[dk143]

Parts will be in 3d:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17049246

[SteveCritten]

Think they announced that in 2009 mate

[loz]

Disappointing amount of coverage by the BBC but hardly surprising.

Disappointing that with over 200 hours going to be output in 3D by the Olympic Broadcasters, the BBC is only showing 4-5 hours.

Other countries will get to see all the 3D content because their broadcasters have dedicated 3D channels. However, even thought it is in our back yard we get to see virtually none of it.

Pity they could not have come to some arrangement with Sky and then everyone would have been happy.

[Razor]

BBC are always slow on the uptake, look how long it took them to go HD.

[Goooner]

Originally Posted by Razor

BBC are always slow on the uptake, look how long it took them to go HD.

And yet, look how quickly they managed to spoil it by lowering the bitrate, so it's not much better than SD

[logiciel]

Originally Posted by loz

Disappointing amount of coverage by the BBC but hardly surprising.

It's the other way around with me - I'm very surprised - and rather pleased!
I expected us to be deluged with all this stuff, and was well prepared to avoid the channel.
Won't Sky's 3D channel be carrying any of it at all?
I find it hard to believe that"consumer demand was lower than expected" and that "just 6% of UK households have television sets which are 3D ready".
TVs seem to have 3D almost as standard now - don't they?

[jonboy666]

Originally Posted by Goooner

And yet, look how quickly they managed to spoil it by lowering the bitrate, so it's not much better than SD

what do you mean? we arent getting full HD?

[mike7]

Originally Posted by jonboy666

what do you mean? we arent getting full HD?

A sort of 'HD lite' if you are watching on Freeview HD.

As far as the Olympics is concerned the BBC would have to buy in the 3D coverage from OBS which is partnered with Panasonic. I guess the cost against the actual number of viewers who might watch in the format dictates how much the BBC are prepared to spend. I'm wondering if cinemas will show the opening and closing ceremonies in live 3D.

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/...-2012-olympics

[Curly99]

While a dedicated 3d channel may push the tech forward especially if it was free and a BBC channel, I can't see it happening any time soon, with only 6% take up for 3D according to the article, the BBC have to cater for the majority who will be watching Freeview SD/HD... will the digital switch-over be complete by then? As for sky showing the Olympics in 3D... aren't the Olympics a protected event like Wimbledon, FA cup final, Grand National...etc that have to be shown on free to air channels?

Curly

P.S. just checked on Wiki and saw this "Category A events (which includes the Olympics) are events which must have live coverage made available to free-to-air channels, although PPV networks may share live coverage" so Sky 3d could show some

[derek500]

Originally Posted by logiciel

I find it hard to believe that"consumer demand was lower than expected" and that "just 6% of UK households have television sets which are 3D ready".

At the end of 2010 there had been 140,000 3d tv sales.

6% of households means there are now about 1.5m. That's pretty good in a year. Lot faster growth than HD!!

[mike7]

Originally Posted by derek500

At the end of 2010 there had been 140,000 3d tv sales.

6% of households means there are now about 1.5m. That's pretty good in a year. Lot faster growth than HD!!

Having a '3D capable set' does not mean that people are going to watch 3D. It seems that a lot of new sets are 3D capable, whether you want it or not. I suspect, from people who contribute to the Forum, that people don't always use the facility or use it very sparingly. I think its either something you desparately want, or really don't care for. Remember a lot of punters who bought 'HD Ready' sets thought they were watching HD all the time, even before the HD channels became widely available.

[logiciel]

Originally Posted by Curly99

although PPV networks may share live coverage" so Sky 3d could show some

That's OK then - I don't mind the 3D channel showing a few items and charging extra for them.

[Goooner]

Originally Posted by jonboy666

what do you mean? we arent getting full HD?

Just that when HD was first launched a few years back BBC HD used to be stunning, now it's just average as they've cut the bit rate dramatically.

[mike7]

Originally Posted by Goooner

Just that when HD was first launched a few years back BBC HD used to be stunning, now it's just average as they've cut the bit rate dramatically.

Thankfully that doesn't seem to apply on Virgin media for some reason. I have a Freeview HD set upstairs and, apart from the occasional programme, the HD can be pretty poor in comparison with cable. I am not refering to programmes that are upscaled at source.

[logiciel]

HD by terrestrial is of a different quality from that of satellite and pf cable.

[loz]

Originally Posted by logiciel

It's the other way around with me - I'm very surprised - and rather pleased!
I expected us to be deluged with all this stuff, and was well prepared to avoid the channel.
Won't Sky's 3D channel be carrying any of it at all?

Unfortunately not as Sky have no rights to any Olympics. Only the BBC does.

I can understand given their limited number of channels why the BBC is showing so little 3D.

But it is unfortunate that given over 200 hrs of 3D will be produced that they could not have come to some arrangement with BBC to show it.

[ArmitageShanks]

Originally Posted by jonboy666

what do you mean? we arent getting full HD?

Nope. On Freeview you're not even getting a full 16:9 image (1920x1080). It's actually an anamorphically-squeezed 4:3 image (1440x1080). And the bitrate was lowered from something like 20mbps to between 6 and 9mbps a couple of years ago.

Fortunately you'll be pleased to know that your license fee funds the European BBC HD broadcast feeds at full resolution and a whopping 14mbps.

[derek500]

Originally Posted by ArmitageShanks

Nope. On Freeview you're not even getting a full 16:9 image (1920x1080).

BBC is the same on satellite. It does however go to 1920x1080 when they're doing 3d.

[jonboy666]

so what im seeing on the virgin media HD channels isnt full HD ?

[mike7]

Originally Posted by jonboy666

so what im seeing on the virgin media HD channels isnt full HD ?

It certainly used to be, but someone will no doubt update us on that. There is a lot of variation. The picture quality of Sky ArtsHD and Comedy Central HD, when they are showing HD sourced material, is visibly ahead of many other channels, particularly UK ones. BBC output seems to vary. Very few programmes match the picture quality of the Antiques Roadshow. I think we are all being led up the garden path with broadcast HD.

[SteveCritten]

Originally Posted by jonboy666

so what im seeing on the virgin media HD channels isnt full HD ?

Both freesat and sky only do 1080i too. Not sure about virgin though as they wont come to my small market town in the middle of nowhere.

[logiciel]

Originally Posted by loz

over 200 hrs of 3D will be produced

Who produces it, and where will it go?

[ArmitageShanks]

Originally Posted by derek500

BBC is the same on satellite. It does however go to 1920x1080 when they're doing 3d.

I'll need to check some 3D Freeview recordings - I suspect you might be right since doing SBS with a limited horizontal resolution would look even worse than it does.

[mike7]

Originally Posted by logiciel

Who produces it, and where will it go?

Olympic Broadcasting Services in conjunction with Panasonic. See Post # 8
I guess who is prepared to pay for it, gets it.

[loz]

Originally Posted by logiciel

Who produces it, and where will it go?

As Mike7 points out, it is produced by the OBS.
(note, the BBC are not responsible for producing the Olympic broadcasting feeds - the Olympics has its own broadcaster - OBS. The BBC are just the broadcaster with the UK rights.)

In other countries the broadcaster with Olympic rights may have a dedicated 3D channel, so will no doubt to showing much of what is produced. NBC 3D in the USA for example.

See NBC To Broadcast London Olympics in 3D | NBC New York

The more than 200 hours of 3D telecasts, to be produced by OBS and shown on next-day delay in the U.S

[scodex]

Oh in 3D? How would it be?

[mike7]

Originally Posted by scodex

Oh in 3D? How would it be?

What ???

[logiciel]

Originally Posted by ArmitageShanks

I'll need to check some 3D Freeview recordings

There can't be many of those to check.

[mike7]

Originally Posted by Razor

BBC are always slow on the uptake, look how long it took them to go HD.

Actually that is so untrue. As far as the UK is concerned BBC were first with 625 line TV, when everything else was 405. First to transmit colour. We still had sets with valves in at the time. The first live colour transmission was from Wimbledon. BBC were first with a teletext service and NICAM stereo. They were the first to regularly show widescreen presentations, although this was pre-digital and they had to compromise with 14:9 because the majority of viewers had 4:3 sets. They were the first to have more than one channel with BBC1 and 2, pre-digital of course. They are the only non-subscription service in the UK to at least have trialled 3D. They offered a free-to-air HD channel before Channels 3,4 and 5. So it is a bit unfair to say they are 'slow on the uptake'.

[logiciel]

Originally Posted by mike7

The first live colour transmission was from Wimbledon

There's a coincidence - so was the first 3D transmission. It shows where the BBC's priorities still lie.