• Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • Media Info
    • Terms & Conditions for Advertisers
    • Mechanical Data

Broadband TV News

Independent. Since 2003

  • Home
  • News Line
    • Central & East Europe
    • People
  • TV
    • On Demand/VOD
    • IPTV
    • Cable
    • Satellite
    • Terrestrial
    • Distribution
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Columns
    • Chris Dziadul
    • Julian Clover
    • Robert Briel
  • Events
    • Events Diary
    • BTN Events
    • Events Coverage
    • Submit the details of your event
  • Features
  • Resources
    • White Papers

Broadcasters prefer Service Compatible 3D format

July 6, 2010 11.26 Europe/London By Julian Clover

Exclusive: 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 at 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.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: 3D, Editor's Choice, Newsline, Top Story Tagged With: DVB, EBU, SMPTE Edited: 7 July 2010 12:39

Avatar photo

About Julian Clover

Julian Clover is a Media and Technology journalist based in Cambridge, UK. He works in online and printed media. Julian is also a voice on local radio. You can talk to Julian on Twitter @julianclover, on Facebook or by email at jclover@broadbandtvnews.com.

Latest News

  • Liberty Global launches Telenet takeover bid
  • Allente launches Google TV dongle powered by 3SS and SEI Robotics
  • New comms strategy for Russia
  • Boost for Dynamic Ad Insertion in Poland
  • Bedrock extends 6play max to more big screens

Free Ebook

Whitepaper: Why Wi-Fi 6 is Key for ISP Success

Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E client devices are entering the home in an unprecedented way, surpassing 50% market share since their introduction in 2019 (compared to four years for Wi-Fi 5). … [Download the eBook...]

Q & A

Q&A with Przemyslaw Frasunek, Redge Technologies

Broadband TV News speaks with Przemyslaw Frasunek, the CEO of Redge Technologies, about the CEE region OTT landscape and the most effective video security solutions.

Broadband TV News

  • Subscribe
  • About us
  • Contacts
  • Logos & Pictures
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Advertising

  • Media Info
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Mechanical Data
  • Video Services

News

  • Latest
  • Central & East Europe
  • TV
  • Tech
  • Streaming
  • Cable
  • Satellite
  • Terrestrial
  • IPTV
  • Business
  • People

Events

  • Events Diary
  • BTN Events
  • Submit the details of your event
  • Media Meet & Greet

Broadband TV News

PO Box 499
Cambridge
United Kingdom
CB1 0AH
news@broadbandtvnews.com

Connect with Us

 

Copyright © 2023 Broadband TV News LLP · Log in

 

Loading Comments...