Eutelsat Teams with General Satellite

In a new display of how 3D is rapidly redefining the viewing experience, Eutelsat Communications is teaming with Russia's General Satellite Corporation and the Mariinsky Theatre for a satellite transmission on 15 April from St. Petersburg of an exceptional sequence of classical ballet performances by leading Russian dancers. The 3D content will be received live in Moscow and Paris and displayed for the first time on Samsung's first generation of Full HD 3D TV sets.

This European premiere of satellite-delivered 3D content to TV displays will be transmitted on Eutelsat's All-3D channel on the EUROBIRD 9A satellite. Launched over one year ago, this first All-3D channel for Europe has enabled Eutelsat to collaborate with industry leaders in the burgeoning 3D market, including Samsung, Sony, Hyundai, Sensio, France Televisions, SKY Italia, Ciel Ecran and OpenSky.

In an agreement announced today between Eutelsat and General Satellite, up to 500 hours of 3D content produced by General Satellite will further enrich the line up of Eutelsat's All-3D channel. General Satellite is already Russia's leading supplier of HD content for the Platforma HD package broadcast across European parts of Russia via EUROBIRD 9A.

The dance sequences in St Petersburg will be filmed in 3D (two video signals and one audio signal), mixed, encoded and uplinked to Eutelsat satellite capacity from an SNG truck at the Mariinsky Theatre. The live signal will be delivered to six Samsung 3D Ready 55" displays via a standard HD set-top-box produced by General Satellite. Viewers will watch the ballet sequences using Samsung Active glasses to show the lifelike depth and colour clarity that is now possible in consumer homes.

Source: Eutelsat Communications