A question on local affiliates and HD
 

Two examples before the question.

On my NBC affiliate, the picture pops from HD to SD so the affiliate can give their station identification, then the picture pops back into HD.

I'm watching football on Fox right now and the corner is showing a local affiliate "Thunderstorm Watch" just above the station ID. It's been on since the beginning and the picture is not only SD, it's 2.0 (not the typical 5.1).

Exactly what prevents an affiliate from over-laying their information over an HD picture? Or is it just my area that does it this way and not a "problem" for others?

Here in the Madison market right now it's as follows:

ABC-HD - broadcasting SD w/the weather crap. (ABC-SD the same)

FOX-HD - broadcasting HD, no weather. (FOX-SD showing weather)

NBC-HD - broadcasting HD, no weather. (NBC-SD showing weather)

CBS-HD - broadcasting HD, no weather. (CBS-SD showing weather)


So it seems it's not possible, for whatever reason, to put the weather stuff up while broadcasting HD. But it must be up to the local affiliate whether or not they actually show the weather watches/warnings on in SD on the HD channels.

I hate it when they cut the HD feed to broadcast a weather update or to include the radar. If I wanted a weather update, I would check a weather channel. Nothing worse than having an entire night's worth of programming ruined by a fucking t-storm.

I think saying that it's "impossible" to air weather info and show the feed in HD is a bit extreme. It does sound like these stations have not invested in new HD technology for their weather setup, though. Surely such equipment exists and will eventually get installed.

I didn't say it's 'impossible,' I said it 'seems it's not possible.' :p

I'm sure it's possible one way or another, but they don't really care enough yet.

I've had the same issue with mine, I'm guessing it's just a cost thing they won't address until they are forced to.

I live in an area where I get Richmond/Hampton Roads stations.Recently the NBC affliate(WAVY 10) has gotten shoty at best.They went to a slower speed and every 5 days or so have some Motorolla screen pop up on the for another channel.For 3 days,I got the UNC PBS or a blank screen.Also the CBS one(channel 6) when they are not on HD, they have a "picture frame" that takes up 1/4 of the screen.(as to the letter box the rest of the time). Wondering if any other areas are doing this?

I just love how the tv stations are so excited about the government mandated switch over!

I see all kinds of weird stuff during football season.

NBC seems the worst at HD -> SD -> HD switching during commercials and local news briefs in Dallas anyway.

The switching always causes loud pops and turmoil, it seems bad for the TV. The only NBC I watch is SNL, so maybe it's a "live" thing.

I hope to be watching more NBC this season with "30 Rock", "Heroes" and "Studio 60"

That happened to me during the season finale of Lost. Pretty much the last 40 minutes were dominated by the weather shit. Very irritating.

I hate local news weather reporting, we had a map up this week for a Thunderstorm warning, not a tornado, not even a thunderstorm a GD thunderstorm WARNING. I think when people see rain, lightning and hear thunder they might figure it out, not to mention most of the time the area is out of their broadcast range. But they live for ANY type of percipitation here.

...because they'd have to decompress the incoming feed, have the hardware to overlay the material on top of the HD image, and recompress for broadcast.

Fox has a splicer system in place for slapping on a station logo without going through those steps, but I don't believe it's robust enough to allow putting on any other sort of graphic quickly and easily.