Comments on: Channel 10 — what were you thinking?

By: Richard

Richard — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 04:30:50 +0000

Oh, the live timing is terrific. You really must give it a go when a race is broadcast live.

F1 nerd that I am, I have often sat watching the timing screen for the second half of qualifying (usually around 10pm on Saturday night for European races), just to see who winds up on top (seeing as how there is no TV coverage of qualifying).

For qualifying and during the race, there is also a live (written) commentary.

During the race, you can see sector times, lap times, gaps and markers to show when cars enter and leave the pits.

FYI, BigPond Broadband customers (I am one) get the same sort of service for V8 Supercars. My standard Bathurst watching arrangement is: TV on channel 10, wireless-connected laptop on coffee table showing live timing. You never need to wonder who is coming where!

By the way, what’s dialup?

FN.

By: Pete

Pete — Tue, 18 Oct 2005 04:21:24 +0000

I’ve already sent them an email, but all I’ve received from that is a auto-response telling me they don’t necessarily reply to all email. I might send them a letter.

I haven’t had much luck using the live timing stuff on formula1.com – might be trying to use it over dial-up.

By: Richard

Richard — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 22:15:10 +0000

Pete,

With you on all of the above.

On ad breaks: 10 usually ‘pauses’ the feed for the ads, so we pick up where we left off (no lost action). This is an advantage of a delayed telecast. A disadvantage is that it’s not possible to watch the f1.com timing feed during a race to keep up with all the action, because it’s only worthwhile in real time.

It’s a shame 10 doesn’t take some more of the ITV stuff in the 15 minutes prior to a race. Martin Brundle’s Grid Walks are legendary.

As to the RPM forum, I doubt that 10 would read that. There really is a lot of silly stuff in there. Probably best to write an old fashioned letter!

Cheers.

The one-eyed Williams fan otherwise known as the Flying Nerd.

By: Pete

Pete — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 01:16:12 +0000

Amen brother. Amen.

I was very dissappointed for all the reasons you mention above. But another thing I enjoy about the standard coverage is that:
1. Ten takes shorter ad breaks than ITV.
2. This means Bill and Neil can provide their commentary while ITV is still on a break.
3. Thus you get ITV’s fantastic expert/on-site commentary, plus the detached Australian studio perspective.

I love the blend of the RPM/ITV commentary.

We could email ten except they don’t have a public email address, but there is the RPM F1 forum