Sky F1

[Ian]

I thought it was supposed to be advert free, first 2 FP sessions were smothered in adverts, not bad coverage although I thought there was too much razamataz, I know it's early days yet and I'm getting it free but so far I still preferred BBC' coverage.

[John S]

I think they promised the actual race coverage to be ad free, never heard any mention of practice - or Quali for that matter. The devil is always in the detail.

However you are ahead of me as my Virgin connection will only be done tomorrow (Saturday) morning, after Quali has happened.    All to do with having to end old contracts and not having to pay big bucks for cancellation fees. 

[Dare]

I think they promised the actual race coverage to be ad free, never heard any mention of practice - or Quali for that matter. The devil is always in the detail.

However you are ahead of me as my Virgin connection will only be done tomorrow (Saturday) morning, after Quali has happened.    All to do with having to end old contracts and not having to pay big bucks for cancellation fees. 


Always read the fine print.One cable provider here Dish gives you a
cheap first year,jumps way up2nd year and sky high cancellation fees

[vintly]

Agreed, BBC1 was better, but it's early days. I'm hoping the gizmos and analysis will improve once there's a few races to refer between. Don't think Brundle and Hill have much chemistry - but I'm not complaining, bring it on.

For those without Sky F1: http://www.vipbox.tv/watch/32669/1/sky-f1--live-stream-online.html

[Ian]

Another thing that got me was that as soon as we DID get some running they switched back to the pits for some chatter. 

[John S]

Another thing that got me was that as soon as we DID get some running they switched back to the pits for some chatter. 

I think the big difference is the red button coverage of practice on the BBC uses a Radio commentary added to just the TV feed that the radio team see, so no editing is done. Sky presumably have access to a lot more TV feed and can presumably show us the front running cars, in replay if necessary, and other linked pieces from their commentary team.

Until I get to try it at the next race it is hard for me to make any comparison, but the TV pictures on the red button coverage last year were not always of the cars or laps we all wanted to see. It was also pretty boring last year when there was no running, at least Sky can show lots of other stuff during rain intervals.





 

[Ian]

Sky said this morning that the red button interactive would'nt be working until later in the season.

[David]

The whole Sky thing has ruined it for me. This the first year I can remember that I couldn't give a toot that the season is starting. It's that bad my MD told me today who was quickest in practice, and I didn't even know. 

Can't believe I'm posting this, my sport is dying to me.

[Alianora La Canta]

It seems strange that Sky is so expensive yet apparently having so much trouble describing what it offers, or indeed matching the BBC's offering. You'd think, with no live practise TV coverage, that the BBC would have set the bar pretty low...

[John S]

My SKY F1 channel is now up and running thanks to a friendly & efficient guy from Virgin,   I've just watched a full re-run of Quali.   

No ads during the whole Quali session, even between each knockout part. 

Must say David Croft certainly injects some passion and tempo into the commentary, now looking forward to the race at 6 am tomorrow. 

[Scott]

Is that what you call it?  I mentioned to Wizzo and Cos in chat that maybe Crofty should take a valium next time before the broadcast. 

Obviously I am so far NOT IMPRESSED with the Sky version of F1.

Notes: 

-Hate the NFL style driver 'highlight (pre-posed picture of them with some fancy graphics around it) every time they show a replay or want to talk about one of the drivers.

-Can't stand Croft and his pretend enthusiasm to try to make an otherwise boring Q session 'exciting'.  Where is Coulthard.

-Poor Ant has to pose in front of that pretend touch screen and make a 3 second comment on some replay.  Let the guy talk - he's probably the most entertaining and informative talker on the Sky Team.  Graphic behind him was lame.

-Hill seemed a bit embarrassed by some of the retarded questions asked him by Ted Whatshisame...

New camera angles are sometimes interesting.  I wish the timing graphic was on screen a bit more since the official Timing and Scoring site was just showing a big grey square this morning (I think they want you to buy the app for $30, which I refuse to do this year...I already gave Bernie about $100 over the last few seasons for them, and I barely used anything but the timing screen, which should be online anyhow).

Thumbs down for my first episode.  Let's see what the race is like tomorrow.

[John S]

Is that what you call it?  I mentioned to Wizzo and Cos in chat that maybe Crofty should take a valium next time before the broadcast. 

Obviously I am so far NOT IMPRESSED with the Sky version of F1.


Thumbs down for my first episode.  Let's see what the race is like tomorrow.

I don't see it as a competition between Sky and the BBC Scott, to get all the races live this year I've got to have Sky. I also watched the Quali highlights on the BBC a few mins ago and apart from Jake I can't say they are giving value for money to licence payers. Compared to the real time live session on Sky the actual Quali running seemed disjointed, but maybe that's just because I had seen the whole thing a bit earlier. 

Crofty's enthusiasm is certainly not false,  his verbose and excitable style is a product of his background as a radio commentator, on radio dead air fails to fully paint the picture for the listener.

Mind you I hear tell that 'Muddy Talker' began as a radio man, some people were put off by his turbo delivery - and I'm sure he has been accused over the years of:-   

pretend enthusiasm   

                     

 
P.S. I can at least agree 'Ant and the Woman with her screen' belongs in a comedy show, as an F1 parody sketch, rather than in the show itself.   



   

[Neil.P]

I found the qualifying on BBC to be a bit duff. There was no mention of how Alonso's car was recovered from the gravel; I assume the session was stopped at this point? I think they mentioned something regarding the qualifying being stopped later in the coverage, but they didn't specify the cause.

But even worse, much worse, is the way they have the leaderboard on the left hand side of the screen. This means that I have no idea who is in which position due to some wide-screen nonsense, which my telly cannot adjust to.

One thing is certain, ol' tightwad here, ain't gonna be shelling out for no new telly or Sky... Up yours Bernie


Neil.P

[Scott]

I'm not talking about a competition either John...just talking about what was, compared to what is.  I have no idea what the BBC's version looks like yet.  I actually taped recorded it ( ;)Wizzo), but probably won't get around to the BBC versions of the weekend until later in the week.

Since I have never heard or seen Croft before, I suppose my first impression of him could be wrong, but I still found him acting more as a cheerleader to try to get the audience on their seats for the few slightly exciting parts of the Qualifying.  If he is even more excitable tomorrow for the race should anything out of the ordinary - like a pass - happen, I don't know if I might not just switch back to the Swiss commentary, which although isn't in my mother language, is less annoying.

I wasn't really a fan of Murray's either, but at least found his 'isms' entertaining (as I glance to my left, the latest one is "It's raining and the track is wet" - lol).  I found Coulthard's dry wit combined with his knowledge and that lovely Scottish lilt much, much easier to enjoy.

I found the qualifying on BBC to be a bit duff. There was no mention of how Alonso's car was recovered from the gravel; I assume the session was stopped at this point? I think they mentioned something regarding the qualifying being stopped later in the coverage, but they didn't specify the cause.

Yeah, they red flagged it for his car recovery.

But even worse, much worse, is the way they have the leaderboard on the left hand side of the screen. This means that I have no idea who is in which position due to some wide-screen nonsense, which my telly cannot adjust to.

One thing is certain, ol' tightwad here, ain't gonna be shelling out for no new telly or Sky... Up yours Bernie

The only way you'd get to see the timing would be if your TV could be adjusted to squeeze the wide feed into its 4:3 size, which would be painful to watch (some of the internet feeds are like that).  I wonder how many similar complaints are lighting up Sky's switchboard (ok, ok, In Box)?

[Dare]

Help out the  British economy Neil and buy yourself a
new tv,and like Pamela Anderson's implants the
bigger the better