ACMA Lets Nine's 3D Trial Go Ahead

Australia media regulator the ACMA will allow a new 3D TV trial to go ahead, after receiving reports from the broadcasters involved in an earlier project. But the trial is likely to be the last in Australia for a while.

The ACMA had initially refused the Nine Network permission for 3D coverage of the National Rugby League (NRL) final, saying it had not received Nine’s conclusions on its rugby State of Origin 3D TV trial. But the regulator confirmed today that reports from both the Nine Network and SBS, which offered the FIFA World Cup football in 3D, had now been received.

As well as Nine’s coverage of the NRL final, the ACMA also announced it had licensed another 3D TV trial, for Seven Network’s coverage of the AFL (Australian Rules) football final. Finals will be played on September 25 (AFL) and October 3 (NRL).

But there will be no more trials for some time after these, while the regulator conducts a review of “certain spectrum, licensing and consumer policy issues associated with 3D TV.” The ACMA has released a discussion paper on 3D TV and other emerging technologies to assist in the review.

“The world-first, free-to-air trials conducted by the Nine Network and SBS demonstrated some of the challenges of 3D TV technology,” said ACMA Chairman Chris Chapman. “There is still much for the industry in Australia and internationally to learn about 3D TV production, transmission and reception. Accordingly, the ACMA is pleased to facilitate these additional trials by the Seven Network and the Nine Network.”

And the ACMA has reiterated that trials will involve lower-power transmissions than are used for regular free-to-air broadcasts so not all consumers wil be able to receive the transmissions “even if they have a 3D television”.

“The ACMA moved quickly to facilitate and then approve the first round of applications for 3D TV trials and considers it appropriate to facilitate these further trials of this evolving technology in September and October. However, the ACMA is suspending authorisation of any additional trials beyond that, until these policy issues have been considered,” said Chapman.

“Vacant spectrum is only available on a temporary basis and technical standards are still evolving. The discussion paper released by the ACMA today is designed to assist interested parties to address these policy issues and to offer views on the future of 3D TV, as well as other emerging technologies.”

Download reports:
Temporary trials of 3D TV and other emerging technologies
Nine Network Australia
SBS

By Rose Major, RapidTV News

Discovery Europe Licensed for 3DTV

Discovery Channel has received a licence from the UK communications regulator Ofcom for a potential 3D channel. The award of the Digital Television Programme Service (DTPS) licence to Discovery Communications Europe Limited is made in the July list of newly licensed television services.

A spokeswoman for Discovery Communications Europe confirmed that the broadcaster had been issued with a licence, but said there was nothing further to announce. Earlier this year, Discovery Communications, Sony and Imax announced plans to launch a 3D television network in the United States. A launch is scheduled for early 2011. The 24-hour network headed by Discovery executive VP and chief operating officer Tom Cosgrove will screen a mix of natural history, space, exploration, engineering, science and technology programmes.

Should a European launch be forthcoming it would be the first third party channel to join the Sky platform after its own Sky 3D, which was recently given a consumer launch date of October 1. In March Sky reopened in launch queue to 3D and HD broadcasters. 3D channels will be required to broadcast no fewer than six hours of non-repeating programmes during a seven-day period. This compares to 12 hours for other TV and radio channels listed in its EPG. Sky says the minimum may be increased as additional 3D content becomes available.

Growth of 10% in its US networks and 15% internationally helped Discovery Communications grow revenues by $98 million (€74m) to $963 million. Operating Income Before Depreciation and Amortization (OIBDA) grew 18% to $455 million.

By Julian Clover, Broadband TV News

DVB Publishes 3D Requirements

The Digital Video Broadcasting Project (DVB) steering board has approved commercial requirements for 3D-TV, with the group opting for the Frame Compatible Plano-Stereoscopic System. Plano-stereoscopic imaging systems deliver two images (L, R) that are arranged to be seen simultaneously, or near simultaneously, by the left and right eyes. Special glasses are usually needed by the viewer.

“The main implication for the requirement is that the L and R images must be arranged in a ‘spatial multiplex’ such that the resulting signal can be processed by the STB substantially as a conventional HDTV signal,” says the document. “Following ITU and other terminology, this is termed a Frame Compatible (FC) format.”

The document defines DVB 3D-TV commercial requirements for DVB members from the key industry groups utilising existing high-definition TV infrastructure. It also deals with issues such as subtitling of 3D content and graphics and text display.

While the group has gone for the Plano-Stereoscopic System, there could be room for another set of standards within the DVB Project. The document says: “Other DVB members have expressed the potential need for a set of standards that are appropriate to a different set of commercial requirements. These commercial requirements are in the process of being discussed and agreed, and they are not considered in this document.”

By Rose Major, Rapid TV News

Telekom to Offer 3D via ADSL

German telco Deutsche Telekom will add 3D content to the digital video library of its IPTV platform Entertain. The new feature will be launched in early September during international consumer electronics fair IFA in Berlin, a Telekom spokesman said in Hamburg.

At first, only 3D movies will be offered, but games from domestic soccer league Bundesliga will be added later. Negotiations are already underway with national soccer association DFL, the spokesman said. No details were given on the subscription costs.

For 3D reception, customers need a 3D TV set with 3D glasses. Telekom‘s IPTV box is already capable of handling 3D signals.

On 7 May, Telekom entered the 3D world for the first time: The telco transmitted the opening game of the ice-hockey world cup in Gelsenkirchen live via Entertain, marking the first time a sports event from Germany was broadcast live in 3D on television.

By Jörn Kriege, Rapid TV News

Astro Decides on 3D World Cup Final

Malaysia’s Astro All Asia Networks will air its first 3D TV offering this weekend, with Sunday’s FIFA World Cup Final to be shown in 3D, in collaboration with Sony Malaysia. The 3D coverage of the final between the Netherlands and Spain follows a live 3D telecast of the Netherlands vs Uruguay semi-final for invited guests on Wednesday morning.

Subscribers with the new Astro B.yond set-top and a sports package subscription will be able to watch in 3D – if, of course, they are also equipped with a 3D-compatible TV. Astro claims to be the first broadcaster in south-east Asia to offer 3D content.

By Rose Major, Rapid TV News

Broadcasters Prefer Service Compatible 3D Format

Over half of broadcasters would prefer the adoption of a Service Compatible format for 3DTV, marking a split with the side-by-side transmissions favoured by pay-TV operators, according to a survey conducted by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and seen by Broadband TV News. The survey asked EBU members, largely drawn from broadcasters with public service obligations, which of the systems currently under development best met their potential needs if and when the decision was taken to broadcast in 3DTV.

The Service Compatible system that needs both a new display and a new set-top box but can be viewed in 2D on a normal receiver, and gives the highest 3D quality possible today received interest from 51.9% of respondents. It works by adding additional information to the signal that is only decoded by a 3DTV, allowing regular viewers to watch their programme of choice, without the need for 3D audiences to retune or broadcasters use substantially more bandwidth.

The Frame Compatible system – needing a new display but not a new set-top box, and provides somewhat higher quality – effectively that being deployed in Europe and around the world by the pay-TV sector– achieved 11.1%. This was the same score as Colour Anaglyph, the 1950s throwback that has been used more recently by Channel 4 and Virgin Media in their 3D seasons.

25.9% of respondents said none of the systems met their needs.

Service Compatible is most likely to be used in the DTT horizontal market for occasional broadcasts, offering a higher image quality than used by pay-TV through the half resolution per eye/view frame compatible method of side-by-side. The transmission company Arqiva recently confirmed plans to run live 3D trials on the UK terrestrial system.

The EBU is one of a number of organizations working on the development of 3D standards. The DVB is developing the broadcast signal formats for 3DTV, SMPTE is developing a ‘file format’ for 3DTV production, while IEC/ISO are concentrating on compression systems for 3DTV delivery. Other work includes the 3D@Home consortium that is looking into ways that one pair of glasses purchased for one manufacturer’s product could work with another. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) itself is looking at broadcast requirements. All these will ultimately fall under the ITU-R that will make recommendations for the use of the format.

By Julian Clover, Broadband TV News

DIRECTV Launches Suite of 3D Services

DIRECTV this morning officially flipped the switch on its new 3D channel, n3D as well as a 3D VOD and PPV service. Located at channels 103, 104, and 105 they signal a new opportunity for 3D content creators to reach viewers across the U.S. and a new opportunity for DIRECTV to tighten its bond with tech savvy subscribers.

“This just the beginning and we will have additional deals with partners and our own 3D productions,” says Steven Roberts, DIRECTV, senior vice president. “We will have more quality content as it becomes available to provide the best video experience for our customers. This is the next step in the TV revolution.”

The audience at the present time is nascent, at best, but Shiro Kitajima, president of Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company, the company sponsoring the DIRECTV 3D network, says that 3D has been embraced much more quickly than HD, thanks to movies.

“Consumers appreciate the value and, unlike the early HD sets, 3D is only marginally more expensive than high-end flat-screen TVs,” he says. “We’re finding that this will be a great success as we work together to create 3D sports, concerts, and entertainment.”

NASCAR in 3D and the MLB All-Star Game in 3D are two of the upcoming sport events that will be featured on the network. Other programming includes nature programs, concerts sponsored by Guitar Center (not full blown concerts but intimate in-studio performances), and more.

“We’re busy licensing content and on the production side the curve [of content available] is growing while the learning curve is getting shorter,” adds Roberts. “That means more and more content is going to be produced.”

Right now DIRECTV is not producing 2D programs converted to 3D but if the quality of the converted material can improve it could have a presence. “For now the focus is on native 3D.”

The 3D content is available over existing DIRECTV set-tops boxes with content delivered via side-by-side transmission at 1080p. It also culminates nearly four years of research and development.

“We have been discussing this for four years in planning meetings and it was about this time last year that we thought the perfect storm was coming,” adds Roberts. “Not only was our technology and infrastructure for 3D ready but there were great consumer monitors from companies like Panasonic that were creating an experience at home that was as good as being at the theater. And now we can scale 3D to millions of homes.”

How long it will take to get 3D into millions of homes remains to be seen but Roberts says that DIRECTV is in it for the long haul as it looks to educate consumers about a 3D experience that is more than just making viewers feel like spears are being thrown out of the TV set.

“The productions are only going to get better, the technology is only going to get better, and the monitors are only going to get better,” he adds. “It is now a part of the home entertainment experience and providing 3D is part of our commitment.”

By Ken Kerschbaumer, Sports Video Group

At World Cup, ESPN 3D Focuses on Transmission

Host Broadcast Services is providing all of the creative personnel in charge of producing 25 World Cup matches in 3D. While that personnel arrangement means that ESPN’s 3D directors do not get a chance to practice their craft in South Africa, the network is free to focus on the transmission of the 3D signals, which provides a great opportunity for ESPN to test the waters before its full 3D schedule of events kicks off in earnest.

“From the 3D perspective, our efforts down there are all about transmitting the signal, and that’s been relatively good,” explains Jonathan Pannaman, senior director of technology for ESPN. “We’ve got some new encoding technology that has given us a few blips but they’re not really 3D-related problems, just new technology-related problems, which is good.”

ESPN is benefiting immensely from working on the transmission of the World Cup in 3D precisely because the network is not involved with the production. With transmission the sole focus of the ESPN 3D team in South Africa, that group can learn the ins and outs of the transmission process before ESPN’s 3D production debut at the Home Run Derby in July.

To get the 3D signals back from South Africa, ESPN is utilizing new encoding technology developed in-house.

“They’re MPEG4 encoders, but there’s a scheme developed between them,” Pannaman explains. “One is the master and it sends timing information to the other encoder, the slave. That information gets embedded in the stream, so that wherever you pick up those two streams, the decoder can see that timing information.”

At the decode end, there is also a master and a slave. The master sends the time that it has just received to the slave. The slave outputs the stream, lining up the time that it receives on the incoming stream with that of the master.

“The whole key is the synchronization,” Pannaman explains. “We also don’t reduce the resolution of the two discreet eyes before we get it back, which is huge.”

The signals travel via fiber from South Africa to Bristol on two paths, one across the Atlantic Ocean and one across the Pacific Ocean.

“One’s slightly longer than the other,” Pannaman smiles. “It’s coming back on dual path.”

So far during this World Cup, ESPN has run into one hurdle that had the potential to cause a huge problem.

“We did have a situation where one eye was one field out,” Pannaman explains. “It’s 1/16 of a second, a tiny problem, but when the guy is running, his legs would look like Edward Scissorhands. It’s a subtle problem that I’m sure after a while would get very fatiguing. We didn’t air it, we resolved it, but that slight timing error was enough to throw everything out of whack.”

By Carolyn Braff, Sports Video Group

The Anatomy of a “Good Start”

Like a milepost on the way to market, a recent study by NPD Group shows that $55M in 3D-capable flat-panel TVs and BRD players were sold in the US in the first three months since their launch in February. In just going with the numbers, the mainstream press seize on the fact that the $55M in sales or about 20K sets represents just a tiny fraction of total TV sales.

To help put things in perspective, Riddhi Patel of iSuppli said, "Shipments of all types of LCD-TVs are expected to hit 170M this year, while shipments of LED-backlit sets will reach only 26M globally in 2010."

Insight Media pegs the 2010 3D sales number at 3.3M units, or just about 2% (1.94%) of iSuppli’s total unit TV sales number.

Global sales in 3D technology are likely to range between 50M units by 2015 (Insight Media forecast) to 78M units (iSuppli forecast) by the end of that year. According to Patel, "Robust growth of 3DTV sales appears to be assured during the next few years." But she cautions that full adoption of 3DTV is still hampered by issues of "standardization, content availability and interoperability of the 3D glasses."

But that’s just the point, anyone buying a 3DTV capable set today is either an early adopter, or wanting to "future-proof" a flat screen purchase they would have made anyway. For now, we see home 3D viewing as event driven, not a ubiquitous upgrade that forces the family to wear glasses every time they turn the set on, but rather an enhancement that adds to the viewing experience.

But does the $55M in sales represent a good start, or slow start for the industry? The LA Times took up the question today, with the headline: "3-D TV sets are selling, but no instant craze." They quote the NPD study and estimate that 20K sets were sold to make the $55M number. Then, they turned to CEA to get an overall 7M sets sold in the same period. That’s just 0.28% of the total sets sold in the same period. Let’s call that 3 TV sets out of every 1000 sets sold in the US were 3D capable in the first three months of sales.

At face value, it does seem like a slow start… But we think the early numbers suggests that the 3D CE-product market is about to catch fire among consumers. And, the party is just beginning, according to Ross Rubin, executive director at NPD. "3DTV and Blu-ray players are seeing steady growth even as major product line launches are slated for the coming months," he said.

In Europe, GfK Group said 25K 3DTVs had been sold by the end of May. Samsung was first over there with a 40-inch 3D set (UE40C7000) that started selling in late February, but the company recently upgraded its offering with a larger 46-inch display (UE46C8000) currently going head-to head with Panasonic’s 50-inch 3D capable PDP set. The point is, this is still early days for 3D in the US and Europe with plenty to still be worked out by the industry.

Also, the NPD numbers do not show some major 3D product rollouts (i.e. Sony’s), which hit the market in July, nor do they reflect the spike in demand some analysts predicted would come from the World Cup finals and their broadcast (in part) in 3D by ESPN.

Add to this a recent Parks study that looks at 3D content preference that seems to indicate 3D films will drive sales with 40% of the respondents saying they are interested in viewing movies in 3D on their TV. The string of 3D box office hits coming out of Hollywood of late will help drive demand for home 3D viewing even further.

So take your pick, is the glass half full, or half empty? "3DTV will be a premium home entertainment experience in 2010," said NPD’s Rubin. We agree, the road ahead for 3DTV adoption seems to be clear, particularly in mature TV regions like the US and Europe. There are still bumps to navigate. This includes quality of 3D content, availability of 3D content, as well as standards and interoperability issues (for both the TV sets, content delivery and glasses). Nevertheless, we see the summer 3D blockbusters and special 3D sports venues helping to heat up the market, giving those early adopters something new to show off in the living room.

By Steve Sechrist, Display Daily

Arqiva Plans Terrestrial 3D Tests

UK transmission company Arqiva is working on a terrestrial 3D test using the Service Compatible format favoured by public service broadcasters. Initial transmissions would be conducted outside of London to a closed user group. Arqiva has confirmed that following a series of internal tests, it was currently seeking rights clearance for some selected 3D content, though an initial licence application was already with Ofcom.

“What we’re trying to do is understand the techniques that we would have to employ and make to work if the BBC want to go down this route. With the digital dividend it may be that we have more T2 networks in the future and they may well want to do 3D if it is established by then and there is sufficient volume of 3D displays out there,” explained Mike Brooks, Arqiva’s head of technical development, DVB-T2. “The T2 network that we’re rolling out [in HD] is for a specific customer, the BBC’s public service multiplexes, so in terms of what the BBC are going to do that would be a question for them.”

“As you look at the technology development, Sky has generally lead with PVRs and set-top boxes, so what we want to do is to start look where we need to develop some of the Freeview-type services,” said Steve Holebrook, managing director, terrestrial broadcast, Arqiva. “Sky’s methodology of deploying this is right for them. They’ve got lots of bandwidth so they can broadcast a completely separate signal and take up the bandwidth that’s there. In general terms, Freeview has a degree of constraint on bandwidth, so we’re looking at different techniques that still allow us to deliver the same types of service to the customer but in a more efficient way.”

Service Compatible broadcasts a regular high definition signal to all viewers, while using additional data to complete the picture for those homes with a 3D display.

Holebrook confirmed that a number of tests had already been conducted “on the bench” and the next stage was to look at doing this over the terrestrial network. “We’ve been able to look at 2D plus Delta, which is significantly more efficient from a bandwidth perspective, which is vitally important for a DTT-type service, we’ve shown it working on the bench and think we can deploy it on a DTT network”.

Earlier this week Danielle Nagler, the BBC’s head of HD and 3D, told the 3D Masters conference that the BBC is looking to capture both the opening and closing ceremonies of the London Olympics, along with selected events, in the 3D format.

Any 3D coverage would have to be discussed with the BBC’s fellow members in the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and would ultimately need to be approved by the host broadcaster, Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS).

Brooks said that the present ‘spare’ bandwidth within the UK’s only DVB-T2/MPEG-4 multiplex would be insuffcient for the additional 3D data required under the service compatible format.

By Julian Clover, Broadband TV News

SARFT, MIIT Develop 3D TV Standards

The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) of China has begun formulating industry standards for 3D TV broadcasting, Sina reports June 21 citing an unnamed official from SARFT's Academy of Broadcasting Planning. Approximately seven to eight domestic TV stations have plans to launch stereoscopic channels or programs, according to the report.

The China Electronics Standardization Institute (CESI), an affiliate of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, is compiling a glossary of 3D television-related terms and is developing 3D television image quality tests, a separate Beijing Youth Daily report said citing the organization's senior engineer Zhang Subing.

Source: PacificEpoch

Technicolor, 3D partner of CANAL+ Group for 2010 FIFA World Cup

Technicolor announced that it is providing play-out services to the CANAL + Group for live 3D broadcast of 2010 FIFA World Cup matches, which began June 11 in South Africa. Working at the Technicolor play-out facility in Saint-Cloud (France), Technicolor specialists are handling live 3D program reception and broadcast, as well as insertion of additional 3D content and commentary from CANAL + sports journalists.

The broadcasts are carried on a dedicated CANAL+ 3D channel, launched June 8 by the CANAL+ Group. This is the first time in France that 3D content has been broadcast live, with full play-out services, including insertion of dynamic graphics.

Source: Technicolor

3D Motivates Comcast to Think MPEG-4

The FIFA World Cup featured on the ESPN 3D channel is the source of all the recent buzz. Carriers of the new 3D sports channel include Comcast, AT&T's U-verse and DirecTV. Whether a customer’s provider is cable, telco or satellite, viewers must own a 3D TV and glasses, but Comcast customers have an additional hurdle to jump: They also must have an MPEG-4 set-top box.

If a customer calls us and says they have a 3D TV and want to watch the World Cup, we'll provide them with an MPEG-4 set-top, said Mark Francisco, a Comcast Fellow, yesterday at a meeting of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the SCTE in Denver.

Francisco said Comcast has about 10 million MPEG-4 set-tops in the field. "3D is going to be the first MPEG-4 service that Comcast launches," he noted, adding there are some 25 million deployed set-tops capable only of MPEG-2.

According to Francisco, ESPN 3D is now available in MPEG-2 and MPEG-4, but in August, Comcast is planning to "switch the firmware that allows MPEG-4 to work. We can change our broadcast to MPEG-4," adding, "Those (MPEG-4) boxes are always associated with HD households. The vast majority are DVRs."

And the MPEG-4 set-tops are mostly Motorola boxes, he said.

News reports this week say Comcast has chosen U.K.-based Pace for its next major set-top box platform that will incorporate the Intel Media Processor CE 3100 and will be Tru2way-capable. In addition, the Pace boxes will support two HD 1080i video streams in MPEG-4 H.264.

According to Comcast's FAQ page, "Carrying 3D content in MPEG-4 format allows for greater efficiency with our network capacity, and will allow us to add even more 3D content going forward, both for linear channels and OnDemand content."

In addition to MPEG-4 compression, Francisco also mentioned switched digital video (SDV) as a way to more efficiently manage bandwidth resources for more 3D video in the future. Currently, 3D on cable basically is half resolution, and offering full-resolution 3D will require more bandwidth.

By Linda Hardesty, Cable360

ESPN’s 3-D Channel Takes Baby Steps

ESPN’s dedicated 3-D channel went live on the air last week, starting with coverage of 25 World Cup matches from South Africa, and, if you like 3-D TV, it went off well, technically. There were a few glitches, and graphics were sorely lacking, but it’s clear that these early days of 3-D TV are proving to be a lot less painful than the early days of HD production.

Taking a live 3-D feed from South Africa, the new channel is based at the sports network’s main HD production facility in Bristol, CT, and is managed by a “temporary” and rather small 3-D control room that was hastily built within the last six weeks.

Comcast, DirecTV and AT&T’s U-verse are carrying the 3-D programming from ESPN. While there were no major problems with the initial 3-D feed from host broadcaster HBS in Johannesburg, the picture froze briefly a few times due to compression issues, something which has been seen this with other earlier 3-D broadcasts. Viewers of the first broadcast said some game shots gave more of a feeling of depth than others, with flags waving in the crowd being one of the most impressive shots.

Occasional 3D FIFA graphics flew across the screen (created with Vizrt 3-D graphics software). The only full-time graphics on the screen were a score bug in the upper left corner of the screen and a small ESPN 3-D logo on the upper right.

Beginning with the World Cup tournament, ESPN has required all commercials for the new channel to be produced in 3-D. As a result, it was estimated that the cost of 3-D commercials increased by 30 to 40 percent. Sony, Pixar, Gillette and Proctor & Gamble were the first to advertise with 3-D spots. The channel also aired a new 3-D “This is SportsCenter” spot, which showed anchor Stan Verrett demonstrating 3-D to Los Angeles Dodger Andre Ethier who accidentally breaks a 3-D camera with a baseball bat.

ESPN (and its parent company Walt Disney) is operating a special laboratory in Austin, TX, where researchers are analyzing user response to the 3-D channel and its ads. The data will be used to enhance and shape future 3-D broadcasts. In a controlled living-room setting, scientists measure heart rate and skin conductivity and track the gaze of up to 4000 participants who will be exposed to new ad models over the Internet, mobile devices and TV screens.

After the World Cup ends, ESPN plans 3-D broadcasts of the MLB Home Run Derby on July 12, the ACC Championship and the BCS National Championship games in college football, and next year’s Big East tournament in college basketball. The network said it expects to carry about 85 3-D broadcasts this year. The rest of the time, the channel goes dark.

So far, there aren’t that many 3-D TV set owners to watch ESPN’s broadcasts in their homes. Certain ESPN restaurants are carrying the programming, as are participating 3D movie theaters, and Sony, a sponsor of the channel’s launch, supplied a number of its new 3-D LCD sets to “ESPN Wide World of Sports” facility in Orlando, FL, where ESPN hosted a viewing party for fans.

Niclas Ericson, TV director for FIFA, told Wired magazine that he expected an audience of “at least a few hundred thousand per match” worldwide to watch the games in 3-D. That’s an inconsequential number compared to the more than 26 billion cumulative viewers estimated to be tuning in to the regular HD broadcasts, but that is expected given the cost and other hurdles consumers must overcome.

Bob Toms, vice president of production enhancements for ESPN, said that the network would have a more usual complement of graphics for the first 3-D event it personally produces, the MLB Home Run Derby in Anaheim, CA, on July 12. But he said ESPN’s overall graphics approach for 3-D will be more subtle than conventional HD to “let people live in the picture more.”

Kevin Stolworthy, senior vice president of ESPN technology, noted that soccer was a particularly challenging sport for 3-D because of its continuous format. He said he’s looking forward to American sports in 3-D that will allow for more replays, which are particularly dramatic in 3-D.

“Soccer is such a tough sport, because it’s nonstop action,” he told reporters. “You see a replay for five seconds, and, boom, you’re cutting back to a live camera.”

By Michael Grotticelli, Broadcast Engineering

Discovery Unveils 3D World Plan

Discovery Communications' 3D channel, due to bow in the U.S. early next year, will roll out more slowly around the globe, according to prexy-CEO David Zaslav. At a breakfast in London on Tuesday to mark Discovery's 25th anni, Zaslav said that rather than setting up local versions of the 3D web, he would gauge what platforms in different markets required.

For instance, in the U.K., he said he would wait to see what pay TV platform BSkyB could accommodate. "Maybe there's a case for offering our 3D content via video-on-demand or providing it as part of Sky's 3D channel, rather than as a standalone channel," he said.

The high costs involved in 3D and the dearth of content were, Zaslav indicated, the main reasons why Discovery had pacted with Sony and Imax on the 3D channel. The partnership taps Sony's library and 3D technology experience and Imax's content and proprietary 3D technology.

"It is cheaper to make a new show in 3D than it is to convert an existing one, which frame-by-frame costs 100 times as much as a standard definition show," Zaslav explained.

He said about a third of the content on the new web would be provided by Discovery, but not all its programming would work in the format. "Deadliest Catch is maybe not a great 3D show because there is too much motion. Besides we'd send them out with cameras and they'd come back with none," quipped Mark Hollinger, prexy and CEO of Discovery Networks Intl. "How you produce 3D content economically is something we are asking ourselves," he added.

Zaslav said there was a chance that Discovery 3D, hailed as the world's first 24-7 3D channel, could bow before the end of the year, but a 2011 start-date was more likely. The earlier the launch, the better for Sony, which hopes that 3D TVs will be big sellers in the U.S. in the run-up to Christmas.

Both toppers said that in terms of distribution, Discovery's highest levels of future growth were likely to come from emerging markets in Eastern and Central Europe such as Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Turkey.

Discovery has continued to increase its investment in content despite the economic crisis, spending around $800 million a year.

By Steve Clarke, Variety

Singapore Gears Up for the Future of Media

Singapore is gearing up to exploit the opportunities in a rapidly-transforming media landscape with initiatives that seed the development and delivery of next-generation consumer applications, services and experiences. These include the start of 3D TV trial across multiple platforms and the award of funding to innovative industry projects that are expected to change the way media and entertainment are consumed in future.

Stereoscopic 3D is set to migrate from the cinemas to homes with the start of a one-year 3D TV trial by the Media Development Authority of Singapore. The trial kicks off today on terrestrial TV, cable TV and Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) in partnership with MediaCorp, Starhub and SingTel and involves the 3D recording of the National Day Parade. In addition to the broadcasters, other technology partners participating in the trial include Panasonic, Ross Video, Evertz, XpanD and Multimedia Maestro.

The trial enables the trial partners to test their transmission signals on different platforms, and address technical challenges in the delivery of 3D content to homes, whilst allowing service providers to explore viable business opportunities as they harness 3D technology to provide consumers with wider choices and better quality.

Apart from leading the trial with the partners, MDA will also launch a S$5 million fund to facilitate the trial and drive the development of content, talent and media services in the area of 3D. Depending on the progress of the trial, the broadcasters may choose to extend the trial to include consumers.

Dr Christopher Chia, CEO, MDA said: "The success of 3D movies and advances in digital technology has sparked strong interest in 3D developments worldwide. Our strategy has been to boost the development of stereoscopic 3D content, applications and services and build an industry of 3D production experts to meet future demand. Today, Singapore is one of the first territories in the world with one-stop, end-to-end production and post-production capabilities in theatrical stereoscopic 3D. With the 3D TV trial laying the groundwork to bring 3D experience to homes, Singapore is once again harnessing the latest digital technology to develop and deploy cutting-edge media services."

Says Chang Long Jong, Deputy CEO, Television, MediaCorp, "As the national broadcaster, MediaCorp is constantly exploring new avenues to deliver valued content to our viewers. MediaCorp is firmly committed to the 3D TV trial and will produce content in 3D, starting with the recording and post production of NDP2010. Concurrently, MediaCorp will commence technical trial this month to determine the most suitable technology standard."

Mr Titus Yong, Vice President of Satellite, SingTel said: "SingTel has over 20 years experience in the broadcast industry, and we are excited to play an important role in the national 3D trial. We are the first to enable content providers to deliver 3D content to consumers in Singapore and the region via satellite and platforms such as mio TV. We also offer essential tools to aid in the end-to-end production of 3D content. These include solutions for processing raw footage into formats for tapeless delivery, as well as editing and post-production services."

"We know how much Singaporeans like exploring new gadgets and staying abreast of the latest technologies. For the Broadcast industry, we believe 3D TV is the next wave of innovation. SingTel is proud to be part of the 3D TV revolution to offer enhanced viewing experience to our customers," add Mr Edward Ying, Chief of Content and Media, SingTel.

Mr Chan Kin Hung, Head of Products & Solutions, StarHub said: "As the leading innovative pay TV operator in Singapore, StarHub is committed not only to offering a compelling range of programmes to local viewers but also to keeping abreast of technology developments that boost our capabilities to deliver a superior viewing experience to our customers. We recognise the great potential of 3D TV which offers a new level of viewing experience to our customers, and we will work towards providing local viewers with the ultimate user experience by -'bringing the 3D cinematic experience right to their living room'."

Source: Media Development Authority

Ziggo to Carry SBS Net 5 in 3D

Ziggo is to carry the new Net 5 3D channel starting in September, according to an announcement by the cableco and the SBS-owned broadcaster. The launch of the Dutch 3D channel had been announced earlier by Eric van Stade, who is in charge of TV activities for the SBS group in the Netherlands.

The plan is to upgrade Net 5’s regular programming to 3D, while during the night native 3D programming will be scheduled. At the moment, Net 5’s programming is female skewed with a lot of US and locally produced series. These are not available in 3D.

Ziggo said it will use portions of the Net 5 3D channels for its planned 3D Demo channel.

In a related development, Bill Wijdeveld, managing director, Astra Benelux, said the satellite operator would welcome Dutch 3D productions on the satellite operator’s recently launched 3D Demo channel on the Astra position at 23.5 degrees East.

By Robert Briel, Broadband TV News

No 3D World Cup on Dutch Cable

Dutch cabers Ziggo and UPC will not carry the Fifa 2010 World Cup games in 3D due to the high costs involved. At an earlier stage, the Dutch public broadcasters also gave up plans to bring the games in 3D to Holland, because the cost of €30,000 per game was deemed too high.

The situation regarding the 3D television rights seems to be very complicated as the deal that Sony struck with Fifa for the 3D version of the games is apparently not applicable in The Netherlands. As a result, these rights had to be re-negotiated for the territory, which turned out to be too costly.

The number of 3D sets in currently in Dutch homes is not known, but a number of manufacturers including Sony, Samsung, Panasonic and LG have 3D sets on the market. Research firm GfK expects 137,000 in Dutch homes by the end of the year.

At the moment, Dutch viewers only have access to the 3D Demo Channel on the Astra position at 23.5 degrees East. UPC swill probably follow suit.

By Robert Briel, Broadband TV News

BSkyB Calls for Better 3D Content

A day after Sony talked up its commitment to 3D TV, an exec at Rupert Murdoch's BSkyB warned that the medium would only succeed if industryites and tech sector take the medium seriously, with content providers raising the bar to provide premium fare.

Brian Lenz is director of product design and TV product development at the British paybox, which is planning to bow what it describes as Europe's first 3D TV channel in the fall.

"3D TV used to be a gimmick, and frankly a lot of people don't know how to use it other than as a gimmick," Lenz said at the Westminster eForum seminar in London on Thursday. "3D TV is going to grow rapidly, but it is down to the industry not to screw it up. High-quality content is essential."

Acknowledging the scarcity of 3D TV content, Lenz said the new channel aims to show a minimum of six hours of fare a week across all genres plus movies and sports. But the paybox, which has commissioned veteran Brit natural history presenter David Attenborough to present a 3D series about prehistoric flying lizards, said producers would have to be self-financing.

"We don't aim to fund everyone's first 3D project because that is not likely to be their best," Lenz said.

BSkyB, which has led the take-up of HD TV in the U.K., launched a 3D service showing live soccer on TVs in pubs and clubs two months ago. More than 1,000 venues have taken the service, according to Lenz, but for 3D TV to make any real impact, BSkyB needs to succeed with home subscribers.

However, with the cost of 3D TVs hovering around £1,700 ($2,489) in the U.K., plus the shortage of content, Lenz and his team face an uphill battle.

Another speaker at the seminar, Paul Gray, director of European TV research at consultancy DisplaySearch, forecast that once the cost of 3D TVs dropped to $1,170 they would get a 10% market share in Blighty.

"The rapid expansion of content is critical" Gray said. "Without it consumers will remain cautious."

Sony's ESPN 3D channel kicks off today with the opening game in the World Cup soccer tournament, Mexico vs. South Africa, live from Johannesburg. It's unnamed Discovery-Sony-Imax channel will bow in 2011.

By Steve Clarke, Variety

ESPN 3D Gains Carriage with AT&T U-Verse

Cable sports giant ESPN has reached a distribution deal for its new 3D network, ESPN 3D, with the telco AT&T. AT&T U-verse's carriage of ESPN 3D will launch with this Friday's coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup match between South Africa and Mexico.

The deal with AT&T, combined with previous agreements with DirecTV and Comcast, means ESPN 3D will reach over 40 million homes at launch, says Sean Hanrahan, SVP of marketing solutions for ESPN and ABC Sports.

"Because of our advanced IP technology, AT&T U-verse customers can be confident that they'll have access to the latest TV innovations - whether it's your favorite content across your devices, interactive apps, or 3DTV," said Dan York, president of content, AT&T, in a statement. "With ESPN 3D, U-verse TV customers can experience the highly anticipated 2010 FIFA World Cup for the first time ever in exciting 3D, and we're looking forward to delivering more ESPN 3D coverage throughout the year."

By Glen Dickson, Broadcasting & Cable