faba Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 NFL Improves Instant Replay Capabilities By RACHEL COHEN, AP Sports Writer 42 minutes agoUPDATED 11 MINUTES AGO NEW YORK - All the fans who ever grumbled that they could do a better job than NFL referees _ well, maybe they were right. Or at least some of them had better equipment with which to make instant replay decisions. So the league this season is switching to high definition technology for its officials to use to review plays on the field. "As more people were getting high definition TV at home, they actually had a better view than the referee charged with making the decision," said Dean Blandino, the NFL's director of instant replay. "That could've bit us in the rear if we continued that." HD systems have been installed in all but three stadiums and will be in use during the preseason. The three exceptions are due to the New York teams, Dallas and Indianapolis awaiting the opening of new facilities, which will have HD capabilities. For now, their current stadiums have HD hardware but not the signal, which means the image quality is better than before but not as good as in other cities _ or in fans' homes. This is the first time the NFL has upgraded its technology since reinstating instant replay in 1999. "The biggest concern we've heard from referees is about the quality of the picture they were viewing," Blandino said. That shouldn't be a problem anymore. The HD images are five times sharper than the previous standard definition system, according to Harris Corporation, which supplies the NFL's replay equipment. Even without the clearer picture, referees would have an easier time seeing the video with the new monitors. The screens are bigger _ 26 inches compared with 20 _ and officials no longer have to view them from a set distance. Instead, they can stand closer or farther away if they choose. But the greatest impact will come from the crisper images. The difference between standard and high definition is particularly stark for slow motion replays and freeze frames, said Rich Zabel, a vice president at Harris. Not only will the HD systems allow refs to make better calls, Blandino said, but they'll have another effect fans can appreciate: quicker decisions. About half of the situations that have been reviewed since 1999 involved whether a potential catch was complete or incomplete, Blandino said. He believes the new HD replays will help officials greatly with that type of call. "What used to be, 'Is this foot in or out of bounds?'" Zabel said, "is now that you can see the blades of grass between the foot and the sideline." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joewilly Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 anything that helps get it right i'm all for. I still like the efficiency of the college games for ir better though. the amount of time it takes from the whistle blowing the play dead to the ref making the call is agonizing & ruins the flow of the game imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Troll Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 I like how we don't get one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGraw38 Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Eh, basically all this means is they're going to find new and improved ways to **** up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#27TheDominator Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Real high tech. Technology that's been coming into our living rooms for years. The NFL is on the cutting edge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leviot Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 So NOW they're getting high-def? So what were they looking at until now? Choppy black and white footage from the 1930s? gee, no wonder these guys could never get a call right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joebabyny Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 NFL Improves Instant Replay Capabilities By RACHEL COHEN, AP Sports Writer 42 minutes agoUPDATED 11 MINUTES AGO NEW YORK - All the fans who ever grumbled that they could do a better job than NFL referees _ well, maybe they were right. Or at least some of them had better equipment with which to make instant replay decisions. So the league this season is switching to high definition technology for its officials to use to review plays on the field. "As more people were getting high definition TV at home, they actually had a better view than the referee charged with making the decision," said Dean Blandino, the NFL's director of instant replay. "That could've bit us in the rear if we continued that." HD systems have been installed in all but three stadiums and will be in use during the preseason. The three exceptions are due to the New York teams, Dallas and Indianapolis awaiting the opening of new facilities, which will have HD capabilities. For now, their current stadiums have HD hardware but not the signal, which means the image quality is better than before but not as good as in other cities _ or in fans' homes. This is the first time the NFL has upgraded its technology since reinstating instant replay in 1999. "The biggest concern we've heard from referees is about the quality of the picture they were viewing," Blandino said. That shouldn't be a problem anymore. The HD images are five times sharper than the previous standard definition system, according to Harris Corporation, which supplies the NFL's replay equipment. Even without the clearer picture, referees would have an easier time seeing the video with the new monitors. The screens are bigger _ 26 inches compared with 20 _ and officials no longer have to view them from a set distance. Instead, they can stand closer or farther away if they choose. But the greatest impact will come from the crisper images. The difference between standard and high definition is particularly stark for slow motion replays and freeze frames, said Rich Zabel, a vice president at Harris. Not only will the HD systems allow refs to make better calls, Blandino said, but they'll have another effect fans can appreciate: quicker decisions. About half of the situations that have been reviewed since 1999 involved whether a potential catch was complete or incomplete, Blandino said. He believes the new HD replays will help officials greatly with that type of call. "What used to be, 'Is this foot in or out of bounds?'" Zabel said, "is now that you can see the blades of grass between the foot and the sideline." I don't understand why we can't have it. From what i read all stadiums were outfitted from the beginning with high def coax cabling, and this winter enough servers and systems were bought for every stadium. As for the signal, the replay system gets a feed from the tv network video trailer, and as far as i know games at gaints stadium are generally broadcast in hd. Maybe with the new high def system they are not using broadcast tv signals, but i have not heard that is the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetophile Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 I don't think HD would have changed the Chris Baker rip-off vs. Cleveland last year. Yah, I understand the rule, but I still think it was cr*p. You know that call doesn't go against Reggie Wayne, for example. Yes, I know Wayne is a WR, but I'm sure you get the point. EDIT: Can't say I felt any more than ever so mildy embarrassed about the blatant Vinny non-TD vs. the Seahawks. The only thing that crossed was his helmet, and the ball was a mile away from the goal line. Payback for years of getting scr*wed is the way I looked at it. Wait, isn't that why they brought back Instant Replay? WAIT! HAHAHA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Troll Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 I don't think HD would have changed the Chris Baker rip-off vs. Cleveland last year. Yah, I understand the rule, but I still think it was cr*p. You know that call doesn't go against Reggie Wayne, for example. Yes, I know Wayne is a WR, but I'm sure you get the point. EDIT: Can't say I felt any more than ever so mildy embarrassed about the blatant Vinny non-TD vs. the Seahawks. The only thing that crossed was his helmet, and the ball was a mile away from the goal line. Payback for years of getting scr*wed is the way I looked at it. Wait, isn't that why they brought back Instant Replay? WAIT! HAHAHA! That ruling was actually great for the Seahawks in the long run, because it directly led to Dennis Erickson getting fired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetophile Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 That ruling was actually great for the Seahawks in the long run, because it directly led to Dennis Erickson getting fired. Yes, I know, but it was even way better for you, me - and probably Jets fans the world over at that moment specifically. We stood there with our mouths hanging open for at least three minutes, completely speechless. I almost felt a little bit guilty. But that only lasted about three seconds. I never really had any hate for the Seahawks. Too bad it wasn't a rival that made me fit to puke. Ugh, I hated losing to the Colts that year. Could never shake how much I couldn't stand them seeing as they used to be in our division, and I can't stand the Mannings. Made me sick. I think we lost by a point, 24-23, 21-20, something like that. We were away, and I was so mad the whole drive home. I heard them blow it on the radio. I wouldn't even talk, I was so teed off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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