I'm not sure of the distribution chain for NBC/KVBC via the Cox-LV analog tier, but it is full of artifacts. I thought they were using the OTA signal and putting it to NTSC before modulating it and sending it over fiber to the main distribution points. But they may have changed the way they do this, using digital for the hauls to the hubs and going analog from there. But for the analog picture, there is little detail on the water and mainly a blur, especially around the splashing swimmers. The ball disappears on the wide shot when someone throws for the goal. It is all clearly compression artifacts. I'm not at home when it is on to see what it looks like on the OTA STB (I think this is what you are referring to as the "cheese-box"). We just watch some of it while eating lunch hear at work. As far as other Olympic events on at night received on the OTA STB via composite video to an NTSC monitor, it looks pretty good. Dan "John Willkie" <johnwillkie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent by: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 08/19/2008 11:30 AM Please respond to opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> cc Subject [opendtv] Re: [Fwd: RE: [oldvtrs] So Much for HDTV] Dan; My mother has been watching the Olympics on her new hdtv set. She sees the ball in water polo, and she doesn’t see artifacts, and she has 16:9 video. Great, minimalist graphics, by the way. And, she gets her tv from cable. I see no breakups, no swizzles, and no artifacts. I think the whining about this – Athens, Torino and Sydney were different matters – has to do with sub-optimal encoding by some NBC stations, and people expecting perfection from cheese boxes or cable firms. John Willkie De: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] En nombre de dan.grimes@xxxxxxxx Enviado el: Tuesday, August 19, 2008 10:56 AM Para: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Asunto: [opendtv] Re: [Fwd: RE: [oldvtrs] So Much for HDTV] Craig: "Then again, we may be too critical. The AVERAGE CONSUMER probably does not care, or even see some of this crap." I think the consumer is noticing, but there isn't any feedback to let the producers know. I have heard from several non-technical friends that they notice artifacts (they use different terms) in some of the Olympic coverage. And another just recently changed from cable to DBS and says he was surprised that video could look that much better. Speaking of the Olympic coverage and artifacts, have you watched water polo? The ball actually disappears. Dan