The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT

Feeds

Sky 3D to launch in April

Secret pubs showing 3D footie this weekend

Sky has confirmed that its long-awaited 3D TV channel will launch in April. And the broadcaster plans to kick things off this weekend with 3D footie coverage at nine British boozers.

The 3D TV service will work with all existing Sky+ HD boxes and will “initially” be available at no extra cost to customers already signed up to the broadcaster’s top TV package and the Sky HD pack, the company told us today.

You will need a 3D-ready TV, of course. Models from the likes of Sony, Samsung, LG and Panasonic will all be compatible, Sky said.

To stir up interest, Sky will broadcast this Sunday’s football match between Arsenal and Manchester United in 3D, sending the signal into pubs across London, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Dublin.

Nine pubs have been selected in all, but Sky won’t tell anyone which ones.

A Sky spokesman told Register Hardware it is keeping mum about pub locations because it is concerned venues could become overrun with gangs of rival footie fans clamouring for pints and 3D specs.

“The 3D event is for pub regulars,” the Sky spokesman said. ®

Latest Comments

I thought....

....that Sky had said that their 3D broadcasts woud be compatible with the sequential shutter glasses, as well as the other types of 3D. If that's the case, and if your LCD\Plasma has a high enough refresh rate (maybe 100Hz?), you shouldn't need to buy a new telly.

Still not sure I want a pair of clickity glasses whirring away on my face though - certainly not for football....

0
0

Luddites the lot of ya

Good Lord listen to yourselves! It is the first broadcast and you're chucking stones at it already. And the anti-Murdoch prejudice is plainly ridiculous. FFS people, get a life!

The TV manufacturers are producing the sets anyway, not just for Sky or the Brits - don't be so arrogant to think so. They see a global market for the technology, they may be wrong, but only time will tell. Sky are merely producing the content for the devices, and "initially" giving it away. But yes, of course, it is entirely reasonable for Sky to later on charge for what will then be premium content as HD is today. And yes sheeple, you will have a choice of whether or not to buy the content. No one is forcing you to watch 3D with specs, ridiculous or otherwise.

Weren't you lot the same that were carping on about HD when it first arrived? Twats.

0
0

HD > 3D

HD works as it does improve the picture on the now commonplace larger TV, also pretty much everything is recorded in HD or above, so content isn't a problem.

3D requires new TV/setup box hardware and the programmes to be shot with a 3d camera. Aside from the likes of avatar, the only thing I've seen confirmed by Sky for 3d is 'Gladiators'. Blimey I'm practically gushing at the choice of 3d content :P

0
0

Trumping O2?

This rather takes the sails out of O2's much-heralded "UK's first ever live 3D sports broadcasts" the following weekend doesn't it? http://www.o2blueroom.co.uk/3drugbylive

Bet they're peeved.

0
0

It's to thwarte pirates, silly

they needed a whizzbang to make downloads dull

0
0

More from The Register

Android is a mess and needs sprucing up, admits chief
Can Google really fix it? It isn't in control any more
New Lumia 925: This, loyalists, is the BIG ONE you've waited for
Nokia veep drills high-end master plan for El Reg
Android device? Ooohhhh, you mean a Samsung phone
Koreans nabbed nearly all the Q1 profits – more even than Google
Review: HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook
All roads lead to Chrome?
Borked your iDevice? Pay EVEN MORE to have it fixed by Applecare
Or scream at their hapless techies on their forums
Euro PC shipments plummet into bottomless pit of DOOOOM
11th quarter of decline, 20pc drop on last year - Gartner
MIT takes battery-powered robot cheetah for a gallop
Biomimetic big cat needs no power cord, just a walker