[TV Technology]

… While doubts remain about the viability of stereoscopic 3D, broadcasters such as Sky, Discovery and the BBC have all kept up momentum this year with major sporting events such as Wimbledon and natural history documentaries all being shot in this format. And the need to keep abreast of rapidly evolving technology and discuss what’s working and what’s not is arguably more compelling than ever. This hot topic is put under the microscope at IBC’s 2011 conference, which dovetails the issues of sports broadcasting with those of business and production surrounding 3DTV. 

Monday’s sessions see most of the conversations dedicated to 3D@IBC where delegates have a chance to hear BSkyB’s Brian Lenz speaking in the session “Delivering 3D to the audience.” This session is aimed at producers and technicians seeking to master the techniques that enable their 3D content to be presented correctly on all screens and devices. There will also be discussion around how to work with different delivery formats including varying levels of brightness on reception and how to manage different language versions, content layers, titles and graphic overlays in 3D space.

While most delegates are still exploring the day’s stereoscopic offerings, IBC is also set to offer its conference attendees “A glimpse into the stereoscopic future.” This session takes a look at what can we expect to see on our screens a decade from now and features innovators such as Howard Lukk, vice president of digital production technology, The Walt Disney Studio, and Peter Lude, senior vice president engineering, Sony Electronics Inc. The panel will look at how far away we are from the arrival and affordability of autosteroscopic (glasses free 3D) screens and whether 3D is practical for smart phones and, if so, when we will see the first killer apps in 3D. 

The delivery of 3D forms the subject of one of the final sessions at the conference on Tuesday 13. “3D and Cable: Technical Challenges and Business Opportunities” will explore in detail the delivery of stereo 3D video by cable during this special meeting of the Benelux SCTE (Society for Broadband Professionals). 

In particular, there will be a focus on the impact of stereoscopic content on transport issues in CATV and fibre networks. With Hollywood movies being presented in 3D format, the CATV industry must prepare to offer these and a variety of 3D programmes to their subscribers maintaining unrivalled quality of experience. The session will feature presentations from companies on the network operator side, as well as from industry vendors including Entropic, Cisco, BigBand Networks and ADB.

Read the full story here: http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/123382