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Football fans and regular television viewers can debate until the cows come home on if the introduction of new technology to football broadcasts is a good or bad thing. In the end it does not matter as it has been done in the past, will be done this weekend by CBS Sports, and will be done in the future.

The biggest change which all fans should like is the fact that the first down line painted on the field by SportsVision will be calibrated with five cameras.

This and other technology being introduced by CBS Sports are detailed in the following press release from the network.

When CBS Sports presents Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday, Feb. 7 (6:00 PM, ET) from Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Fla. live on the CBS Television Network, highlighted among the technological advances that will be incorporated during its coverage are high-speed cameras and informative high-tech graphics displays. Super Bowl Sunday also features the CBS Television Network’s biggest one day of programming in high definition television format.

►HIGH-SPEED CAMERAS

THE SUPER BOWL ON CBS will feature six high-speed cameras, known as SuperVision, that will be in hard and hand-held configurations located on the field, in the stands and on sideline carts. Each camera will have the ability to shoot 300-500 frames per second (normal cameras shoot 60 fps) in 1080i high definition format. These Vision Research Phantom V-640 cameras are supplied by Inertia Unlimited and are particularly used in determining questionable calls on the field (ie. fumbles, receptions, out-of-bounds, etc.) from all different angles.

►HIGH-TECH GRAPHICS

In addition to the regular first down line, available on CBS Sports’ primary cameras throughout the 2009 NFL season, five other cameras will be calibrated with the first down line by SportsVision including Skycam and endzone cameras. As was done during the regular-season, EyeVision will be utilized as a multi-dimensional tool for Phil Simms’ analysis. Given the situation of a field goal or an extra-point conversion that passes above the goal posts, virtual extensions of the goal posts can be added to determine the flight path of the ball and whether the kick was good or not. Hyper Zoom, provided by ORAD, will allow CBS Sports’ coverage to zoom into any video utilizing high resolution. And, the launch of a new animation package for new elements for transitions, roll outs and open animation will be integrated to upgrade existing graphic elements.

►SAP (Secondary Audio Programming)

CBS Sports will broadcast the Super Bowl in SAP. Armando Quintero and Benny Ricardo will call the action for the Network’s SAP broadcast of Super Bowl XLIV.

►HIGH DEFINITION TELEVISION

CBS Sports’ coverage of Super Bowl XLIV will be the Network’s biggest one day of programming in high definition television format as SUPER BOWL XLIV (6:28 PM, ET, kickoff), the pre-game show, THE SUPER BOWL TODAY (2:00 PM, ET), and the halftime show, as well as all it’s ancillary pre-game programming including THE ROAD TO THE SUPER BOWL (12:00 Noon, ET) and PHIL SIMMS ALL-IRON TEAM: SUPER BOWL EDITION (1:00 PM, ET), will be broadcast in HDTV. CBS Sports’ Super Bowl XLIV HDTV broadcasts will feature the highest definition television format – 1080i lines of picture resolution – and 5.1 digital surround sound.

Jim Nantz and Phil Simms will call the play-by-play of SUPER BOWL XLIV, along with Steve Tasker and Solomon Wilcots reporting. Lance Barrow will produce and Mike Arnold will direct.

Sean McManus is President, CBS News and Sports and serves as executive producer for the Network’s coverage of the NFL and Super Bowl XLIV. Harold Bryant is Vice President, Production, CBS Sports. Ken Aagaard is Executive Vice President, Engineering, Operations & Production Services, CBS Sports.