| 65 NHL Games on HDNet During 2003-04 Season |
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| Home Theater News What Is On In HD News | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Written by Jerry Del Colliano | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wednesday, 01 October 2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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HDNet
and the National Hockey League announced yesterday that HDNet will
broadcast 65 NHL games in HDTV during the 2003-2004 hockey season. Fans
with HDTV systems will find games on many digital cable and both major
satellite TV systems on Tuesday and Friday nights.
Under the multi-year partnership, NHL games will be telecast on HDNet networks on DIRECTV, DISH Network, Charter Communications, Insight Communications, cable companies affiliated with the National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC), and other distributors that affiliate with HDNet in the future. All NHL on HDNet broadcasts will be original HDNet productions, using HDNet’s HD mobile production units and with HDNet announcers and graphics. Historically, HDTV broadcasts of many professional sporting events often borrow non-HDTV commercials, play-by-play and color commentary from the standard NTSC broadcast with choppy results at best. HDNet will be taking on the responsibility of creating entire NHL presentations for the HDTV audience. Hopefully for serious hockey fans this means fewer chances to have to endure inane blabbering and inaccurate predications from ESPN’s perpetual bad hair day, Barry Melrose. Years ago, Fox caused quite a controversy when they innovated the “glow puck” to help new fans to the sport follow the fast-paced NHL game on NTSC TV broadcasts. Mark Cuban’s HDNet will not need a glowing puck because HDTV has many technical advantages that help make hockey a more entertaining sport on TV. The first advantages is the 16x9 aspect ratio on HDTV is more rectangular (like a movie screen at your local Cineplex) versus your TV at home which is closer to square in shape. The more rectangular shape allows viewers to follow the development of the play more easily. Another significant advantage to watching hockey in HDTV is the dramatically increased resolution, brightness and contrast on HDTV versus the traditional NTSC broadcasts that many of us are used to. The puck moves more clearly in HDTV even for non-hardcore hockey fans. The brightness of the white ice looks more stunning versus the incredible details and vibrant colors that can be seen on the players and the boards that enclose the playing surface. While HDTV systems are selling by the hundreds of thousands per quarter according to the CEA, many sports fans and consumers do not know what it takes to make HDTV grace their TV sets. In order to enjoy HDTV you need the following items and services: 1. You need an HDTV which is pretty much all that is sold in stores these days. Options include big screen HDTVs that start at about $1,700 or some higher-end plasma TVs that cost closer to $4,000. Note, not all plasma’s can reproduce HDTV. Many video projectors can do HDTV however you need to be careful that you get one that can perform both 720p and 1080i. The less expensive LCD and DLP projectors often can not pull off the resolution needed to enjoy the NHL in HDTV. 2. You need an HDTV receiver or HDTV digital cable box (or both). While HDTV comes over the air (terrestrial) and ABC sometimes will have an NHL game in HDTV, you will need either a digital cable package that has HDNet or a satellite system that carries HDNet in order to enjoy the 65 games listed below. Most TVs sold today are “HDTV ready.” This means that they are ready for you to buy a $700 receiver to pull in HDTV from an antenna and from a satellite. Considering what it costs to go to a game in person with good seats, parking, program et all – the investment in an HDTV system isn’t too steep. 3. You don’t need the NHL Center Ice package to watch HDNet but on DirecTV you will have to subscribe to the HDTV package which is an additional $10 per month to your bill. If you are already a hockey fan you are likely to have the Center Ice Package. If you are a new convert to the game, you may find the $140 for the package to be a worthy investment. 2003-04 Broadcast Schedule
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