Delivering 3D experience to the living room
World-first solution delivers 3D movie-theater experience to the living room
Blockbuster movies such as Avatar have introduced hundreds of millions of people to the thrill of 3D. Now, more and more viewers want that same experience in the comfort of their living rooms. Some analysts predict that close to 80 million 3D TV sets will be sold by 2015 – remarkable given that they were launched only at the beginning of this year. Total revenues are expected to top USD 60 billion within five years.
Demand for mass-market 3D TV is soaring. Broadcasters and operators at the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) Show in Las Vegas on April 12-15 will learn how Ericsson’s (NASDAQ:ERIC) new solution for both direct-to-home (DTH) and contribution and distribution of 3D content will allow them to meet viewers’ demands.
Staffan Pehrson, Head of Solution Area TV, Ericsson, says that advances in camera, delivery, and display technologies now make it possible to effectively deploy 3D television to the home. Pehrson says: “Consumers will be able to get the same enhanced experience in their living room as they do at the movie theater. At NAB, we will launch a complete solution to enable broadcasters and operators to introduce 3D consumer services today.” The launch builds on Ericsson’s understanding and expertise in content distribution and high definition video.
The Ericsson 3D solution addresses challenges in both contribution and distribution as well as direct-to-home delivery of 3D content. The challenges for live 3D contribution differ greatly from DTH, with the utmost being the need for the best picture quality possible including full spatial resolution. Ericsson’s large contribution and distribution portfolios have been optimised to ensure that 3D feeds are compressed and delivered correctly.
The expertise in the TV area comes from Ericsson’s acquisition of Tandberg Television and its video compression technology three years ago. Thanks to its established position in the market, Ericsson can enable these 3D services to a rapidly expanding consumer group.