Astra to deliver glasses-free 3D TV

SES Astra and iPONT International, a developer of glasses-free 3D technology, will use IBC demonstrate how close the industry is to launching 3D TV without the need for glasses.

The demonstration by the satellite operator and iPONT aims to prove that without-glasses 3DTV technologies have reached a level of maturity and quality acceptable to the consumer market.

“The quality of glasses-free 3DTV technologies have been hampered by viewing angles, depth, resolution and real-time imagery issues with few yet to deliver that premium-viewing experience,” said Thomas Wrede, vice-president, reception systems SES Astra. “iPONT’s maturing technology is an intriguing development and its progress has been impressive, making us confident that glasses-free 3DTV for the home is going with us in the not too distant future.”

For the demonstration, iPONT will install a wide-angle 42 inch auto-stereoscopic (without-glasses) LCD screen with its proprietary 3D TV box, a device that streams real-time 3D broadcast content from a satellite receiver to the display, performing a real-time stereo to auto-stereo conversion. Content from the SES Astra 3D demo channel will be played through the receiver.

On the market realisation of glasses-free 3DTV, Tamas Vahl, global director iPONT International said: “Major TV operators know that for 3D to truly go mainstream glasses-free 3DTV needs to happen sooner rather than later. Once that conundrum is solved then it will make it easier for pay TV operators to sell 3D TV to the consumer and to programme makers, which we expect to drive the next wave of top-tier HD programming.”

SES Astra will be exhibiting at IBC on Stand 1.B51