The National Football League has now begun its pre-season schedule and for the first time is authorizing use of HD-quality instant replay systems, supplied by Harris Corp., as more precise tech-tools for referees to review close calls.
First announced by Harris at NAB2007, beginning last week, the firm’s new HD system permits officiating teams—in the replay booth and on the field—to replay, freeze and/or scan HD-quality video to make more accurate determinations on challenged calls, according to Harris.
Harris said its systems are being installed in the replay booths of 28 NFL franchises, and will be added later to cover all teams, following renovations at stadium facilities in Dallas, New York and Indianapolis. Headquartered in Melbourne, Fla., Harris also is providing a couple of additional HD systems for referee training purposes.
Each stadium package consists of Harris’s Nexio HD server, routing and distribution equipment, and software dubbed FORCE (Football Officiating Replay Challenge Expeditor). Before the upgrade to HD, Harris’s SD instant replay systems were deployed for some NFL contests in 1999.
