Eutelsat Satellites Beam 2010 FIFA World Cup in 3D to Cinemas Across Europe

Working with key players in 3D development, including Sony, Eutelsat has optimised the FIFA World Cup as a commercial platform for 3D viewing in out-of-home venues. Seventeen of the 60 matches played so far in South Africa have been 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 will also be broadcast in 3D, with cinemas in additional countries, such as the Netherlands, taking the signal, underscoring the scalability of a satellite-based network.

Eutelsat calculates that over 250 hours of 3D transmissions will have been transported by its satellites by the time the FIFA World Cup ends on July 11. Signals are broadcast in Europe through its ATLANTIC BIRD 3 and W7 satellites, using 40 Mbps of throughput to ensure both the quality and the robustness of each transmission. Eutelsat is running five feeds: four configured for cinemas, with English, Italian, French, Russian commentary, and one TV signal operated by the French broadcaster TF1, which is available in France in the FRANSAT digital platform.

The FIFA World Cup production in 3D is managed by the event's appointed host broadcaster, HBS, using Sony technology. The content is delivered by GlobeCast via W2A to Eutelsat's teleport near Paris, where it is retransmitted to ATLANTIC BIRD 3 for Western and Central Europe. A second teleport in Moscow ensures distribution via W7 in Russia.

Over 200 of an expanding network of more than 400 digital cinemas are enabled to receive the live 3D signals using equipment provided, installed and managed in real time by Eutelsat in collaboration with OpenSky. The equipment comprises a 1.5 metre receive antenna and a professional IDC receiver with Sensio decoding and BISS decryption.

Source: Eutelsat