High TV 3D channel to launch on DTT in Italy

3D TV broadcaster High TV is developing a digital-terrestrial 3D channel for Italy, where CEO Erik Klein said 1.5 million 3D-enabled TVs were sold last year.

Klein, speaking at Telenor’s press event in Oslo today, said the service would be launched with a local partner and would be delivered using the DVB-T2 standard, which Italy plans to migrate to in 2015. He said it would be first localised 3D TV channel in Europe.

Klein said that the channel will begin transmission within three months, in partnership with a group that is already transmitting services in DVB-T2.

Addressing the global 3D market, Klein said that about 60% of large TVs being sold globally now were 3D enabled and that the premium on 3D sets should disappear within the next year.

High TV produces 400-500 hours of 3D content each year and broadcasts in 37 different countries. The channel is available on seven satellite platforms around the world. Klein said the company was looking to monetise its content through advertising.

Senior vice-president Ronny Shany said the company had also hired a production team to work on holographic TV, and had developed a few hours of holographic content.

Klein said that holographic TV was more complex to create than 3D TV, with everything shot from six different angles to give a 360-degree experience. The display is typically projected from a square on the floor onto a net screen. However, Klein said he believed true holographic TV would be projected from above the display.