Hockey Video Quality Issues?

[Smoggy]

I tweeted jason on friday night and was told that the video is fine in the press box and that the video is no worse thanblasf year.

This is the frustrating part....why i am i continually told there isnt an issue, when judging by the continuous negative feedback from fans there IS an issue.

When normal folk who normally dont watch UND hockey watch and ask aloud why its such crappy video i dont think its time to keep yoir head in the sand.

Its like they're crappin in my mouth and telling me its honey.

It was either on twitter or here that after the first game he said he finally got to see it on fcs replay and admitted it wasn't as good. What I've seen on Midco sports station seemed fine in quality (though it was on smaller tv). So something isn't working in the transmission to fcs.

[Sioux2007]

Once again, we're all saying the same thing that the feed appears to be worse this year. After another weekend of hockey and now into the regular season (I'll let the exhibition games go as they were "practice" games for Midco) why can't UND address our concerns now? I think the fans deserve some answers. Also---I remember reading somewhere that the online webcast of the games were suppose to better this year. Is this true? From what I am hearing and reading on the message boards, that is not true. Again, another issue that may need to be addressed with the fans?

I understand we're suppose to wait as things get worked, so where are things today? Will the feed be better next week? I guess I just want to know what we can expect for the season? If things don't change, I'll drop my sports package with my cable company and listen to the game online. At least the radio feed won't have blurry washed out pictures.

[yababy8]

I am not a huge fan of what UND and Midco have done with the quality of coverage but I will say this, HD will be at UND next year. I'm assuming that since the signing of the contract wasn't done until late summer that Midco didn't have time to convert everything to HD. It is not like you can go out and outfit a truck with HD at the drop of a hat, it takes time. My guess is once UND's sporting season is over with Midco will get right to work on getting everything converted to HD. By the way, a "couple bucks" won't even come close to covering the cost for HD, you are looking at about a 2 million dollar (or more) expense to get everything converted to HD.

I think 2 million is a bit high, HD wasn't created last week.

How about rent to own?:

http://www.gearhousebroadcast.com/uk/equipment-rental/

How about cheaper alternative solutions?

http://www.trangobroadband.com/testimonials/whiz_media_group.shtml

Maybe the issue is that MIDCO doesn't want to pay more for a higher bps signal? We should ask them what they are purchasing for bandwidth in the satellite uplink? I ffound this pricing:

http://www.livebeam.tv/VSAT_Streaming_Rates.php

[Jayson Hajdu]

It was either on twitter or here that after the first game he said he finally got to see it on fcs replay and admitted it wasn't as good. What I've seen on Midco sports station seemed fine in quality (though it was on smaller tv). So something isn't working in the transmission to fcs.

Folks, I promise you, I'm not here to make excuses. What I've been reading -- and again, for the member who insinuated we were hiding or ducking, we do monitor all feedback on this site -- is that multiple people are reporting viewing problems, but multiple people are also reporting that their picture is just fine.

Since I am a media relations director, not a television production specialist, I do not personally have answers for those of you reporting troubles. What I do do, however, is gather all feedback and funnel it to Midco, and then hopefully I can bring some more answers back to you. I've seen the broadcasts on Midco and I've seen the broadcasts on FCS and there does seem to be a difference between the two. When I've watched at home on Midco, it's fine. When we had the game on the televisions in the press box this past weekend, it was also fine.

I'm not denying many of you have had issues, because you've certainly made that clear. But it doesn't seem to be an across-the-board issue, and we need to figure out why it's acceptable for some, unacceptable for others.

As for the synching issue, we'll look into that. Since our press box monitors are muted and I haven't yet watched a replay of either game, that's not something I would not have otherwise been aware of.

So again, please keep the feedback coming. Just because I don't respond to every individual post, that does not mean I'm not reading them. Our external relations staff meets every Monday morning to discuss various issues, so your television feedback will certainly be discussed today.

[Jayson Hajdu]

I really wish UND or someone from the sports department would address these issues. I think we are all very lucky that we get the opportunity to watch the hockey games on TV, so I am thankful for that. But it's dissapointing when last year the quaility was so much better. In the cities, FCS is also showing a snowy blurry picture. And the audio for the video---WOW----forget it. I just mute the TV now in between periods.

Anyone from UND want to address our concerns or maybe someone from Midco???

I have posted here several times, and will continue to do so. I can also be reached directly at jayson.hajdu@athletics.und.edu or on Twitter at @UNDSID. I'm actually quite easy to find.

[passit_offthegoalie]

I think some people have become used to HD on their huge tvs and they have forgot what Standard Definition looks like on a big screen.

Have people with washed-out pictures tried turning the brightness down?

I think I saw something on twitter that we are getting HD, next year....that would be awesome.

[Jayson Hajdu]

I think some people have become used to HD on their huge tvs and they have forgot what Standard Definition looks like on a big screen.

Have people with washed-out pictures tried turning the brightness down?

I think I saw something on twitter that we are getting HD, next year....that would be awesome.

There might be something to this in some cases -- the eye is now accustomed to HD, and some people may also need to adjust the settings on their televisions. But enough people have voiced issues that there's probably more to it than that in many cases.

It was a part of the contract that Midco will convert to HD by the 2014-15 season, but Katie Hale has confirmed via Twitter that the conversion will actually take place prior to next season. This is very good news, and hopefully underlines Midco's commitment to delivering the best possible product for its viewers.

[siouxfan512]

There might be something to this in some cases -- the eye is now accustomed to HD, and some people may also need to adjust the settings on their televisions. But enough people have voiced issues that there's probably more to it than that in many cases.

It was a part of the contract that Midco will convert to HD by the 2014-15 season, but Katie Hale has confirmed via Twitter that the conversion will actually take place prior to next season. This is very good news, and hopefully underlines Midco's commitment to delivering the best possible product for its viewers.

HD would be great ... Now we just have to hope that UND Athletics can figure out some sort of contract so that those of us in Mpls and around the country can watch games other than the few that will be on Versus. I absolutely love watching all of the homes games on Fox College Sports, and last season it was great to be able to watch Basketball and Football.

Like I said, HD would be great, but I just want to be able to see the games.Here is to hoping UND can setup a solid tv contract with someone.

[Let'sGoHawks!]

There might be something to this in some cases -- the eye is now accustomed to HD, and some people may also need to adjust the settings on their televisions. But enough people have voiced issues that there's probably more to it than that in many cases.

It was a part of the contract that Midco will convert to HD by the 2014-15 season, but Katie Hale has confirmed via Twitter that the conversion will actually take place prior to next season. This is very good news, and hopefully underlines Midco's commitment to delivering the best possible product for its viewers.

I really hope this is accurate...

[207Sioux]

There might be something to this in some cases -- the eye is now accustomed to HD, and some people may also need to adjust the settings on their televisions. But enough people have voiced issues that there's probably more to it than that in many cases.

It was a part of the contract that Midco will convert to HD by the 2014-15 season, but Katie Hale has confirmed via Twitter that the conversion will actually take place prior to next season. This is very good news, and hopefully underlines Midco's commitment to delivering the best possible product for its viewers.

Does this mean that the web feed will also be in HD for those of us out of the local viewing range?

[Dave Berger]

I have posted here several times, and will continue to do so. I can also be reached directly at jayson.hajdu@athletics.und.edu or on Twitter at @UNDSID. I'm actually quite easy to find.

Thank you for stopping by, Jayson! We appreciate it.

Dave

[BigGreyAnt41]

Does this mean that the web feed will also be in HD for those of us out of the local viewing range?

As I understand it, the video web feed will be gone after this year because Midco owns exclusive rights to the video. Is this correct or will we still at least be able to watch live online video streaming of the games?

[Jayson Hajdu]

Does this mean that the web feed will also be in HD for those of us out of the local viewing range?

Yes.

[Jayson Hajdu]

As I understand it, the video web feed will be gone after this year because Midco owns exclusive rights to the video. Is this correct or will we still at least be able to watch live online video streaming of the games?

We will continue to webcast all home games except for UND home games broadcast by CBS Sports Network.

[BigGreyAnt41]

Yes.

We will continue to webcast all home games except for UND home games broadcast by CBS Sports Network.

Awesome on both accounts. Thanks for the quick reply.

[KSSioux]

I appreciate the comments from Jayson, but there is a problem and it is NOT with our eyes accustomed to HD quality, and it is worse than ever. The contract is supposed to have been signed with PROFESSIONALS that were supposed to know what they were doing. The feed on FCS is far worse than it was last year. You do not have to be a rocket scientist to understand that it is a feed to FCS issue. It is a digital feed which means you cannot make it better with adjusting a rabbit ear antenna. What you get is what you get. Just like the folks who used to get the feed on a FTA satellite and bragged that their strength was 80 and others were getting 75. The picture is the SAME since it is digital, and as long as it is not pixelating it is strong enough. Watching the UNH game on FCS Friday before the UND game, the quality was about the same, which is really disappointing since that was the same as last year for some of those schools other than UND that were on FCS. The Gophs game on FCS yesterday was much better quality, but I realize that that is because they have HD cameras and even though FCS is not HD in our area, the quality is still good because of that. That is why the HD for next year will npot matter at all to those outside of the Midco area since we will lose the FCS broadcasts. The least that UND could do was to force Midco to give those of us with FTA the coordinates so we could pull in something of better quality since we have the system already in place. That would improve the viewing for some, and they cold actually get some real feedback as to where the quality is deteriorating. That would be the smart thing to do, but sine they do not think it is real I doubt that will happen.

[Sioux2007]

I have posted here several times, and will continue to do so. I can also be reached directly at jayson.hajdu@athletics.und.edu or on Twitter at @UNDSID. I'm actually quite easy to find.

Thank you Jayson for coming on here and checking in with the fans. I think we all agree we are lucky to have the opportunity to have the games on TV, so thank you. I wasn't sure if TV related questions should continue to funnel to you or if there was another source/contact with UND or Midco to share our concerns. Thank you again. Looking forward to some new changes.

[Jayson Hajdu]

I looked into the issue some of you have reported regarding the audio not synching properly, and by all accounts everything checks out fine on the front end when the signal is sent out from Midco's uplink truck. So obviously there is an issue on the back end that needs to be solved.

We had already been in contact with Midco earlier this morning, and both parties have regular communication with FOX College Sports, so hopefully this particular issue can be rectified in short order.

[sprig]

The quality for other cable co's buying the feed is also much poorer than for those that have midco cable. I assume the other cableco's are getting the feed from satellite, rather than fiber that supplies all of midco.

[siouxforeverbaby]

I looked into the issue some of you have reported regarding the audio not synching properly, and by all accounts everything checks out fine on the front end when the signal is sent out from Midco's uplink truck. So obviously there is an issue on the back end that needs to be solved.

We had already been in contact with Midco earlier this morning, and both parties have regular communication with FOX College Sports, so hopefully this particular issue can be rectified in short order.

Thank you for all your feedback Jayson. The webcast was a little bit better for me this weekend, they came back from commercials in time anyway Saturday was a little blurry...you could read the scoreboard, but you had to squint to do it. I had an easier time reading the numbers on the jerseys, which appeared larger. It was the same on both my computer and the tv that I had it hooked up to.

[NOCO SIOUX]

All this talk about HD is great. I just hope by signing a deal with Midco, Sioux fans around the country not in the Midco viewing area aren't going to be left without a game to watch.

[dagies]

There definitely was an issue with the sound synching with the video this past weekend on FCS. I've never seen that in the past. I assume it was a one-time issue that will be fixed by the next time.

Unlike KSSioux I don't think the FCS video feed is any worse than last year. I thought it was terrible last year and it's just as bad this year. But it's better than not seeing the game, but I do hope for better in the future.

Sounds like the Midco picture is of better quality, so sounds like something endemic to the process of getting the signal from Midco to FCS.

And yes, it did seem worse after I got our HD TV. I went from watching the games on a Comcast cable signal (FCS still) on a 28 inch SD tv, and suddenly had a 55" plasma TV and have to admit had hoped that the video would be a little better (though I knew it wasn't in HD). So it seemed like the picture actually got worse on the new TV but that was probably a combination of getting used to seeing HD video on other channels, personal hopes and expectations, and perhaps blowing the video up to fit on a 55 inch screen. I don't know.

Anyway, Jayson, thanks for listening.

[Air Force One]

Sorry if this has been posted here before. Is there anyway to get rid of the Midco Sports vertical "banners" on each side of the picture? I feels like I am watching the game through a door.

[bigskyvikes]

Sorry if this has been posted here before. Is there anyway to get rid of the Midco Sports vertical "banners" on each side of the picture? I feels like I am watching the game through a door.

Yes, watch it on a non-HD channel. Your watching a non wide screen picture on a wide screen HD channel. I believe........

[SiouxFan in DU Country]

If any of you are fortunate enough to have the correct Directv package you have the option to watch the hockey game on Friday and Saturday nigths on blurvision OR in HD on channel 628 (NESNHD). I would prefer to watch it using our channel, announcers etc. but it is too hard to resist watching it on HD.