Right now, the Chicago Blackhawks are in the midst of a playoff race for the first time in seven years. It’s been way too long for a hometown hockey fanatic. I’m in it for the long haul this year; I have taken on the team tradition of growing my “playoff beard,” my social life revolves around game time and my first blog entry is all about hockey (sorry, I couldn’t resist). My earliest memories are from “The Madhouse on Madison” when I was young, having to cover my ears during the National Anthem because it was so loud in the building!
High Definition Television is a critical component to the success of professional hockey in the good ‘ol US of A. On your standard TV set, the puck is hard to follow. This is an extremely fast game people, and if you’ve never watched, chances are you will get lost in the action.
Back in 1996, Fox Sports began using what is now called the FoxTrack Glow Puck. There were sensors built into the puck and the broadcast would create a light blue glow around the puck so that it was easier to follow. In theory, it was a great idea. In reality, it was annoying and a total failure. So, after two years, the glowing puck was retired. It was just one of many ideas to garner national attention to one of America’s second tier sports. Fast forward to late 2001 - the NHL signs an agreement with a new sports and entertainment channel, HDNet, to broadcast up to 65 games for the upcoming season.
“It’s always been said we have the most exciting game in person and TV hasn’t always translated that excitement. HD television will do that,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in April 2006 as a guest on CNBC’s Wall Street Journal Show. “Not only can you see the puck more clearly, if that’s what you want to do, the wide aspect ratio lets you see more of the game and more of the speed.”
Here’s a quick statistical breakdown:
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Standard Definition (SD)
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High Definition (HD)
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720x480
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Resolution (in pixels)
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1920x1080 / 1280x720
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4:3
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Frame Aspect Ratio
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16:9
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345,600
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Total Picture Elements
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2,073,600 / 921,600
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THE CLEAR CHOICE FOR HOCKEY?
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WINNER
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Having 1080 lines of pixels in HD as compared to 480 lines in SD makes for a significant increase in picture detail. Viewers are able to follow the puck more easily, read players’ names and numbers on their jerseys and even see their facial expressions as noses are slammed into the Plexiglas boards.
Every NHL playoff game this year is being broadcast in “stunning High Definition” and I’d be shocked if you couldn’t observe a remarkable difference between a Standard Definition TV set and an HD one. If anything, you’ll notice more blood and teeth after fights! Sure, nothing beats sitting in the stands, screaming at opposing teams, cheering for yours and just being immersed in the emotions of a great hockey game --- but I can also feel comfortable on my couch with friends watching a game and not missing a detail.
Dave Yakir is an editor and animator who works in Quicksilver's HD-capable edit suites.
