Los Angeles Angels Fans Have HD Prayers Answered; Xmo Returns for 2009 Season

By Ken Kerschbaumer

Fans of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will see the game in a whole new way as FSN West is using Inertia Unlimited’s newest Xmo unit for super-slo motion instant replays from either a lower third base location or from a tight shot in behind centerfield. “We’ve used it before but this is the new version and it can record up to 7,000 frames per second,” says Matt Lipp, FSN West Angels baseball director. “It has the potential to be really good.”

Lipp says the network had an Xmo last year and placed it behind home plate. This year it will begin the season near third base for night games and in centerfield for day games.

“With the tight centerfield shot you can generally stay with the batter all the way and see the bat hit the ball and the compression of the ball,” he explains. “We’ll get similar shots from third base and get unbelievable shots following the ball, the pitcher’s release, and the spin.”

Mobile TV Groups 10HDX is the truck used for home games, a 53-foot expando with Grass Valley cameras, Canon lenses, Chyron graphics and a Grass Valley Kalypso production switcher. Sportvision’s Pitchtrax system will also be used more than it was last year and typical game productions rely on seven cameras plus POV cameras.

Viewers can also expect a leap in the amount of HD coverage as a majority of the 125 games broadcast will be shown in HD. “I have HDTV sets at home and I have a hard time watching a game that isn’t in HD, whether it’s baseball, basketball, or another sport,” says Lipp. “The quality of HD broadcasts today is super.”

As for the team itself, Lipp looks forward to presenting the team in the best light possible (“sports is the ultimate reality show”) and spending a season watching the Angels capture another division title and advance to the World Series. “We have to get by Boston,” he says.
Opening
Day is less than a month away, and SVG is counting down to the first
pitch with a look at the regional sports networks responsible for
producing games for all 30 Major League Baseball teams. SVG is checking
in with each RSN to detail the news and expectations leading up to the
2009 baseball season one conference at a time. For the complete SVG 30 in 30 Index, click here
.