Pool and HDTV -- Where is it?

9BallPaul

9BallPaul

Banned
Virtually every day we see new threads about what's wrong with pool. Here's my take -- the TV game would be much more popular if viewers could easily identify the balls on the table. How can anyone appreciate strategy when they can't tell what they're seeing?

I've owned a high-def TV for three years now, and not once have I found a pool broadcast in high-def. I've found ESPN pool on a high-def station, but always broadcast in low-def. Is it reallly that much more expensive? Why in the world can we get poker in high-def, yet not pool?

Can anyone explain this? Thanks
 
I agree

Poker has millions of dollars associated with it. Pool does not.



I am with you here though as far as being able to determine the identity of the balls while watching on TV. The best pool show I saw on tv was a match from overseas. If I remember correctly it was from England and possibly a "matchroom production". Wish we had more of that.

Kevin
 
Why?

9BallPaul said:
Virtually every day we see new threads about what's wrong with pool. Here's my take -- the TV game would be much more popular if viewers could easily identify the balls on the table. How can anyone appreciate strategy when they can't tell what they're seeing?

I've owned a high-def TV for three years now, and not once have I found a pool broadcast in high-def. I've found ESPN pool on a high-def station, but always broadcast in low-def. Is it reallly that much more expensive? Why in the world can we get poker in high-def, yet not pool?

Can anyone explain this? Thanks[/QU


Let's first get some live matches on TV before we start talking about HDTV. HDTV cost money and ESPN already makes the WPBA shorten their TV Matches. Could you imagine ESPN is taping an event and they make WPBA shorten the race because they don't want to edit anymore than the bare minimum. HD and pool is a long way away in the US. ESPN/ASIA does show overseas matches live are any of them in HD??? I don't know the answer.
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I filmed Mikas pool series in HD....and did all the post production in HD as well. Basically I could output a Bluray version in a matter of days. But I never thought anyone would want it. Seems the general public is either already satisfied with Standard Def, else they just don't know the difference.
 
I shot pictures for the Brauns at the Trick Shot Magic thing they filmed here in Vegas this year and she told me that they were filming in HD. They were pretty pumped up about it. They were using the same production truck that they used for the Indy 500. I drove by it outside the casino and it is just sick.

She also said that even the pocket cam was in HD.

For trick shots.

I am gonna go cry now.
 
JCIN said:
I shot pictures for the Brauns at the Trick Shot Magic thing they filmed here in Vegas this year and she told me that they were filming in HD. They were pretty pumped up about it. They were using the same production truck that they used for the Indy 500. I drove by it outside the casino and it is just sick.

She also said that even the pocket cam was in HD.

For trick shots.

I am gonna go cry now.
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Oh God, I think I'm getting an ulcer

Jake (LOOOOOOOVES trickshot magic*)




*note: if anyone didn't get my sarcasm then you should stop smoking model airplane glue
 
The last match I watched on ESPN was in HD. I still have it on my DVR. If I remember I will check who was playing when I get home.
 
nathandumoulin said:
I filmed Mikas pool series in HD....and did all the post production in HD as well. Basically I could output a Bluray version in a matter of days. But I never thought anyone would want it. Seems the general public is either already satisfied with Standard Def, else they just don't know the difference.
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The biggest cost in HD is in post production. I would guess you owned your computers and did this all on your dime (or possibly did most of the post yourself), which makes costs much lower. Hiring talent becomes $$$$. In putting together a series of HD shows, costs build up very quick. Mostly in HD deck rentals, HD storage in a post house, and Avid HD rentals vs SD. Im not sure who does the post work for ESPN pool but I would guess its a very similar situation. For example, my wife produces a popular MTV show which just recently bumped up to HD (though MTV networks have not even went HD yet because of the costs) and the costs have nearly killed the show.

Putting together a smaller production in HD, like Mastering Pool (which btw was beautifully made) IS affordable nowadays. (forgive me if Im wrong) With a small crew (I would guess friends), the cheap price of prosumer/low end HD cameras & being able to finish everyone on an "affordable" computer, the costs will stay generally low. Its possible to put together those dvds without ever leaving your basement. Where as a show on ESPN... is for the most part, not the case.

I only wish ESPN could come close to the quality of Mastering Pool.
 
TheNewSharkster said:
The last match I watched on ESPN was in HD. I still have it on my DVR. If I remember I will check who was playing when I get home.
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Yeah, I saw that also. I forget which tournament but they are filming in HD. And they made it seem like this was the 1st of many to come. I would think the 2009 WPBA would all be in HD.

I also liked a few different things they were trying. Player Profiles, side line interviews, etc. Atleast they are trying something new to attract more viewers. Which would calculate into more $$, into more footage.
 
cleary said:
I only wish ESPN could come close to the quality of Mastering Pool.
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Thanks a lot for the compliment.

I did use about $50k worth of gear during the shoot, but all of it was rented. Aside from the costly shoot, the post production was very inexpensive. As you guessed, I did almost all the work myself on fairly standard computer gear, which saved a ton of money.

The biggest catch in working with HD was the rendering the 3d animated sequences. It took about 4 months running 24/7 on 2 quadcores with 8gb of RAM.

It's shame that no one gets to see the full HD footage (as the DVDs as standard def)...but one day maybe I'll release a Bluray version.

Now if I can just land myself a job in a related field, id be set. :p

Anyway, thanks again.
 
9BallPaul said:
Virtually every day we see new threads about what's wrong with pool. Here's my take -- the TV game would be much more popular if viewers could easily identify the balls on the table. How can anyone appreciate strategy when they can't tell what they're seeing?

I've owned a high-def TV for three years now, and not once have I found a pool broadcast in high-def. I've found ESPN pool on a high-def station, but always broadcast in low-def. Is it reallly that much more expensive? Why in the world can we get poker in high-def, yet not pool?

Can anyone explain this? Thanks
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No offense, but pools reputation has been in the gutter for waaaaayyyy longer than TV has had HD. No amount of sugar coating, HD broadcasting, scantily clad ladies, etc, can undo pool's negative legacy.

Besides, the word economy is in the toilet, terrorists are, well, terrorizing the world, and the US job market is tanking like nobody's business. Hoping for pool to come through this with a gold star is futile. We're lucky that trick shot magic even made it this far...

-td
 
Can I slit my wrists now?

td873 said:
No offense, but pools reputation has been in the gutter for waaaaayyyy longer than TV has had HD. No amount of sugar coating, HD broadcasting, scantily clad ladies, etc, can undo pool's negative legacy.

Besides, the word economy is in the toilet, terrorists are, well, terrorizing the world, and the US job market is tanking like nobody's business. Hoping for pool to come through this with a gold star is futile. We're lucky that trick shot magic even made it this far...

-td
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Dude, that post was such a downer it's what we call a thread killer. No more posts in the last six hours. Wonder why?
 
nathandumoulin said:
The biggest catch in working with HD was the rendering the 3d animated sequences. It took about 4 months running 24/7 on 2 quadcores with 8gb of RAM.
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I can't even get my head around that.

Wow.
 
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