WBNS-TV Full NCAA Tournament Coverage

A quick review on WBNS' coverage of the NCAA tournament.

First, great props to WBNS for using the full spectrum of the ATSC standard for digital brodcast. For those not in Columbus, or without an ATSC tuner (or digital cable), WBNS turned off their HD signal, and turned on four digital SD channels. What that means, is that DT 10-1 went away, and DT 10-2, 10-3, 10-4 and 10-5 appeared, and each showed the four CBS feeds, for free, over the air.

Even better was that WBNS made a no-brainer partnership with local cable to take the digital signal and show it on digital cable. So if you didn't have a digital tuner in your TV (as I did) you could also use your cable box to check it out.

Now, what is the downside?

Well, for starters, it seems that when you put that may subchannels on the digital signal, that the picture quality begins to degrade. So I think 10-5, as an example, came across rather blocky at times during fast motion shots. I'm not sure if this is the fault of WBNS, or the fault of the technology. FWIW, the digital cable signal also had the same problem.

The other downside for viewers with widescreen tvs is that the signal was all SD. No HD signal at all. I was fine since my TV is 4:3, but others and bars who advertised HD games might have been in for a shocker depending upon how they received their signal....technically it would have been false advertising.

But regardless of the quality issue...this was a great job by WBNS. This is the selling point for digital tuners in TVs. Props to them.

technorati tags: NCAA Tournament, Digital TV

Yes, Billy Packer it IS your job

Chicago Tribune | Packer won't back off tournament criticism

Billy Packer, continues to show what a moron he is on a daily basis.

Yes Mr. Packer, it is your job to know something about all of the Division I teams. In fact, you probably should know something about powerhouses in Div II and III.

Let me explain with an analogy that the Java geeks that come on here from time to time would understand.

It's not in my job description for me to know anything about the following techologies: Java Server Faces, Struts, TestNG, JUnit, JDOM. In fact it's not in my job description to know anything about any of those. All that's in my job description is the functional task that I am assigned. It's my responsibility to keep up with the technologies and trends that will be used in achieving that function and executing. It's my responsibility to find ways to cut costs and do things more effectively.

Last I checked, Mr. Packer, you were a NCAA Basketball analyst. That means, you are supposed to know something about the players, something about strategy and something about the teams that are playing.

So, yes, it is your job to know something about all of the Division I teams. Your job on Selection Sunday was to comment on the brackets. And that you did. And you were clueless as to anyone other than the teams in the Big East and ACC.

Much like Jim Cramer tells us on Mad Money. If you don't have time to do your homework on a stock, don't invest in it. Take your money and give it to a professional. Let them do the homework for you.

You didn't do your homework, Mr. Packer. Perhaps it's time to give your TV time up to a professional who takes the time to do their homework.

technorati tags: Billy Packer, Moron, NCAA, Mad Money, Jim Cramer

Good Guys 2-0 Packer/Nantz

Wichita St 86-66 Seton Hall
Wisconsin-Millwaukee 82-74 Oklahoma

That is enough to call scoreboard on their entire rant. Still doesn't mean that the NCAA comittee is off the hook though. Packer and Nantz were just about the largest tools known to man on Sunday night and deserve every bit of flack they get for their antics.