Two main groups for 3D TV

By Julian Clover
March 10, 2010 13.57 UK

DVB World 2010 – Lisbon: Commercial requirements for the introduction of 3DTV are divided between the needs of pay-TV operators and free-to-air broadcasters.

According to David Wood, the chair of the DVB’s commercial 3DTV module and deputy director of the EBU’s Technical Department, the main concern of the pay-TV group is to preserve the use of existing set to boxes in the 3D TV environment. This may include what he describes as a “modest” software upgrade.

FTA broadcasters want existing receivers to be able to watch a 2D version without needing an additional broadcast channel for a simulcast. “This is important for terrestrial broadcasters, we have to make the best of what there is, so if you could give us a system like this we would be happier,” explained Wood.

Such a plan would seem at odds with the production values described earlier in the conference by BSkyB’s Brian Lenz, who talked of a separate production being needed for 3D coverage of live sports.

Later Thomas Wrede, VP product management media, SES Astra explained how the vast majority of HD services, including those broadcast by the commercial sector, were encrypted, suggesting that a 3D business model might be equally difficult to sustain without joining some form of pay-TV package.

Wood said a further meeting of the DVB 3D commercial module would take place in two weeks with concrete proposals being made public in the autumn.