Sky brings 3D TV to life
Satellite broadcaster starts test transmissions for 3D TV, but requirement for a new TV and special glasses could hinder widespread adoption.


TV moved beyond mere high definition broadcasts yesterday as
Sky, the UK's subscription based satellite broadcaster, began transmitting trial broadcasts for a 3D TV platform.
Sky said it will be developing the service over the next few years, but at the moment it requires viewers to don a pair of polarising glasses and have a compatible TV that currently costs around 2,000, though prices are expected to drop as the technology advances. However, the service will be able to be received by existing Sky HD boxes. The test TV used in the demo was reportedly manufactured by Hyundai.
"We're just exploring right now, but the next step is going to be to find out whether 3DTV is something people are going to be interested in," Brian Lenz, Sky's head of product design and innovation, told the Times newspaper.
The broadcaster demonstrated test 3D footage using Liverpool Champions League football games, the Sky show Gladiators and a Ricky Hatton boxing match.
The system works by having two adjacent cameras filming the action. These images are then merged and the polarising glasses are then used to trick the brain into seeing a single three-dimensional image.
Cinemas are currently fitting themselves out for the technology in a bid to bolster revenues and last September, at CEATEC 2008, the Japanese consumer trade show, Panasonic demoed 3D technology based on Blu-ray.
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Benny Har-Even is a twenty-year stalwart of technology journalism who is passionate about all areas of the industry, but telecoms and mobile and home entertainment are among his chief interests. He has written for many of the leading tech publications in the UK, such as PC Pro and Wired, and previously held the position of technology editor at ITPro before regularly contributing as a freelancer.
Known affectionately as a ‘geek’ to his friends, his passion has seen him land opportunities to speak about technology on BBC television broadcasts, as well as a number of speaking engagements at industry events.
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