Friday, 7 March 2008

BBC & The3DFirm Broadcasting Live 3D Rugby

**EDIT - I originally posted that the live NBA game that was broadcast in 3D late last year was the first sports event to be done in this fashion but upon closer inspection they used fiber optic for their connection and not satellite. Thanks for bringing this to my attention Andy!

BBC Resources and The3DFirm
, a Richmond, UK -based consortium of production specialists will be testing a live 3D broadcast of a rugby game between England and Scotland at the The Calcutta Cup, England’s Six Nations Rugby Championship on March 8th. If successful they hope to broadcast The World Cup and the Olympics to a chain of theaters.

"A stereoscopic hi-def signal is sent from three cameras positioned at pitchside. It is sent via satellite to London where it is converted through a 3-D projection system."
Aashish Chandarana, BBC Sport’s innovations executive, said: “We’re trying to do something no one’s tried before. Editorially it will not be a fast-cut TV experience but more the experience you’d get if you were at Murrayfield.”
Good luck to be sure! Would love to see Live 3D sports and events happening soon...

[Source]

Advertising Focused Glass-less Display Ready For Launch: NEC 57" 3D LCD

NEC is teaming up with Magnetic Media Holdings and their Enabl3D technology to release a 57" LCD television capable of displaying 3D.

"Enabl3D allows 3D digital content to move more than a foot off the screen without the use of any special glasses - and plays 2D content with a minimal loss of resolution.

“This is an evolution,” said Magnetic CEO Tom Zerega. “The next big thing is 3D. The only thing that was holding back the adoption of 3D was the availability of content for that format. Magnetic’s solution solves that problem, enabling 2D content to also be displayed.”
You do NOT have to wear 3D glasses with this set up which is of course intriguing - however I would have to insist that I do not lose any resolution at all for my home entertainment viewing needs in 2D. I see why this is aimed at the advertising market. It would be cool to see some 3D advertising come out however.

[Source]

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