View from the Editor: 2004 - HDTV Odyssey? - January 2004  

The festive season is an important time for the Sport and Technology editorial household. Forget exchanging gifts and catching up with relatives and friends, the holiday period is special for one reason only - the Labrokes.com World Darts Championships at the Circus Tavern, Purfleet in the UK's county of Essex. Yours truly was there and was once again delighted to meet my hero darts superstar and (on that day) 10-times world champion Phil 'The Power' Taylor. I last bumped into Phil in the slightly more salubrious surroundings of Monaco at Sportel 2002 where he was hanging out with his manager, Matchroom's Barry Hearn and former snooker supremo Steve Davis. Suffice to say, Purfleet was colder than Monaco but the atmosphere was electric as Phil powered his way to his 11th world championship title in one of the best darts matches ever seen.

Phil 'The Power' Taylor

Why go HD?

Sport and Technology asked Francis Tellier, chief executive of HBS, why the host broadcaster has chosen this route. "We conducted a number of surveys throughout 2003," he explained, "and we are convinced we can produce high definition feeds without impacting on reliability. We also expect broadcasters to start launching their own HD channels." Tellier felt it was important to make the announcement at this stage to give the facilities industry enough time to start kitting up if they want to be involved in the 2006 event.
"That's all very well, but who is going to pay for it?" argued a Sport and Technology contact who works in the facilities industry. "HD is all nice and good but it is bloody expensive." Tellier's reply was to the point. "No-one is obliged to tender for this work. We have however consulted with the big facilities providers and we are inviting tenders by the end of January 2004."
HBS is fully aware that by 2006, most television households globally will still be 4x3 rather than widescreen. "Shots will therefore be 4x3 protected so that viewers not watching in widescreen will not lose anything," said Tellier. "If however they have widescreen then they will have more to see."
Broadcasters will not be obliged to take the HD feeds as HBS intends to produce a standard definition feed as well, all through a single set of a minimum 20 HDTV cameras at the venues. The advantages of HD however are tangible said Tellier. "HD delivers so much more to television audiences. Such audiences are increasingly demanding as they compare what is being delivered to DVD quality. When they watch television now they expect a high quality of pictures."

Francis Tellier

Rachael Church - Editor

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