NBC will make Olympic history this year, broadcasting the entire Olympic Games in high-definition—even though only a small fraction of U.S. homes own HD TV sets. The network's complete conversion to HD underscores a new reality in the TV business: After years of waiting for cheaper prices and more-flexible equipment, the HD experience is ready for prime time, reliable enough for NBC to make a total-HD production out of one the most popular and most valuable sports franchises in the world. "One of the first things I saw when I walked into the IBC [International Broadcasting Center] in Torino," says David Neal, executive VP, NBC Olympics, "was a whole monitor wall dominated by high-def screens. The test shots coming out of some venues, running off high-def tape, were stunningly spectacular."
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