SFP Takes 3DTV Wireless

SFP (Société Française de Production) has successfully completed its first 3D live wireless production with the help of Axon's Synapse HXH160 module. SFP was the first company to cover a major French cycling race fully in HD. This year the same cycling event has marked another achievement by SFP: the world's first live 3D HD coverage from a motorbike. For the event a motorbike was equipped with a specially developed HD stereoscopic camera system provided by Binocle, a French company specialised in 3D shooting.

For the 3D transmission the two left-eye and right-eye signals were combined into one HD-SDI video stream. This was done by squeezing both pictures to an anamorphic half horizontal size and combining them into one (side-by-side) video signal which is fully compatible with the standard HD MPEG transmission system and also can directly be fed to standard 3D consumer TV sets which then will create the 3D effect. The Axon HXH160, which was mounted onto the motorbike, performed this task for SFP. It furthermore did the required synchronisation of the two streams. The HXH160 is also available without the integrated audio shuffler (HXH150) and in a 3Gbps-version (GXG150 and GXG160)

"Axon, like SFP, is at the forefront of innovation" said Luc Geoffroy, CTO at Euro Media Group. "Axon presented the 3D solution at this year's IBC and therefore we turned to them when we required technical assistance for our 3D project. Axon came up very quickly with a compact and portable solution suitable for use on the motorbike. The project was a great success resulting in some astounding 3D footage. This breakthrough allows us to seriously consider 3D for future live outdoor sporting events."

Source: TVB Europe