DTG to profile UK standard for 3DTV

LONDON — The Digital TV Group (DTG), the industry association for digital television in the UK, has announced they are to lead the development of a UK standard for 3DTV products and services.

Simon Gauntlett, Technology Director at the DTG, made the announcement yesterday at the DTG’s 3DTV Seminar at the Group’s offices in London.

In 2009 the DTG launched the UK’s first industry consultation on 3DTV to gain members’ views on the technological feasibility and viability of the technology, and the role in which the DTG should play in its development.

Simon Gauntlett said: “The DTG has been at the heart of every development in UK digital television since its inception more than a decade ago.

Since the launch of our consultation, 3D has evolved from an emerging technology limited to cinema into a compelling home entertainment proposition–with broadcasters set to launch 3D services as early as this year and technical standards approved for 3-D Blu-ray and HDMI–what is currently missing is a standard for delivering 3D to the home via broadcast or IP delivery.

Our 3D consultation revealed members had concerns over uncertainties over standards for 3D and clearly told us the DTG should assume a leadership role in developing an approved, open standard for broadcast 3D.”

Having published and maintained the technical specification for Freeview for over a decade, last year the DTG completed ‘D-Book 6’, the updated interoperability specification for the Freeview service which includes the specification for HD on DTT. The Group is now working with its membership to profile the UK specification for hybrid IP ‘Connected TV’ services such as Canvas, SeeSaw and SkyPlayer.

“Following our ground-breaking work bringing HD to the UK terrestrial TV platform and our ongoing development of a specification for connected TV, the DTG and our membership recognise that 3DTV is the next logical evolutionary step for digital television. We are looking forward to working with our members and with international standards bodies to turn this exciting technology into a robust and viable consumer proposition.” Gauntlett concluded.