# Why is the war so pixelated? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 21, 2003, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035 "2003-03-21T05:25:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Max\_Harvey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@Max\_Harvey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Harvey)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/1 "2003-03-21T05:25:57Z")
I appreciate the efforts of videophone operators to risk their lives broadcasting all the unprecedented “you-are-there” footage. But what good is a bunch of throbbing brown squares? I never expected the apocalypse to have such shitty graphics. Hasn’t the Pentagon heard of anti-aliasing and texture mapping? It makes Tivo Basic quality look like IMAX. If Desert Storm was the Nintendo War, this must be the Atari 2600 War. They could at least lower the number of onscreen troops so the frame rate would improve. ---
**Author:** ![Sqube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@Sqube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sqube)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/2 "2003-03-21T05:32:24Z")
Seriously. Lag whores. That’s why Iraq doesn’t have a chance, we’re jumping around the desert too damn much for anybody to be able to hit us! ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/3 "2003-03-21T05:39:27Z")
The Pentagon’s not the one broadcasting the stuff; 'tis the news media. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/4 "2003-03-21T05:49:35Z")
Yeah! I want a High-Definition war, damnit! ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/5 "2003-03-21T05:56:14Z")
Actually, I’m starting to wonder why the war doesn’t seem to be happening at all… I hear we’ve launched two missile strikes on Bahgdad; I see some tanks wandering around the sand on teevee. A helicopter crashed (:(), but this seems quite unrelated to any offensive push on Iraq. Not much else going on. …not that I’m all that anxious for major carnage. Quite the contrary. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/6 "2003-03-21T06:02:09Z")
I’m watching MSNBC, and I think there are some serious developments behind the scenes. They say the ‘shock and awe’ campaign is on hold while the government assesses the effect the decapitation strikes on the Iraqi leadership. They are also reporting preliminary remarks by some administration officials saying, A) They think Saddam WAS in the house they hit, B) There are signs that the leadership is not communicating with troops in the field, C) There are signs of ‘mass surrender offers’ by ‘elite’ Iraqi forces (I assume Republican Guard). I think it may just be possible that they got Saddam and/or his sons, or inured/demoralized them enough to have them quit. And now everyone’s waiting to see if they do in fact give up without fighting. That would be a wonderful thing, I think we can all agree. Here’s the [Washington Post](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A682-2003Mar20.html) on the leadership strike. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/7 "2003-03-21T06:04:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monty \* > \*\*The Pentagon’s not the one broadcasting the stuff \*\* Oh you’re so naive 😃 . ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/8 "2003-03-21T06:31:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > And now everyone’s waiting to see if they do in fact give up without fighting. Oh you’re so naive :D. Just kidding – agreed, no fighting would be a good thing. But it’s been killing me, seeing this awful thing almost starting…almost…almost. And then GWB announces ‘this is it’ last night. Damn. OK, it’s war. Let’s get it over with. t’were best done quickly. Go USA, kick some ass! But please\* make it as short and humane as possible. …ummmm, it has started, right? Hello, CNN? Any actual hostilities from the hostiles? OTOH, be careful what you wish for… [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/9 "2003-03-21T06:56:56Z")
Lame rant… Period. If you don’t believe me, search out how people just 30 years ago got their fucking news. :rolleyes: BTW, most of what you see is a cooperative between the news channels and the gubbermint has little to do with it. While the “pentagon” may have specific footage allowed, I believe most of it is contracted out. Oh and a lot of things are contracted out, I live in a military community, those nice missels (sp I can’t spell for shit today) are not built by the military. And yes, it’s stupid to piss and moan about something like this. It’s cool enough they even get us LIVE feed from there as it is. another :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/10 "2003-03-21T06:58:27Z")
I’m protesting because the coalition forces are using aimbots. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Harvey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@Max\_Harvey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Harvey)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/11 "2003-03-21T07:24:56Z")
Just saw this on the Fox News ticker: **Bush to Saddam: \** [sub]Thanks for the whoosh, **techchick68** [/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/12 "2003-03-21T07:28:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Slacker \* > \*\*I’m protesting because the coalition forces are using aimbots. \*\* HOO-ah! ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/13 "2003-03-21T07:32:49Z")
Man, you guys have high expectations. These are guys IN COMBAT, a hundred miles behind enemy lines, sending back real-time video by satellite up-link while moving 45 miles per hour across the desert. And you’re upset because it’s too pixelated? You’re looking at some extreme data compression. These guys probably have the equivalent of 56K modem uplinks. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Cheatem_Undhow)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/14 "2003-03-21T07:33:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Slacker \* > \*\*I’m protesting because the coalition forces are using aimbots. \*\* Just wait 'til we get to Bagdad and start using wallhacks. I hope Saddam didn’t install Punkbuster. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Cheatem_Undhow)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/15 "2003-03-21T07:35:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > \*\*You’re looking at some extreme data compression. These guys probably have the equivalent of 56K modem uplinks. \*\* Well, that settles it. CNN better start using DIVX. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/16 "2003-03-21T08:11:11Z")
DIVX would have been a smart move– Looks like they cheaped out and settled for RealMedia. (O, delicious irony.) Wait 'till Tommy Franks finds out CNN has inadvertantly saddled them with a buttload of Spyware, and Aureate has reported their every move to Iraq for a tidy profit. The good news is, Ted Turner is about to be declared an enemy combatant and beaten to within an inch of his life in Cuba. A long time coming, that one. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/17 "2003-03-21T08:21:55Z")
As soon as these guys stop moving for a few hours, they can set up mobile satellite dishes, and suddenly the footage will look as good as any TV image. DVD quality, probably. While they’re on the move, they’re basically using Sat-phone uplinks, and that really limits their bandwidth. I’m sure their equipment uses the best compression algorithms they can get, considering the typical use. I notice that when the picture is stationary, it gets very clear. So it’s optimized for still or slow-moving images, I’d guess. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/18 "2003-03-21T08:36:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Seriously. Lag whores. That’s why Iraq doesn’t have a chance, we’re jumping around the desert too damn much for anybody to be able to hit us! Besides, I think it’s obvious that the US is wallhacking. Maybe if they were playing on a better server… ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/19 "2003-03-21T08:48:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \* > \*\*Besides, I think it’s obvious that the US is wallhacking. Maybe if they were playing on a better server… \*\* As long as people don’t start sniping - a few awp whores and this war could take forever. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Goo_Fee)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2003, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035/20 "2003-03-21T09:03:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > \*\*Man, you guys have high expectations. These are guys IN COMBAT, a hundred miles behind enemy lines, sending back real-time video by satellite up-link while moving 45 miles per hour across the desert. \*\* A minor nitpick: I don’t think there are many US forces ‘behind enemy lines’; some special ops, yes-- but the bulk of the invaders, charging their way to Baghdad right now are a hundred miles or more inside the enemy’s border, but not a hundred miles behind the enemy’s lines because there are no Iraqi lines at the border any more. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-war-so-pixelated/163035.md?page=2)