# HD Owners: Get Mad About 'Junk TV'



## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

*Swanni rants that broadcast networks are
showing no respect for high-def viewers.*

You're the owner of a High-Definition TV, which probably cost you anywhere from
$1,000 to $4,000, or more. You likely also spent hundreds of dollars more on
Surround Sound systems and high-def programming packages from your cable
or satellite operator.

So what are you getting for your investment? On Wednesday night, very little from
the five broadcast networks.

Out of the 13 hours of programming last night from ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and the
CW, only four hours were in high-def. To make matters worse, three of the hours
came from one network (CBS) with one hour from ABC. NBC offered nothing in
high-def as did Fox and the CW.

Unfortunately, during the summertime, this is not uncommon...

More @ TVPredictios.com


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## Mikey (Oct 26, 2004)

Nick said:


> *Swanni rants that broadcast networks are
> showing no respect for high-def viewers.*
> 
> You're the owner of a High-Definition TV, which probably cost you anywhere from
> ...


Thank God for ESPN-HD Wednesday Night Baseball.


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## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

Mikey said:


> Thank God for ESPN-HD Wednesday Night Baseball.


Boring!


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## LI-SVT (May 18, 2006)

There does seem to be this idea that if it is in high-def people will just watch. I don't agree. I watch what I like and don't watch most of the D* HD programming simply because it does not appeal to me.


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## purtman (Sep 19, 2006)

Cholly said:


> Boring!


And that's coming from NASCAR Country? :lol: :lol: :lol:

That's one of the best lines I've heard. Have to go. Have to watch somebody drive around in an oval for a couple of hours. :lol:


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

I've heard that a change in NASCAR rules effective next
year will require each car to have a navigator on board...

_"Turn left........turn left........turn left.........turn left......."_


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

I'm pretty happy with the HD content I get. All the primetime network shows I watch are in HD (except for The Simpson's and Family Guy, new King of the Hill episodes are in 4:3 HD). With 20 HD channels and a love of sports, movies and primetime network programming, I don't have many complaints. My main issue is with MSG, I want Sabres games in HD. It’s funny, during the Rangers playoff series our arena in Buffalo had HD net cams but only the Rangers MSG feed is in HD, not Buffalo’s MSG feed. I would also like to see more Center Ice and Extra Innings games in HD, although InDemand is doing an awesome with Extra Innings, more is always better.


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## davring (Jan 13, 2007)

I wonder at what point will the networks start taping their primetime HD shows without the cameras framed for a 4x3 TV? I am aware that they must use the same cameras for both broadcasts (SD & HD) but it would be nice one day to see a show where all of the activity is not only in the center of a wide screen. I probably have not expressed this correctly, but I know you could block off several inches on either side of your TV and not miss any of the action on the screen. I would imagine the number of homes with HD would have to surpass 50%, but by how far? Just curious.


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## chopperjc (Oct 2, 2006)

Obviously the technology is still growing. Some networks have been a lot more aggressive in the market. I have become a "snob" I will watch sd stuff but I am *****ing the entire time. The networks need to invest and upgrade or get passed by cable/sat some more.


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## mapod (Feb 9, 2007)

Most of the programming in the summer is a lower level of crap than the fall....go out and ride a bike...get some sun if things have not changed by late September (NFL starts thank god!) then rant on my brother!


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## CCarncross (Jul 19, 2005)

Am I misunderstanding your post or do you really feel that HD penetration has reached 50% in the US? I'm pretty confident its not even close to that yet.


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## n3ntj (Dec 18, 2006)

Mikey said:


> Thank God for ESPN-HD Wednesday Night Baseball.


Why's ESPN only doing one Wed night game now? They used to do a 7pm and a 10pm game.


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## HIPAR (May 15, 2005)

The vast majority of TV is 'Junk' be it HD or not.

--- CHAS


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## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

purtman said:


> And that's coming from NASCAR Country? :lol: :lol: :lol:
> 
> That's one of the best lines I've heard. Have to go. Have to watch somebody drive around in an oval for a couple of hours. :lol:



Actually, there's a LOT of excitement in motorsports, be it NASCAR, IROC, or IRL. Racing drivers have to be in better physical condition than baseball players, have quicker reflexes and better "staying power".
The romance of MLB is long gone. Barry Bonds will never replace Willie Mays as an icon of the sport. In earlier years, it was entertaining to watch Luke Appling foul off pitches until he found one he liked. People still tout MLB as "America's favorite Pastime", while pro football consistently draws larger audiences.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

Watching cars go 'round and 'round in a circle whilst wasting huge (not hugh)
quantities of fuel isn't my idea of sport. If I wanted to see that, I wouldn't have
moved away from Atlanta and its 63 mile circular racetrack known as I-285.

As far as drivers being in better physical condition, i.e.,"athletes", that hilarious
comment made me spew copious amounts of coffee all over my LCD screen.
The ony muscles race car drivers need are in their gluteous maximus, where,
as far as I'm concerned, their diminutive brains also reside. The only people
dumber than race car drivers are the hordes of mindless fans that swarm to
the "sport" like lemmings over a cliff.

Also, I've heard that some race drivers wear 'astronaut' diapers? Is that true?

On the totem pole of intelligent sports, car racing, which adds to the price of
an advertiser's products on the shelf, thus increasing the average consumer's
cost of living, ranks near the bottom of the sports totem pole, just barely above
"professional" wrasslin' and that wholesome newcomer to the wide, wunnerful
world of perfessional sports, speed _(gag)_ eatin' (ugh)!
:barf:


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## paulman182 (Aug 4, 2006)

I'm not a racing fan. I've never watched more than a few minutes of a race.

But in many months of reading this forum, I don't think I have ever seen anyone denigrate another member's interest in such a vitriolic manner.


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## HouseBowlrz (Jul 15, 2007)

n3ntj said:


> Why's ESPN only doing one Wed night game now? They used to do a 7pm and a 10pm game.


While I don't know the reasons, I'm sure it came about over the years when television contracts were re-negotiated and such. I, too, remember the Wednesday night doubleheaders, especially Chris Berman on PxP from the "Hotel California".

BTW, ESPN2 does have a doubleheader for tonight ... the second game was not in my program guide this morning but it's been mentioned. Game 1 is a dandy with Boston at Cleveland; battle of division leaders. Game 2 is Atlanta at San Francisco.

:goodjob:


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## pete4192 (May 22, 2007)

Nick said:


> As far as drivers being in better physical condition, i.e.,"athletes", that hilarious
> comment made me spew copious amounts of coffee all over my LCD screen.
> The ony muscles race car drivers needs are in their gluteous maximus, where,
> as far as I'm concerned, their diminutive brains also reside. The only people
> ...


That's great. 
I want a t-shirt that says "Race Drivers Wear 'Astronaut' Diapers". Of course, it would have to be a wife-beater sleeveless shirt...to go along with my cutoff jean shorts.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

paulman182 said:


> I'm not a racing fan. I've never watched more than a few minutes of a race.
> 
> But in many months of reading this forum, I don't think I have ever seen anyone denigrate another member's interest in such a vitriolic manner.


Thank you. Paulman. I value your comments and take them as a compliment to
my dubious writing skills. Please don't think for a moment that I was denigrating
Cholly personally, even though he, himself, cast somewhat oblique aspersions to-
ward my own favorite sport, being baseball. On the contrary, I hold Cholly in the
highest regard and his contributions to the board are legendary, as is he. Although
he describes himself as "The other old guy", as far as I'm concerned, he is 'da man',
truly a man among men and, as such, has my highest and utmost respect.

As a summa cum laude graduate of the _Attila The Hun School of Debate_, I have
been told by some that I can go a tad overboard in my debate tactics, but only to
devastate and demolish my worthy debate opponents, in the grand old tradition of
_"Shock & Awe"_.

I do hope no one takes my remarks personally, especially my good friend Charlie.


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## purtman (Sep 19, 2006)

Nick said:


> As far as drivers being in better physical condition, i.e.,"athletes", that hilarious
> comment made me spew copious amounts of coffee all over my LCD screen.
> The ony muscles race car drivers need are in their gluteous maximus, where,
> as far as I'm concerned, their diminutive brains also reside. The only people
> ...


You know how it is, Nick. When I hurt my rotator cuff, the doctor told me he wanted me to get in shape. First he had me parallel park. The next step was to drive down the street. After a couple of weeks, it was around the block. I figure once I'm able to drive around an oval, I should be considered a good athlete.

I'm with you on this. Driving cars does not make one an athlete.


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

> I'm with you on this. Driving cars does not make one an athlete.


What about the pit crew? Could you and three other guys change 4 tires, put in two 11 gallon cans of fuel, clean the windshield and make adjustments in under 15 seconds? If not, shut the hell up! Anyone who doesn't believe these drivers and pit crews are athletes needs serious mental help. Why don't you go drive 400-600 miles in 90+ degree temps at 180 MPH in poor physical condition and see how well you hold up. As for the intelligence, can you do the complex calculations it takes to determine fuel mileage in any situation, at various track condition to the .000001 of a mile, do you know what adjustments to make, have you even built you own engine, have you ever even changed you own oil?

Just because NASCAR drivers aren't like baseball players and aren't hopped up on steroids, just because they're not like NFL players and beat their wives and girlfriends and just because they aren't like basketball players and are involved in street gangs, doesn't mean NASCAR drivers aren't athletes.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

Steve, I always enjoy your writings (rantings?), even when we diagree. :goodjob: 
You're a bit young to be characterized as a curmudgeon quite yet, but with your
ascerbic wit and razor-sharp writing style, you're well on your way to a career as
a writer, columnist or media critic. Keep up the good work!

No, I've never changed my own oil - I've always had people to do that for me but,
on the other hand, I've never asserted to be an athlete either, although I once
drove straight through from White Plains to St. Marys, GA, stopping only to refuel,
and I wasn't wearing astronaut diapers either. 

Regards to Mom. :hi:


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

Likewise.  Hey, I hate NASCAR now, but I have to defend what I've been following since I was 4 years old 



> , you're well on your way to a career as
> a writer, columnist or media critic. Keep up the good work!


Thanks but I'd prefer being an IT guy or a home theater tech. You'd make a better writer


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## djlong (Jul 8, 2002)

Go ahead, make 1000 turns and 5000 shifts in 100+ degree heat at speeds ranging from hairpin turns at 40MPH to chicanes at 175MPH, pulling 3-5 lateral G's with no air conditioning and IN A FIRESUIT for 2 1/2 hours.

See how long you last.
[ok, I'm using a road course to make a bigger point, but still]


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## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

Thanks, Nick, for the kind words. As to the athlete comments, Steve and djong are dead on the money. You have to be in splendid physical condition to endure the "left turn, drive like hell, brake, left turn" of motor racing. As to the "astronaut diapers", I wouldn't be to surprised if it were true. After all, these guys have to sit in their driver's seat for up to five hours without getting out. 
Temperatures of up to 170 degrees *inside * the car are not uncommon. The drivers get a chance to get rehydrated a bit during their pit stops. The stress level is incredibly high -- try driving at speeds of up to 200 mph at a distance of a few feet from cars surrounding you for up to five hours (as in the Coke 600).
This all takes a huge amount of stamina. To be sure, some drivers look like they are out of shape. Take Tony Stewart -- he's pretty chunky looking, but when he wins a 400 or 500 mile race, he still has the capability to climb the chain link fence to the top of the starter's stand while still wearing his firesuit, helmet and driving boots.

I also have to confess that I once had a kind of negative view of motorsports. That all changed once I saw a race in person. It's a tremendously exciting experience.

I grew up in Chicago, during the time of radio announcers Bob Elson (White Sox) and Bert Wilson (Chicago Cubs) - I still remember Wilson saying,"I don't care who wins, as long as it's the Cubs". Being a "southsider", I was a White Sox fan. Over the years, I've attended home games of the Cubs, White Sox, Mets and Washington Senators, and more recently, the minor league Charlotte Knights. Being at the games is far more satisfying than watching them on television. On TV, to me, they are stil very boring. Not so with football, basketball or soccer.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

OK, youse guys! All good combackers, and point(s) taken. Thanks fer letin me hav a few yucks wit ya. 

In all truthfulness, I have varying levels of respect for athletes*, depending, even wrestlers and
race car drivers. But I draw the line at _speed eating_ -- _that is just disgusting!_ :barf:
*...even Mr. Barry (753 and holding) Bonds***


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## Satelliteracer (Dec 6, 2006)

Cholly said:


> Thanks, Nick, for the kind words. As to the athlete comments, Steve and djong are dead on the money. You have to be in splendid physical condition to endure the "left turn, drive like hell, brake, left turn" of motor racing. As to the "astronaut diapers", I wouldn't be to surprised if it were true. After all, these guys have to sit in their driver's seat for up to five hours without getting out.
> Temperatures of up to 170 degrees *inside * the car are not uncommon. The drivers get a chance to get rehydrated a bit during their pit stops. The stress level is incredibly high -- try driving at speeds of up to 200 mph at a distance of a few feet from cars surrounding you for up to five hours (as in the Coke 600).
> This all takes a huge amount of stamina. To be sure, some drivers look like they are out of shape. Take Tony Stewart -- he's pretty chunky looking, but when he wins a 400 or 500 mile race, he still has the capability to climb the chain link fence to the top of the starter's stand while still wearing his firesuit, helmet and driving boots.
> 
> ...


I drove a car at California Speedway for 10 laps...it was a bit of a chore physically I must say. I believe I had it at 142mph which was the governor on the car. It wears you out and that was without 42 other guys driving around me at the same time.

I'm a diehard baseball and racing fan, both are athletes in my mind. I could just as easily argue that a lot of baseball players only have to run 270 feet (stretching out a triple), get to sit in the dugout 2 hours each game, etc, etc. It's all in what people want to see.


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## purtman (Sep 19, 2006)

There's a difference between extreme physical conditions and being athletic. A firefighter is somebody who puts his life on the line, enduring extreme heat and sometimes for hours at a time. Their conditions far outweigh what a race-car driver experiences. While I admire each and every one of them, it does not make them athletes.


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## Chandu (Oct 3, 2005)

Seeing that this thread has already been thread-jacked, few comments:

It's hilarious to read categorical statements like "race car drivers cannot be considered athletes" when at one point in time the highest paid *athlete *on the face of this planet was exactly that - a race car driver (Michael Schumacher). And you couldn't possibly tell me with a straight face that this guy (or other race car drivers) aren't athletes. This is all considering the serious athletic training they have to go through, have to face serious dehydration and lose up to 10 pounds of body weight over a period of 2 hours, and so on.

As for other comments about dullness of "take a left turn" car racing in an oval: Unfortunately I completely agree with them, but the people making those comments seem to be suffering from a condition known as over-exposure to NASCAR's stock-car racing. Unlike what mainstream sports would like you to believe, NASCAR isn't the be-all and end-all of automobile racing. You may want to give a try to the alternate universe of open wheel car racing on road courses, and the king of that category Formula-1. It's possible your opinion may still remain identically denigrating, maybe it won't. At least you would have given it a try.

Unlike suffering from NASCAR's "turn-left" boredom, you would be exposed to an alternate universe of Formula-1 where technology rules supreme (everything about F-1 cars is cutting-edge space age technology, those things are marvels of technology), the audience is a lot bigger and international. If not Formula-1, you may want to give a try to its poorer cousin Champ Car racing.

This is just a very short, introductory comment. Don't want to bore with too many details in a post of that nature. If interested, you may want to do preliminary research on Formula-1 and you may be surprised with what you find. Again, not trying to proselytize or anything like that. Just adding yet another parameter to the discussion. If you like it, you like it. If you still don't like it, all the same.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

Well said, Chandu. I may bear some responsibility for hi-jacking my own thread.

While I may rail about certain sports, while channel-surfing (I have cable), during
one of my all-to-frequent sleepless nights recently, I found myself inexplicably
pausing on SpeedVision to watch drag racing at three in the morning, a sport of
which I never quite saw the point. Nonetheless, considering the alternatives of
easy money-making opportunities, weight-loss miracles and an endless array
of abdominal toning devices, it was the lesser-evil choice for me on that night.


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## bidger (Nov 19, 2005)

While I would prefer more prime time HD, I can understand that all the networks care about is ratings and cost-efficiency. As long as folks settle for game and reality shows in SD, I can't blame the networks for fobbing it on them. I've got full-time HD channels to fall back on.


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