[Satellite News 05-10-10] Ericsson is confident that its 3-D TV partnership with ESPN will be a precursor to many more 3-D deals, as the two companies work to incorporate a complete standards-based video processing solution, featuring encoders and receivers, for the ESPN 3-D sports network, Ericsson CTO Giles Wilson told Satellite News.
    Wilson, who also serves as Ericsson’s head of product portfolio and TV solutions, has focused Ericsson’s 3-D solutions on content as opposed to DTH delivery, which is a slightly different approach for Ericsson. “We saw that we could bring the most value to our customers in the contribution sector, so that was where the solution was focused. The solution is focused at the programmers and the content providers. The solution is focused on getting the highest quality 3-D video from a contribution point then into the studio. Those signals will then be put on different platforms,” he said.
    For most of ESPN’s 3-D transmission network, Ericsson will use conventional equipment. While costs continue to be the main obstacle for 3-D, the challenge for Ericsson will be to sell these solutions to other broadcasters, and Wilson expects the satellite industry to drive take-up. “I think satellite players such as DirecTV and BSkyB have really taken the lead in this space. The satellite guys have the additional bandwidth. 3-D production values are very different to 2-D, so often that plays a role. In our opinion it is an HD service, so you are building premium content on the back of HD,” he said.
    In order to create a robust 3-D market, broadcasters also have to address the challenge of establishing standards. Wilson said the industry is adopting a very sensible pragmatic approach to this issue. “I don’t think standards issues will hold 3-D TV back. I think the industry is taking a pretty pragmatic approach at the minute, which is for the final DTH delivery to take the current 2-D standards (MPEG-2 and MPEG-4) and adapt them to deliver 3-D content. There are various other technologies in the pipeline which allow you to deliver a potential high quality experience. If you look at the fact, you have a large installed base of current technologies. I think using existing technologies is a very pragmatic approach,” he said.
    Wilson believes the biggest threat to the take-up of 3-D is complacency within the industry. “If there is one thing that could stall 3-D TV, it’s doing it badly, so we are continuing to invest in doing it right in all points of the content chain to ensure that 3-D TV can be delivered to consumers as soon as possible in the best possible quality. There are characteristics regarding 3-D, which means the compression has to be of a slightly higher quality. There is always the opportunity to do things not so well,” he said.
    In the meantime, Ericsson will use its opportunity with ESPN to get 3-D TV right on the first try in order to generate a broader interest. While Wilson would not say when the company’s 3-D deal might happen, he said there is strong appetite from potential customers. “I think the operators are very interested in this as a proposition. They see this as something that can add significant value to their business. It can be a differentiator,” he said.