MA
Hate the animation wipe effect on the straps, it's incredibly irritating. I think the Sky News DOG and clock should be top left. I still don't understand Sky's insistence on 14L12 commercials on 16F16 channels.
Apparently it is so that they only have to cache one copy of the commercial. If they showed 16F16 ads on their 16:9 channels they'd either have to store two copies (requiring more storage and more time to load) or they'd have to put ARCs into all the 4:3 channel transmission areas. At the moment they aren't prepared to do either, hence adverts and promos are 4:3 on all Sky 16:9 channels.
I notice, on Freeview, that the switching between 4:3 and 16:9 is far from slick.
In the scheme of things ARCs are hardly expensive bits of kit... in fact I noticed in work yesterday about 20 of them which are now surplus to requirements as most stuff now originates in 16F16.
Sure - but rebuilding every single 4:3 channel playout area to cope with 16:9 to 4:3 ARCing is still not trivial or cheap. The ARCs themselves may not be that expensive - but all the other changes required for working in mixed aspect ratios are not cheap. Showing adverts 14L12 is ... Bottom line is ... the bottom line.
Unless they are running the channels on a single server port basis then the cheapest way to do it is to force all commercials to play off one particular port, which has it's output ARCed to 14L12. That way you don't need any GPI engines or control lines.
noggin posted:
marksi posted:
noggin posted:
marksi posted:
Hate the animation wipe effect on the straps, it's incredibly irritating. I think the Sky News DOG and clock should be top left. I still don't understand Sky's insistence on 14L12 commercials on 16F16 channels.
Apparently it is so that they only have to cache one copy of the commercial. If they showed 16F16 ads on their 16:9 channels they'd either have to store two copies (requiring more storage and more time to load) or they'd have to put ARCs into all the 4:3 channel transmission areas. At the moment they aren't prepared to do either, hence adverts and promos are 4:3 on all Sky 16:9 channels.
I notice, on Freeview, that the switching between 4:3 and 16:9 is far from slick.
In the scheme of things ARCs are hardly expensive bits of kit... in fact I noticed in work yesterday about 20 of them which are now surplus to requirements as most stuff now originates in 16F16.
Sure - but rebuilding every single 4:3 channel playout area to cope with 16:9 to 4:3 ARCing is still not trivial or cheap. The ARCs themselves may not be that expensive - but all the other changes required for working in mixed aspect ratios are not cheap. Showing adverts 14L12 is ... Bottom line is ... the bottom line.
Unless they are running the channels on a single server port basis then the cheapest way to do it is to force all commercials to play off one particular port, which has it's output ARCed to 14L12. That way you don't need any GPI engines or control lines.
NG
I think the gap between the extreme left of 16:9 and the Sky News Dog and Clock contains just the animating Sky News Active, web and e-mail stuff precisely BECAUSE it will be cut off in 4:3. It is non-essential, so fills a gap in 16:9, but isn't actually that important, so it doesn't matter if it is cropped entirely in 4:3. The problem will be on Freeview receivers that output 14:9 letterbox. If Sky are clever they will broadcast with a 16:9 not 14:9 AFD on DTT - so that automatically switching boxes drop to a 16:9 letterbox. However they may not be able to do this as well as 4:3 /16:9 ratio switching for breaks.
noggin
Founding member
newsbeat posted:
I love the new look, but disappointed about the ratios involved on a 4:3 TV. I am at Uni, so watching on a 15" TV. On all the other channels I watch the widescreen picture by pressing the 'WIDE' button on my remote. This works nicely on all the other channels of course, but on Sky News I have to watch in Letterbox mode for the whole picture to be in. If i watch in 4:3 then I still get 'ews' and 'om' on in the far left hand corner. In 16:9 (with a 1cm black bar on the top and bottom of the screen) I just get more such as 'sky.com' and 'Active' (with no red button). Its stupid for me to watch in Letterbox mode, because I have a 2.5 cm bar along the top and bottom.
What is the point of the 'Active/sky.com/news/news@sky.com'?? I thought they wouldn't feature in the main ticker, but they are still there. At some points, this information is displayed twice onscreen at once - plus the contanst presenter lead prompts too!
Is there a chance this will change?
What is the point of the 'Active/sky.com/news/news@sky.com'?? I thought they wouldn't feature in the main ticker, but they are still there. At some points, this information is displayed twice onscreen at once - plus the contanst presenter lead prompts too!
Is there a chance this will change?
I think the gap between the extreme left of 16:9 and the Sky News Dog and Clock contains just the animating Sky News Active, web and e-mail stuff precisely BECAUSE it will be cut off in 4:3. It is non-essential, so fills a gap in 16:9, but isn't actually that important, so it doesn't matter if it is cropped entirely in 4:3. The problem will be on Freeview receivers that output 14:9 letterbox. If Sky are clever they will broadcast with a 16:9 not 14:9 AFD on DTT - so that automatically switching boxes drop to a 16:9 letterbox. However they may not be able to do this as well as 4:3 /16:9 ratio switching for breaks.
NG
Hate the animation wipe effect on the straps, it's incredibly irritating. I think the Sky News DOG and clock should be top left. I still don't understand Sky's insistence on 14L12 commercials on 16F16 channels.
Apparently it is so that they only have to cache one copy of the commercial. If they showed 16F16 ads on their 16:9 channels they'd either have to store two copies (requiring more storage and more time to load) or they'd have to put ARCs into all the 4:3 channel transmission areas. At the moment they aren't prepared to do either, hence adverts and promos are 4:3 on all Sky 16:9 channels.
I notice, on Freeview, that the switching between 4:3 and 16:9 is far from slick.
In the scheme of things ARCs are hardly expensive bits of kit... in fact I noticed in work yesterday about 20 of them which are now surplus to requirements as most stuff now originates in 16F16.
Sure - but rebuilding every single 4:3 channel playout area to cope with 16:9 to 4:3 ARCing is still not trivial or cheap. The ARCs themselves may not be that expensive - but all the other changes required for working in mixed aspect ratios are not cheap. Showing adverts 14L12 is ... Bottom line is ... the bottom line.
Unless they are running the channels on a single server port basis then the cheapest way to do it is to force all commercials to play off one particular port, which has it's output ARCed to 14L12. That way you don't need any GPI engines or control lines.
But then you have to dedicate a port (or mixer/router input if the ports are dynamically assigned on demand) for advert playout don't you ? Don't know if that is practical on Sky's automation system. I don't know if they use dynamic port and or mixer allocation for junctions or have dedicated ports and mixers for each channel. It is certainly possible to do it the way you suggest - but without knowing how Sky's playout areas are configured it is speculation I guess.
noggin
Founding member
marksi posted:
noggin posted:
marksi posted:
noggin posted:
marksi posted:
Hate the animation wipe effect on the straps, it's incredibly irritating. I think the Sky News DOG and clock should be top left. I still don't understand Sky's insistence on 14L12 commercials on 16F16 channels.
Apparently it is so that they only have to cache one copy of the commercial. If they showed 16F16 ads on their 16:9 channels they'd either have to store two copies (requiring more storage and more time to load) or they'd have to put ARCs into all the 4:3 channel transmission areas. At the moment they aren't prepared to do either, hence adverts and promos are 4:3 on all Sky 16:9 channels.
I notice, on Freeview, that the switching between 4:3 and 16:9 is far from slick.
In the scheme of things ARCs are hardly expensive bits of kit... in fact I noticed in work yesterday about 20 of them which are now surplus to requirements as most stuff now originates in 16F16.
Sure - but rebuilding every single 4:3 channel playout area to cope with 16:9 to 4:3 ARCing is still not trivial or cheap. The ARCs themselves may not be that expensive - but all the other changes required for working in mixed aspect ratios are not cheap. Showing adverts 14L12 is ... Bottom line is ... the bottom line.
Unless they are running the channels on a single server port basis then the cheapest way to do it is to force all commercials to play off one particular port, which has it's output ARCed to 14L12. That way you don't need any GPI engines or control lines.
But then you have to dedicate a port (or mixer/router input if the ports are dynamically assigned on demand) for advert playout don't you ? Don't know if that is practical on Sky's automation system. I don't know if they use dynamic port and or mixer allocation for junctions or have dedicated ports and mixers for each channel. It is certainly possible to do it the way you suggest - but without knowing how Sky's playout areas are configured it is speculation I guess.
ME
You can almost feel the ethos behind the TOTH shouting at you: people tune in for the headlines, so let's trail the other stuff before the headlines.
Sadly it just ends up feeling like a marathon to get past the fluff to the actual news. Almost like kicking off with the "and finally" - round way wrong.
And please, please, PLEASE let the desk go faulty and start rotating during a link. It would be the funniest thing ever.
Sadly it just ends up feeling like a marathon to get past the fluff to the actual news. Almost like kicking off with the "and finally" - round way wrong.
And please, please, PLEASE let the desk go faulty and start rotating during a link. It would be the funniest thing ever.
NG
I suspect that they are more worried about the desk jamming mid rotate. They must have "manual over-ride" - i.e. the facility for a lot of people to push (or maybe just a few if it is well designed)
The TOTH does feel a bit flabby - for some reason I'm reminded of the original News 24 TOTH which had news headlines, sport headlines and weather headlines and took about a week.
noggin
Founding member
me posted:
You can almost feel the ethos behind the TOTH shouting at you: people tune in for the headlines, so let's trail the other stuff before the headlines.
Sadly it just ends up feeling like a marathon to get past the fluff to the actual news. Almost like kicking off with the "and finally" - round way wrong.
And please, please, PLEASE let the desk go faulty and start rotating during a link. It would be the funniest thing ever.
Sadly it just ends up feeling like a marathon to get past the fluff to the actual news. Almost like kicking off with the "and finally" - round way wrong.
And please, please, PLEASE let the desk go faulty and start rotating during a link. It would be the funniest thing ever.
I suspect that they are more worried about the desk jamming mid rotate. They must have "manual over-ride" - i.e. the facility for a lot of people to push (or maybe just a few if it is well designed)
The TOTH does feel a bit flabby - for some reason I'm reminded of the original News 24 TOTH which had news headlines, sport headlines and weather headlines and took about a week.
BB
Been watching it non-stop all day.
Very, very, very impressed, me thinks this could be the end of the traditional news-channel as we know it.
I love all the walking around and changing of set, gives you a sense of the scale of the place.
Great
Very, very, very impressed, me thinks this could be the end of the traditional news-channel as we know it.
I love all the walking around and changing of set, gives you a sense of the scale of the place.
Great
TW
For those asking about the screens earlier...
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/1340225.jpg
http://www.rp-networkservices.com/tvforum/uploads/1340225.jpg
NG
noggin
Founding member
Not entirely convinced by the three presenters stood at a table chatting approach to news. Sure they kind of mulled over some of the issues - but to be honest I'm not that fussed what they think about Sainsbury's peanut brittle.
Not entirely convinced by the multitude of locations they are presenting from. It is a brave attempt at something new - but traditionally your main presenter shots, when done well, have been part of your programme's branding. If you have so many of them you dilute the brand - or risk doing so.
There are some inventive touches though. Scrolling the breaking news logo in the newswall neatly gets around any widescreen crop issues.
Also interesting to see, if anything, Sky being less radical with their graphics. Sky now looks a lot closer to News 24 than it did - it has definitely got a classier look in graphics terms now.
Not sure about the weather graphics - though at least the land is green...
Not entirely convinced by the multitude of locations they are presenting from. It is a brave attempt at something new - but traditionally your main presenter shots, when done well, have been part of your programme's branding. If you have so many of them you dilute the brand - or risk doing so.
There are some inventive touches though. Scrolling the breaking news logo in the newswall neatly gets around any widescreen crop issues.
Also interesting to see, if anything, Sky being less radical with their graphics. Sky now looks a lot closer to News 24 than it did - it has definitely got a classier look in graphics terms now.
Not sure about the weather graphics - though at least the land is green...
BB
I watched Sunrise from the beginning and have to say that it was lacking in content although they did cover the major stories, but not in major detail, whether this was because there was little news I'm not sure, just have to wait and see i suppose.