television at the Olympics...

[Arkay]

Originally Posted by electroking

I don't know who provides the feeds to Radio-Canada/CBC but as far as
I'm concerned, the presentation is fine.

I was just watching the replay of the men's 3-meter springboard final,
and I was amazed by one small feature: where do they set-up their
mikes to get such clear pickup of the competitors' speech when they
exchange cues just before they jump?

A lot of that is done with highly directional mikes from some distance. The diving ones seem to be from the side, but I'm not sure: they could also be being fed in from somewhere on the board support itself. Also, modern sports venues often have mini-cams and mikes mounted in odd places, like suspended from tracks on the ceiling (or tracks on the bottom of a swimming pool). With computer-controlled servo remote control, they can move them around and zoom in on almost anything. A lot like security systems, but they usually use the smallest high-quality gear to keep it unobtrusive, and of course they are broadcast standard, which is better than the usual security system gear.

Pretty amazing what they can do these days with mini-cams and remote mikes!

Add to that the computer enhancements (like the green lines that show world-record time location in a swimming pool, or first-down lines in a football game). If you are old enough to remember, just compare the coverage of the modern Olympics or a recent Superbowl to the coverage of 20, 30 years ago. Truly amazing improvements!

[NowhereMan 1966]

Originally Posted by Arkay

A lot of that is done with highly directional mikes from some distance. The diving ones seem to be from the side, but I'm not sure: they could also be being fed in from somewhere on the board support itself. Also, modern sports venues often have mini-cams and mikes mounted in odd places, like suspended from tracks on the ceiling (or tracks on the bottom of a swimming pool). With computer-controlled servo remote control, they can move them around and zoom in on almost anything. A lot like security systems, but they usually use the smallest high-quality gear to keep it unobtrusive, and of course they are broadcast standard, which is better than the usual security system gear.

Pretty amazing what they can do these days with mini-cams and remote mikes!

Add to that the computer enhancements (like the green lines that show world-record time location in a swimming pool, or first-down lines in a football game). If you are old enough to remember, just compare the coverage of the modern Olympics or a recent Superbowl to the coverage of 20, 30 years ago. Truly amazing improvements!

I remember when they showed the downs and yardage in football where they basically used a character generator imposed on the screen. BTW, I think the first color telecast of the Olympics, at least for the USA, is the 1964 Tokyo games plus they share another first, the first to use the Telstar satellite for relays back home. I think they only could have a few hours of live TV though due to Telstar's orbit.

BTW, I'm still using the same TV now as I did for the 1984 Sareyevo (sp) Winter games.

[KentTeffeteller]

Hi,

The 1964 Olympics were the first color Olympic telecasts and the first Olympics telecast via satellite. Helped sell Roundies then too!

[Steve D.]

To follow up on the previous posts: NBC telecast, in color, the 1964 Olympics summer games opening ceremonies from Japan. The first cross pacific satellite color telecast. I would assume an NHK feed with American commentary.

-Steve D.

[mocom70]

In reference to the first post in this thread, I am amazed with the HD picture and the surround sound coming from NBC out of Grand Rapids, MI on my antenna. I watch this and it went through my mind that I thought I would never see such a clear picture from halfway around the world in my lifetime. Is it possible the Australian network that is picking up the NBC feed is mucking it up somehow?
I recall watching the ABC feeds from the winter games. I think it was 1968,
and we thought that it being in color was cool enough.