Work has begun at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Sportcast, a plan to build an HD system to telecast at least four MIT sporting events over cable and the Web by the end of the year.
The plan calls for a group of MIT programmers to create software for live HD switching, effects, graphics overlays and instant replay with slow motion, which initially will add production sizzle to MIT game coverage but ultimately will be given away for free.
By the middle of August, the Sportcast plan calls for a demonstration of live switching and effects for four HD video streams.
The MIT Athletic Department has long sought a way to distribute coverage of its events to alumni and students and has pledged its support. By spring 2006, the plan calls for at least eight additional games to be covered in HDTV.
The Sportcast HD system will be made available to other groups at the university seeking to broadcast HD coverage of their events.
The HD switching, effects and slow-motion replay software under development will be customizable, extensible and open.
For more information, visit http://blogs.mit.edu/sportcast.
