Comments about ‘Mormon church general conference broadcast not exactly 'live'’

So?

Interesting! I didn't know all this. I used to think when I was watching conference over the internet that they wer just running a couple of minutes behind. Thanks DN!

The distinction made in this article really is a matter of splitting hairs. It may be there's a lag between when the messages are broadcast, but in the broadcasting sense they are "live", meaning that they aren't being replayed from a stored medium.

There's always a delay in broadcasting. Even when you sit in the conference center and watch it "live" in person, there's a lag. For one, the voice of the speakers is amplified through a speaker system, which has electronic delay. Even the light that bounces off the speaker's mouth takes some time to arrive at the retina, and then that light is turned to chemical pulses in the brain that are interpreted as movement.

The point is that all these broadcasting technologies have what we in the tech business call "Latency" or a pipeline delay, in which it takes a bit of time for the stream of information to arrive to the receiver, but once that stream is received it is as though you were receiving it in person.

Technology is a gift inspired from God that enables us to better communicate. I'm grateful that our age is so blessed.

Raybies is right on. Even more: did you know that when you are talking to someone, there is a delay between the time a person moves their lips, and the time you see their lips move? Oh, and there is an even bigger delay between the time you see someone's lips move and the time you hear what they said. It's a simple law of nature. Light and sound have to travel through air or some other medium (like cables) before the images and sounds arrive at their destination. Light travels faster than sound, so it arrives more quickly. Try standing about seven houses down your neighborhood road from a person bouncing a basketball on the ground. You'll see the ball hit the ground before you hear the sound it made when it hit the ground.

We live in a non-live world. I hope it doesn't cause things to spiral out of control.

Another error: BYU Radio is part of BYU Broadcasting, not DMC. Nice try on that, too.

I don't see why DN would point this out about conference, this is true of any "Live" broadcast. In fact I believe in many cases the TV/Radio station will intentionally delay the broadcast so they can do an emergency edit of a curse word if needed.

If you look at the simple speed of light you will see a delay between point A and point B. This by the way is approximately .8ms per 100 miles. So obviously there is a delay, it is impossible to be absolutely live, even in the conference center there is a minute delay between the time the speaker talks into the mic and the time the sound hits my ears.

Just fun information. Thanks DN.

Interesting trivia. But it doesn't change the messages, which is why I'm going to be listening over the internet. I'm just happy to have the technology available to participate in all the sessions. For a long time, after moving from Utah years ago, I wasn't able to do that.

I find it fascinating that the broadcast signal travels to a satellite thousands of miles in the air and then finds it way back into my house. I was on the phone with my son who lived across the street from BYU while a devotional was being broadcast at his apt. I had it on at my house in California at the same time, via BYU tv. I could hear it through the phone. It only took a few extra seconds for me to hear the message he rec'd being right across the street and I was almost a thousand miles away, not counting the many thousands of miles the signal had traveled to the satellite and back.

The same phenomenon occurs when watching a TV sports event and listening to it on the radio. Thanks for the explanation.

I am profoundly grateful for the advent of the various technologies we enjoy in our day and time. It is a tremendous time to be alive and we have much to be thankful, both in the Church and in the world we live.

However, I must say that this is clear evidence of the incorrectness of the messages shared there.

If the Church has equipment that is unable to carry a live broadcast, why is it that we should listen?

It is clearly an indication to me that we ought not to listen. I feel sincerely about this, and how can a Church that can afford to have equipment that can do a live and instantaneous broadcast not do it?

Is that to be taken to mean that the messages shared are of a similar quality and nature?

I do not understand how a Church with such a message can put such a low priority on getting the proper working technology to deliver that message.

It makes very little sense to me.

what happened to Scott Pierce? Is he on vacation or did the Deseret News let him go?

Since this article is on technology and mentions
"HD Radio", I thought I'd jump in.

HD Radio on the AM band is preventing some friends/acquaintances from hearing LDS General Conference and BYU ballgames (that happen in the evening), BECAUSE a certain radio station in Sacramento @ 1140 (AM dial) splatters digital data ALL OVER KSL's 1160 signal!!! Anywhere within a 50 miles radius or so of California's Capital city cannot hear KSL anymore at night/evening because this other station jams KSL's signal all in the name of "HD Radio". This TAKES AWAY CHOICES like listening to the re-play of Conference and BYU Basketball games that happen after sunset. KSL USED to be a Real Good signal at night in N. Calif., but not Now because of "HD RADIO". It took Away choices!!!

The FCC in Washington didn't even "authorize" this HD stuff @ nighttime because of this very "Interference" problem for nearly 5 years until lobbied to death by the HD Radio promoters. The offending 1140 station is owned by a big company in New York.

Hoping that GORDON Smith, the New NAB President, can help the BYU Fans on this.

HopingiiHoping

Love General Conference!

Always makes me sad that some people close their eyes, and especially their hearts, and refuse to see the Prophet and the Apostles for who they really are. I can never listen to them speak without being truly inspired.

Re:Big R

Scott Pierce now works for the Salt Lake Tribune. Head over there to read his stuff.

And digital is better how? So far, this digital HD 'revolution' is a big disappointment in performance. Remember the days when you could actually flip through the channels? Or when a weak signal was still watchable though imperfect? It's all gone -- thanks for nothing FCC.

Interesting. Good idea on the Nauvoo bell ring. Many reckon this as the top of the hour.

So that's why the lips don't match the voice on some TV programs I watch. It's like watching an old Japanese monster movie which was dubbed in English. Another problem is now every so often the screen freezes on an image or it turns into a patchwork quilt. I called the cable company and they blamed the station. I called the station but they said there is nothing to be done about it. Why do they call this progress? I liked it just fine the way it was before. I think this mess was just created to make people a lot of money.

Actually most of us probably know that there are delays with "live" broadcasts on tv and radio, internet etc. and we understand that. But the fact that it's not memorex or previously taped then rebroadcast makes it live (or as live as it can be) but it makes for fun information.

Thanks Mt. Olympus. I enjoy Scott's views even when I don't agree with him and I really appreciate his annual list of Christmas shows that comes out on Thanksgiving. I hope the Deseret News will continue that tradition.