260 replies to this topic

[Graveltrappen]

Sean Bratches has said that from 2018 they will tailor the graphics for each region. So MPH vs km/h or Litres vs Gallons will be dependant on each individual country.


Some more of his ideas and insight here;

https://www.reddit.c..._for_streaming/

[TheRacingElf]

Why?

 

Every team and driver uses kilometers, no matter whether they're from the UK or not, so why do fans suddenly have to switch to miles? Only creates a lot of confusion because the teams will keep using kilometers. 

[AustinF1]

Why?

 

Every team and driver uses kilometers, no matter whether they're from the UK or not, so why do fans suddenly have to switch to miles? Only creates a lot of confusion because the teams will keep using kilometers. 

Yep. It's going to make it worse, not better. The graphics will say one thing. Commentators from different regions will say different things. Team personnel and radio traffic will use only km and liters.

American and UK fans will be left constantly trying to convert the units ... until they just stop caring any more.

[AustinF1]

It's stupid, but I'm growing more and more accustomed to stupid in F1.

[kumo7]

Hearing this, and as Japan speaking about changing constitution more to Pro-US&UK line of world order, I suspect if Abe will follow suit. 

[ensign14]

Why?

 

Every team and driver uses kilometers, no matter whether they're from the UK or not, so why do fans suddenly have to switch to miles? Only creates a lot of confusion because the teams will keep using kilometers. 

 

Why not?  Just cos the rest of the world likes to base its measurements on the incompetence of a couple of jobbing surveyors who couldn't even get the baseline right.

[PayasYouRace]

So its stupid to tailor your units to those that your customer is accustomed to?

 

Most viewers in the US and UK will get a better idea of the speeds involved if they can compare to what they're used to on the road. Until the two countries make a full switch to SI units, it seems like a good idea.

[AustinF1]

So its stupid to tailor your units to those that your customer is accustomed to?

 

Most viewers in the US and UK will get a better idea of the speeds involved if they can compare to what they're used to on the road. Until the two countries make a full switch to SI units, it seems like a good idea.

It's stupid, for starters, because we'll end up going back and forth hearing both units all the time. It doesn't take long get used to hearing metric units. We're not idiots. Constantly switching from one to the other will be more annoying and more difficult though.

[Anja]

Can't see why not as long as it's done properly to avoid confusion, which could be a problem as mentioned by others. But I would assume this is more to the benefit of the mythical casual audience, can't speak for everyone but if you're enough of a fan to care about this sort of data, you probably can do the essential conversions already. Being from mainland Europe I don't really have a problem with US/UK broadcasts. 

Edited by Anja, 22 January 2018 - 11:05.

[Sash1]

For the people watching on ships they will display the speed in knots.

[SophieB]

This seems a sensible idea and I'm all for it. 

[TecnoRacing]

It's stupid, for starters, because we'll end up going back and forth hearing both units all the time. It doesn't take long get used to hearing metric units. We're not idiots. Constantly switching from one to the other will be more annoying and more difficult though.

 

What do you mean 'constantly switching' from one to the other? Countries that use mph and gal. will appreciate having their feed use their units of measure. How does this affect anyone else???

[johnmhinds]

Isn’t ESPN getting the UK Sky commentary team?

So Americans are going to get on screen graphics that say km/h while the commentators are talking about MPH.

[Ali_G]

https://en.m.wikiped...Climate_Orbiter

[TecnoRacing]

Isn’t ESPN getting the UK Sky commentary team?

So Americans are going to get on screen graphics that say km/h while the commentators are talking about MPH.

 

No...they would get screen graphics that say mph...

[AustinF1]

What do you mean 'constantly switching' from one to the other? Countries that use mph and gal. will appreciate having their feed use their units of measure. How does this affect anyone else???

Constantly switching because a lot of people watch and consume a lot more F1 content than just the race. We'll see MPH/Gal in race broadcasts, but in everything else (team interviews, news, analysis, posts here, etc) we'll still be hearing KM/L. Maybe they can just provide the US/UK viewers with both. That wouldn't be a problem.

[Ickx]

Do Australia use the British commentators?

[ANF]

What was my least favourite motorsport broadcast last year? Probably watching the Indy 500 qualifying on ESPN Latin America where everything was displayed in kph. Even "el hombre down the pub" must have found it confusing.

[TecnoRacing]

Constantly switching because a lot of people watch and consume a lot more F1 content than just the race. We'll see MPH/Gal in race broadcasts, but in everything else (team interviews, news, analysis, posts here, etc) we'll still be hearing KM/L. Maybe they can just provide the US/UK viewers with both. That wouldn't be a problem.

 

I still don't see the problem?

 

If you're in USA or whatever (and not using metric regularly) you're basically getting no meaningful information anyway...

If you're getting your native IMP/USC you are getting understandable and quantifiable information...

 

If your getting both, you're not getting confused...you're getting a better idea at equivalents...

[phrank]

They use the UK commentary for the movie clips they post, wonder how they will solve that

[onemoresolo]

They use the UK commentary for the movie clips they post, wonder how they will solve that

 

Very rarely are speed or fuel levels mentioned in commentary, so it's unlikely to be a problem.

[Risil]

Sensible change, although it would probably be more cost-effective to send an FOM employee with a pocket calculator round to the house of every Sky F1 subscriber come 2019.

[AustinF1]

I still don't see the problem?

 

If you're in USA or whatever (and not using metric regularly) you're basically getting no meaningful information anyway...

If you're getting your native IMP/USC you are getting understandable and quantifiable information...

 

If your getting both, you're not getting confused...you're getting a better idea at equivalents...

Did he say both would be displayed? I don't think so, but I could be wrong. Both being displayed simultaneously, as I said above, would be fine. Maybe a bit cluttered though. As it is right now though is better than just getting MPH/Gal during races because everything else we consume outside of race broadcasts will be in KM/L. 

 

Of course, this is not being done for the avid fan. The avid fan doesn't need help and they don't really care about the avid fan anyway. If it happens, it's being done for the almighty casual fan who doesn't really give a s*** anyway.

Edited by AustinF1, 22 January 2018 - 11:43.

[YoungGun]

Here's a novel idea from across the pond.

 

[Risil]

Here's a novel idea from across the pond.
 

 

Actually giving each corner a "par" corner speed might be an interesting way of breaking down a driver's lap.

[BuddyHolly]

I'd welcome MPH, I mean god knows how many years now since we in the UK went metric (bleh!) but to this day I have no idea whatsoever how long a damn metre is or how fast 300 kph is.  My brain just utterly refuses to accept metric, so I'm clueless when it comes to stuff like that.

[TecnoRacing]

As it is right now though is better than just getting MPH/Gal during races because everything else we consume outside of race broadcasts will be in KM/L. 

 

 

Why? If KM/L is meaningless to you (or you only know very rough equivalents) you're currently getting 0% exact info from the race graphics...and 0% exact information from 'everything else.'

But with your native units being displayed, you'll be getting part of the equation...

[AustinF1]

Why? If KM/L is meaningless to you (or you only know very rough equivalents) you're currently getting 0% exact info from the race graphics...and 0% exact information from 'everything else.'

But with your native units being displayed, you'll be getting part of the equation...

Oy. It's really not hard to convert. When I watch a GP I get in the metric mindset, so it's easy and then I can directly compare info I got during the sessions to info I get afterward in interviews, analyses, articles, etc. That direct comparison is much more important and informative than any comparison to my road car driving experience. We know the guys are going very fast out there.

[TecnoRacing]

Oy. It's really not hard to convert. When I watch a GP I get in the metric mindset, so it's easy and then I can directly compare info I got during the sessions to info I get afterward in interviews, analyses, articles, etc. That direct comparison is much more important and informative than any comparison to my road car driving experience. We know the guys are going very fast out there.

 

Incidentally, what information are you desperately needing to compare or match up (between race graphics, and subsequent interviews, analyses, articles, etc) such that this would cause confusion?

 

If the race graphics says the Ferrari is hitting 200mph just before braking for T1...and then we hear Riccardo Adami says the car was hitting ~320 kph at the end of the straight (if he has occasion to mention such a thing) then what's the problem (especially if you're capable of doing the conversions?)

[midgrid]

In the UK we buy fuel by the litre but measure consumption by the gallon.  Which units should F1 use?

[AustinF1]

Incidentally, what information are you desperately needing to compare or match up (between race graphics, and subsequent interviews, analyses, articles, etc) such that this would cause confusion?

 

If the race graphics says the Ferrari is hitting 200mph just before braking for T1...and then we hear Riccardo Adami says the car was hitting ~320 kph at the end of the straight (if he has occasion to mention such a thing) then what's the problem (especially if you're capable of doing the conversions?)

:Sigh: I don't "desperately need" anything. It's just a lot easier to make direct comparisons the way it is now, for someone who looks at a lot of info around a GP weekend. Let's reverse it a bit: When you see and hear every bit of analysis, commentary, etc, around all the sessions in KM/L and the only time you see and hear MPH/G is during the race, that makes the info you get from the analysis, commentary etc more difficult to process in-session. Yes, it does give the casual fan a better gauge of how fast the cars are going compared to their road cars. But that's it.

Edited by AustinF1, 22 January 2018 - 12:27.

[Tsarwash]

I'd welcome MPH, I mean god knows how many years now since we in the UK went metric (bleh!) but to this day I have no idea whatsoever how long a damn metre is or how fast 300 kph is.  My brain just utterly refuses to accept metric, so I'm clueless when it comes to stuff like that.

Eight to Five, so if you are travelling at 80kph you are travelling at 50mph. So 300kph would be, um... 187mph, but I did have to use a calculator there. It's handy knowing the conversion as most of the rest of the world insists on using the stupid measurements.    I have to do litres to pints all the time, and of course that one doesn't go well. Just remember that a pint of beer is 568ml. So a gallon of beer is 4.5 litres roughly. The one I can never do is stones to kilograms, I give up there.

[midgrid]

[B Squared]

I got used to kph when my parents bought a Euro 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona in '73 and I had to make sure that I didn't light up the police's radar guns.

 

It's quite easy for a quick approximation by taking kph x .6 ≈ mph

 

Isn't .6 the number that Alonso gets beat up over around here on occasion?  

[ANF]

Eight to Five, so if you are travelling at 80kph you are travelling at 50mph. So 300kph would be, um... 187mph, but I did have to use a calculator there. It's handy knowing the conversion as most of the rest of the world insists on using the stupid measurements.    I have to do litres to pints all the time, and of course that one doesn't go well. Just remember that a pint of beer is 568ml. So a gallon of beer is 4.5 litres roughly. The one I can never do is stones to kilograms, I give up there.

Would that be an imperial gallon or a US gallon?

[johnmhinds]

No...they would get screen graphics that say mph...

Oops misread the title.

[PayasYouRace]

Actually giving each corner a "par" corner speed might be an interesting way of breaking down a driver's lap.

 

Then they roll 2 dice if they're over. Get an 11 and it's an automatic spin off.

[TecnoRacing]

:Sigh: I don't "desperately need" anything. It's just a lot easier to make direct comparisons the way it is now, for someone who looks at a lot of info around a GP weekend. 

 

I think in the end you're basically saying that changing the graphics will cause minor inconvenience to the small percentage of fans that both a) hail from non-metric countries b) purposely enter the 'metric mindset' when watching Formula 1

[AustinF1]

I think in the end you're basically saying that changing the graphics will cause minor inconvenience to the small percentage of fans that both a) hail from non-metric countries b) purposely enter the 'metric mindset' when watching Formula 1

Minor? Idk. Not nearly as minor as the inconvenience that has existed with broadcasts all being metric. That's my entire point. They're increasing the inconvenience, not reducing it. The casual fan couldn't give a **** anyway. Next week they'll be off to something else.

Edited by AustinF1, 22 January 2018 - 12:36.

[TecnoRacing]

Minor? Idk. Not nearly as minor as the inconvenience that has existed with broadcasts all being metric. That's my entire point. They're increasing the inconvenience, not reducing it. The casual fan couldn't give a **** anyway. Next week they'll be off to something else.

 

I think you're vastly underestimating the number of fans (in non-metric countries) that are both passionate and intelligent in regards to the sport...but for which metric units have zero relevance.

I still don't really understand the type of scenario your talking about where this is going to cause confusion. How often do you hear drivers/engineers/analysts speaking in terms of KPH or giving out exact fuel measurements anyhow? 90% of everything is time related.

[TheRacingElf]

So its stupid to tailor your units to those that your customer is accustomed to?

 

Most viewers in the US and UK will get a better idea of the speeds involved if they can compare to what they're used to on the road. Until the two countries make a full switch to SI units, it seems like a good idea.

I think It's stupid because I think a sport as a whole should use one and the same unit. Had to watch Indy 500 qualifying last year with km/h graphics and it was confusing as hell, I knew pole would be around 230 mph but watching qualifying I had no clue which lap had been a good one because they displayed it in km/h.

 

Indycar/Nascar use MPH

American football uses yards

Formula 1 uses KM/h

 

You'll only make it confusing when you start to use two different units within the same sport, one driver will start to use miles, the other kilometers, some teams will start to use gallons, the others liters, some commentators will start using stones and pounds instead of KG, etc.

[Graveltrappen]

In the UK we buy fuel by the litre but measure consumption by the gallon. Which units should F1 use?

And we also have both mph and km/h on our dashboards.

Temperature at the circuits in celcius or Fahrenheit too I wonder?

[Brian60]

I reckon the only country that would need this is the U.S, The UK the other major user of imperial units tends to do everything in metric anyway, we buy litres and kilos, we measure in millimetres, in fact the only widely used imperial measure is the miles per hour. Even then I cannot understand why we stuck with that when everything else changed years back.

 

So in summary, leave things alone!

[ANF]

I suppose the US/UK circuit maps of Suzuka will feature the famous 142R corner?

[JHSingo]

It's stupid, for starters, because we'll end up going back and forth hearing both units all the time. It doesn't take long get used to hearing metric units. We're not idiots. Constantly switching from one to the other will be more annoying and more difficult though.

 

That's the case already. The commentators for C4 and Sky generally talk about MPH anyway.

[FLB]

Do Australia use the British commentators?

Canada does (TSN uses Sky's feed).

Edited by FLB, 22 January 2018 - 13:36.

[NixxxoN]

Will those two countries ever adopt the metric unit system and drop the vastly inferior imperial one? Jesus christ.
 
Adapt yourselves to the rest of the world for once
 

Edited by Risil, 22 January 2018 - 14:22.

[Risil]

Just so we're clear, you're criticizing Myanmar and Liberia, right?

[Fastcake]

Would that be an imperial gallon or a US gallon?

Do you reckon Bratches knows they are different units...?

Since no one has yet decided to metricate the roads I can think in miles, but I have no conception of a gallon, and would be lost if the graphics started referring to them. I’m not sure how often litres are used anyway, as fuel has always been measured in kilograms on screen.

[NixxxoN]

Just so we're clear, you're criticizing Myanmar and Liberia, right?

Yep liberians in particular always want the entire world to do things their way