3ality Digital Powers World's First Terrestrial Stereoscopic 3D Broadcast

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

Collaboration with Australia’s Nine Network Bringing Annual National Rugby League State of Origin Series to Viewer

BURBANK, Calif. — 3ality Digital LLC has achieved another stereoscopic 3D (S3D) milestone with the medium’s first-ever live terrestrial broadcast. Through an agreement with Australia’s Nine Network, 3ality Digital has made the first of three matches of the 2010 National Rugby League State of Origin series available to viewers in S3D.

The first match, played at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, was aired live on May 26. 3ality Digital and Nine Network will also provide live S3D coverage of the series’ two additional matches, on June 16 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, and July 7, again at ANZ Stadium.

The State of Origin series is among Australia’s highest-rated programming each year. The Australian government is making the digital spectrum necessary for the broadcasts available on a trial basis as a means of gauging the public’s interest.

While 3ality Digital has enabled a number of groundbreaking S3D broadcasts via satellite and cable, its coverage of the May 26 rugby match marked the first time any terrestrial broadcaster provided such programming to viewers.

“We’re proud that our systems continue to earn the confidence of the world’s most innovative broadcasters,” said Ted Kenney, Head of Production for 3ality Digital. “To follow our successful live S3D broadcasts of Indian Premier League action with this industry first is a true testament to our systems’ ability to generate pristine S3D imagery under virtually any circumstances.”

Nine Network CEO David Gyngell said 3ality’s expertise was absolutely critical to the highly successful broadcast of the first State of Origin match in 3D.

“The fact is we simply could not have achieved that outcome without 3ality. They showed themselves to be accomplished world leaders in the technology, and Nine’s production teams were impressed not only by 3ality’s professionalism but also by its immediate grasp of the specifics and peculiarities of the game of rugby league itself,” he said.

“There’s no question 3D is adding to the tremendous excitement of the National Rugby League broadcasts We’re delighted to bring this first-of-its-kind television experience to our viewers and we look forward to the 3D broadcast alongside 3ality of the next two matches in our series,” Mr. Gyngell said.