Whilst enhancing the viewing experience, 3D opens up many exciting new opportunities for broadcasters, pay-TV operators, as well as for the film industry, which is gradually moving towards digitisation and will need satellites as part of their content delivery chain.
BROADCAST SERVICES :: 3D VIA SATELLITE
Eutelsat is at the technological forefront of helping make 3D a reality as the next revolution in broadcasting gathers pace
Throughout Europe, momentum is growing for 3D. Content creators, broadcasters, encoding specialists and manufacturers are actively developing 3D solutions.
Watch Eutelsat's infomercial on 3D, with some of the key players within the industry giving their views on the latest broadcast technology.
In 2009, Eutelsat launched a free-to-air 3D demonstration channel on the EUROBIRD™ 9A satellite (Freq: 11.747 Ghz, Pol: H, SR: 27.5, FEC: 3/4) to showcase 3DTV content in the home.
Using standard encoding techniques, Eutelsat incorporates MPEG-4 and traditional satellite modulation technology to multiplex two streams, one filmed from the left and the other from the right, replicating the view of the left and right eye.
The combined signal is transmitted via an 8 Mb/s satellite stream to consumer HDTV set-top boxes, and received by the 3D stereoscopic TV monitor, which has a integrated decoder.
Before 3DTV will be available in the living room, viewers can watch 3D in theatres, cinemas, and other public locations. Live events and feature films are already a reality, and the film studios are leading the way, with around 20 feature films released in 3D in 2009 and another 40 scheduled to première in 2010.
CASE STUDIES
| Eutelsat satellites beam 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in 3D to cinemas across Europe The experience of live 3D in cinemas is one of the key technology highlights of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. By offering sports fans a new layer of excitement for viewing sports on a big screen in a collective environment, 3D projections in cinemas are a fast emerging product Europewide in the vibrant market for digital services. At the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, Eutelsat Communications saw high positive return on consumer appetite for satellite-delivered world-class events in cinemas and public venues. Working with key players in 3D development, including Sony, Eutelsat optimised the FIFA World Cup™ as a commercial platform for 3D viewing in out-of-home venues. Several of the matches played in South Africa were transmitted in 3D across Europe through Eutelsat satellites and shown on 50-foot cinema screens in 19 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia, Poland, Nordic countries and the Baltics. The four semi-final and final matches were also broadcast in 3D, with cinemas in additional countries, such as the Netherlands, taking the signal, underscoring the scalability of a satellite-based network. |
3D live via satellite The final rugby match of the RBS Six Nations 2010, France v. England, which took place on Saturday 20 March at 20.45 CET, was broadcast live in 3D to around 30 cinemas in France. 2010 is the centenary year of the French rugby team taking part in the tournament, and this much anticipated match was the first rugby match to be recorded in 3D in France. The event was coordinated by France Télévisions, and CielEcran, a specialist in broadcasting cultural and sports events to large screens in France, in accordance with the French Federation of Rugby. Eutelsat is the technical partner for the event and broadcast the 3D signal via its ATLANTIC BIRD™ 3 satellite. This is the first time a sports event is shown live in 3D at cinemas in France, enabling audiences around the country to experience the match as if they were on the pitch at Paris’ Stade de France. |
