TechStuffCanada

jargon-free tech news for non-technical people

Super Bowl technology

February 4, 2007 › Sandy McMurray | comment

Whenever I watch NFL football on TV, I find myself distracted by the technology.

One of the most fascinating on-screen effects is the first-down indicator. A blue line on the screen shows where the play began, and a yellow line shows how far the team has to go to get a first down.

The players and the fans in the stadium can't see these lines. They're not really there, and they move with the play. But to the viewers at home, these lines appear to be painted on the field. In fact, when the players and the referees walk past, the lines appear to be under and behind them.

So how is this done?

NFL producers use a product called The 1st and 10 line by SportVision. The patented effect has won multiple Emmy Awards for technical achievement.

SportVision makes other video overlay technology, including PassTrack, Virtual Down and Distance, and Video In Perspective (which is used to display fake billboards on the screen to create ad space where none exists).

To understand the technical challenges involved in the 1st and 10 line screen effect, check out this article from How Stuff Works.

February 4, 2007 › Sandy McMurray | comment on this item