BBC Strictly Come Dancing 3D Coming to iPlayer

[silverfox0786]

The BBC will make the Strictly Come Dancing 3D final available on the BBC iPlayer.


Writing in his blog, Head of BBC HD & 3D Technology Andy Quested said that the satellite and terrestrial encoders have been switched to 3D mode this morning and the BBC HD channel promo video will now include a 24 minute 3D section. Quested said “We hope to make the 3D version of Strictly available to the version of iPlayer that appears on some of the internet connected 3D TVs and on some connected set top boxes. It will be a technical trial and we cannot yet guarantee the results across all the different makes, models and types of receiver…”

The BBC’s remit of platform neutrality means the organisation is obliged to offer its content across a wide range of viewing devices which includes slow Internet connections (within reason). Therefore, the BBC Technology team are proposing to reduce the left and right picture definition from 1080i/25 to 720p/50. Rather than the side-by-side format used by 3D channels like Sky3D and 3net, the proposed format for the BBC iPlayer distribution will be top/bottom.

The final data rate will be encoded for iPlayer distribution which is currently 5Mbs. The average UK broadband speed is approx 7Mbps but as the BBC need to provide its services to as wide an audience as possible, Quested feels 5Mbs is still quite high.

Strictly Come Dancing 3D will not be available on the regular computer/smartphone version of the BBC iPlayer. This trial will only be available on Internet connected 3D TVs and VoD platforms like Virgin Media.

Yesterday,at the Digital TV Summit, Roger Mosey, BBC director of London Olympics 2012, confirmed the broadcaster plans to deliver some of the coverage of next year’s Olympic Games in 3D