[Satellite TODAY 12-22-09] The MPEG Industry Forum (MPEGIF), an advocacy group for standards-based digital television technologies, has formed the 3DTV Working Group in order to launch a “3D over MPEG” campaign, MPEGIF announced Dec. 21.
    The campaign aims to promote the widespread adoption and deployment of MPEG-related standards, including MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video compression technology used for 3-D TV broadcasting, by providing a forum for free exchange of information related to the technology while consolidating the overall direction of the 3DTV industry. Its focus and constituency will be derived from video service providers, consumer electronics manufacturers, content owners, equipment manufacturers, system integrators and software providers as well as industry advocacy groups, industry analysts, financial institutions and academic institutes.
   “3-D video is showing distinct commercial promise in theatrical releases and could thus transition to the advanced living room to follow high definition and surround sound. As a result there is a growing array of competing technologies and work from various standards bodies. It has therefore become a major theme of the next MPEG industry forum,” David Price, vice president of both MPEGIF and Harmonic, said in a statement.