It should be no wonder Mark Cuban (got some Jerry Jones envy?) is promising the first NHL & NBA arena with 1080-line digital scoreboards. While 1080p has been well entrenched in scoreboards for the outdoor sports (like the Dallas Cowboys and New York Yankees) it appears the winter brethren has been slacking, but with the Mavericks and Stars not competing in tonight's finals action, plans to upgrade American Airlines Center ahead of the 2009-10 seasons are already underway, with four 18- by 30-foot video scoreboards coming to the center display and two 24- by 72-foot video walls at the north and south ends. If that's not enough, the sounds are getting a makeover too, with a "state-of-the-art concert quality sound system" bring a digital six speaker linear system to next years attendees, though we should all get a (3D?) look during the 2010 NBA All-Star Game next February.

[Via Dallas Observer & Mark Cuban]

Mark Cuban may be up and down on the future of internet video, but he's evidently quite confident in the future of 3D cinema -- or 3D sporting events in cinemas, at least. The internet / media / basketball tycoon has put his money where his mouth is by acquiring a 9.4% stake in Carmike Cinemas. Only Cuban himself fully understands the nearly $3 million investment, but he was quoted as saying that he is "trying to expand" the live 3D broadcast-to-a-theater business. Looking back over the course of 2008, we're astounded at the amount of traction that 3D has gained, and while many may assume that live 3D sporting events in cinemas is nothing more than a gimmick, we guess we can't possibly be surprised if it ends up taking off.

Add two stations to Project Infinity, Comcast has -- after several years of battling -- signed up Mark Cuban's HDNet and HDNet Movies, plus a free video on-demand package. Specifics on when the channels should go live in your area weren't noted, only that the cable company plans to increase its carriage of the two networks over the next year. Hopefully Comcast subscribers will get a (non-bandwidth starved) peek at Dan Rather, HDNet Fights, early movie premieres and more before tru2way and switched digital video roll out, but we can't be sure.

We won't restate the irony found in an internet tycoon bashing online TV (oops...), but Mark Cuban has seemingly come up with a few brilliant ideas since claiming that internet video was a failing enterprise back in March. Essentially, Mr. Cuban reckons that HDTV currently being delivered over the internet to LCD monitors around the globe should actually not be transmitted via the compressed methods currently used. Rather, he asserts that we should "move the video cloud to the node and encode and insert into traditional video distribution systems." In other words, deliver internet TV to your existing cable / satellite set-top-box, giving end-users the ability to create playlists and customize shows. We'll admit, we're warming to the idea in general, but trapping users into a cable / satellite bill isn't that appealing for those who lavish the ability to watch some of their HD via OTA and some of it via the 'net. Still, we're sure he's got that niggle all figured out too -- but why would he reveal his secrets before taking it to the bank?

[Thanks, VANBROTHERS]

It's been quite some time since we've seen Mark Cuban ramble on about a subject that mattered to us, but his latest post concerning the viability (or lack thereof, we should say) of internet video certainly caught our eye. Essentially, Mr. Maverick himself asserts that due to the open (and therefore unstandardized) nature of the internet, it's impossible to ensure that programming is being delivered up to par. Additionally, few Americans (and even fewer Earthlings) have an internet connection in their home with enough bandwidth to really enjoy unadulterated HD content the way we're used to experiencing it via our HD STBs. Still, we can't help but respectfully disagree that the current instability of the internet (in terms of content engineering) as a content medium means that it's doomed. Of all people, Mr. Cuban should realize that the demand for VIP slots to watch the NCAA Tournament online has grown significantly year after year, and there are more material outlets on the internet today than a single satellite / cable / fiber lineup could ever provide. Getting this plethora of content to high-def, however, remains the challenge, but we aren't giving up on the world wide web just yet -- far from it, actually.

Under normal circumstances, we tend to give 3D a hard time around here, but it's hard to deny the strides the technology has made of late in an attempt to move beyond being a gimmick and into a desirable product. It seems that hundreds of NBA fans that packed the Magnolia Theater just days ago were quite impressed with the first regular season matchup to be aired in 3D. Those in attendance were able to catch a commercial-free 3D broadcast of the Dallas Mavericks versus the LA Clippers courtesy of two Sony 4K projectors and a set of gaudy glasses. Unfortunately, we're not sure if the one-time event will blossom into something more, but feel free to tap the read link for more opinions and a couple more snapshots.

[Via AboutProjectors]

It's good to see those Brits aren't the only ones getting 3D HD sports action this season, as PACE is back and hooking its Fusion 3D tech to an NBA game yet again. For the first time during the regular season (after last year's All-Star Game and a Finals game) -- and unsurprisingly with a connection to Engadget HD friend Mark Cuban (where's our invite man?) -- the March 25 game between the Dallas Mavericks and L.A. Clippers can be viewed live at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, or across town in the Magnolia Theatre with Sony's SXRD 3D projection system beamed onto an 18x42 foot screen for VIPs and 100 lucky fans who can win entry on mavs.com. Now if they could just find a way to simulate buying tickets for way over face value from eBay or StubHub in the theatre, it would be just like going to a real game.

The All-for-Nots kick off a 24-city tour of America March 9, when their show premieres on HDNet at 7:45 p.m. A comedy series made up of 7-10 minute episodes, this fictional documentary -- sounds a lot like a Flight of the Conchords / The Office mash-up to us -- will serve as a lead in to the channel's Sunday Night Concert Series. EngadgetHD friend Mark Cuban thinks viewers will tune in via cellphone and Youtube networks where the episodes will be posted by its studio (Vuguru, notably founded by Michael Eisner's The Tornante Company), and catch up on the shorts in HD and 5.1 surround sound on the weekend. After quarterlife set a record for being yanked after one episode, we're not overly optimistic, but out of the ratings obsessed culture of network TV, maybe The AFN has a shot.

HDNet Fights, the fledgling MMA company under Mark Cuban's HDNet (duh) has announced a couple of partnerships that should get its programming off to a great start for 2008. First, HDNet Fights will be broadcasting the International Fight League's World Grand Prix Finals on December 29, bringing the IFL its first HD broadcast. A few days later, the company will be kicking off a four-event contract with M-1 fighter, top-ranked Fedor Emelianenko (pictured). This event will take place on New Year's Eve and will mark the beginning of a planned 24 fight cards for HDNet Fights in 2008. No doubt, UFC is the big player in MMA, but with its open-door policy to working with other fight leagues, HDNet is coming out swinging!

This has become the year of new HD channels and while we can't get enough HD, Mark Cuban brings up a good point on his blog. There are lots of new HD channels, but not so much actual HD. Of course this is nothing new, even the earliest so-called HD channels showed mostly SD material, and even today most HD network show as much SD as HD. There are of course a few 24x7 HD networks, but most of them are inundated with reruns. This persistent problem seems to be getting worse as we'll soon have one HD network that isn't HD at all, and others that don't plan to do much HD in their first year. Don't get us wrong we're not complaining, but we think now might be a good time for the industry to come up with a definition of an HD channel.

Mark Cuban is looking to take HDNet into the MMA fight game. Yesterday Cuban announced HDNet Fights, a company that will air its mixed martial arts fights under the namesake network. The first event is scheduled for October 13, and HDNet plans to broadcast fights every week. MMA is growing very rapidly in the United States, with the Ultimate Fighting Championship being the big dog. Cuban has at least three things going for him in this venture: deep pockets, a proven track record dealing with foreign athletic talent, and HD broadcast experience. When asked about what fighters might be coming to the new organization, including PRIDE heavyweight champ Fedor Emelianenko, Cuban said HDNet Fights is "talking to anyone and everyone."

While the amount of HD exclusive channels continues to (slowly) grow, it was Mark Cuban's own HDNet and HDNet Movies that took home the gold in the "first high-definition TV ratings" acquired by TNS Media Research. The data was gathered from set-top-boxes in an unnamed "major market," and the two channels were said to "excel in both weekday and weekend" ratings. For the week ending July 1st, the channels held between 6.1-percent and 8.6-percent of the viewers that were tuned into 100-percent HD channels, which simply leaves us to wonder what the other 90 or so percent of eyes were watching so intently.

[Via BlogMaverick]

Sure, this question has been around the block a time or two before, and while the emergence of channels such as Discovery HD Theater, Mojo, and MHD certainly give us clues as to what works best in HD, Cuban has taken the inquiry a bit further. It's fairly obvious that live concerts, sporting events, and travel content are far superior when viewed in high-definition, but does content exist (or should it?) that plays well on an HDTV, but not at all on a vanilla SDTV? Cuban actually suggests that concerts fit the bill in his mind, and while we can't imagine the wide array of televised music awards suddenly vowing to become HD only, we will agree that it's (marginally) above a snorefest when heard in 5.1. Truth be told, it's hard to imagine any content only suitable for HD, unless glorified infomercials about luxury items (you know, to somewhat fit with the HD demographic) are considered valuable programming. Nevertheless, feel free to read Cuban's take on the whole ordeal, and don't be shy, sound off below with your best rebuttal.

HD's biggest fan and supporter Mark Cuban is looking for ideas for a new show on HDNet. He is soliciting comments on his blog, so if you have a good idea for a show, head over and make it happen. He does warn "If they have anything to with sports or a deck of cards", that they will be deleted, so keep those great ideas for your own HD network. Lets just hope that this actually leads to some more great content on HDNet.

One of our favorite egomaniacs has once again stepped atop his soapbox, and with relatively awful sentence structure and nearly illegible paragraphs, Mark Cuban has managed to blast broadcast networks for missing the opportunities HDTV presents -- or at least that's what we deciphered. He suggests that while streaming internet video may be the "hot sexy thing" right now, the limited "internet bandwidth available to the home" puts a theoretical cap on the "quality and simplicity of video delivery." Of course, he forgets to mention the bandwidth crisis that every major cable provider out there is now facing, as the aging copper wiring simply can't keep up with the HD explosion in its current state. Nevertheless, he states that "HDTV is the internet video killer," and also says that the ease of receiving HD broadcasts on your television (really?) will prove a more viable outlet for advertisers to use in the long run as HD becomes more and more common in American households. Mr. Cuban (apparently) insinuates that broadcast networks should seize the opportunity that HDTV presents to elicit funding for those crisp, bright HD commercials -- but let's be realistic, we've already learned that HDTV "has no business model," and tapping that FF button happens just as rapidly regardless of whether the plug is in paltry SD or 1080i. Moreover, ole Mark didn't hold back from plugging his own HDNet channel as being a frontrunner in the HD ad revolution, but we'd recommend he figure out a way to cram more HD channels through an antiquated pipeline before complaining over a lack of HD channels to advertise on.