that they brought in a bunch of equipment from Japan specifically for having a fully HD demo from lens to screen.

First, let me say the event probably sucked. It was one of those deals where the students invite their parents to the college and some of the local jazz and lounge groups put on tuxedos and dresses to do outdoor performances. Why they chose to spend as much as they did to film that event I will never know. I also really don't care, because it showed precisely of what HD was capable.

They showed closeups of people singing. They showed the bands. They showed a few graphics. Ok, it all looked good, but nothing thrilling. Then the money shot... a wide shot of the entire crowd and stage. Everyone squinted and crept up to the screen in disbelief... we could read the t-shirts of people in the crowd from a long shot. Kid you not, this was unbelievable. Everything was totally infocus, pouring detail. I was within about 9 inches of this screen before I saw any dots or lines. From 12" or so away, it looked like a solid image. I have absolutely never before or since seen detail that good. Let me emphasize that yes, really, completely, and truly did I understand this whole HD buzz at that instant.

They then showed some sports shot on wide screen. They emphasized the problem HD was going to prove in this regard... basically, how are they going to do graphics on a widescreen format? Put them all along the bottom or top as they're done now or reserve a side for them while going for a more narrow image. They showed some of the stuff pushed to the sides while also taking advantage of the wider format to show the whole football field. Very impressive, and I hate sports. The game they shot looked gorgeous, although it was clearly done with different equipment than the concert. You could tell some conversions had happened... still looked great, though.

As for today's sets, I have seen nothing domestically released that comes close to those two sets that they had on display. I know that these prototypes probably cost well over $30K each (if they were under $50K I'd be surprised) but they served to prove what could be done. Someday, perhaps, the technology will reach that point on a domestic level and I can only hope on that. Until then, though, that's the mark to beat.