BBC Announces Olympic 3d Coverage

The BBC has announced it will broadcast select live 3D coverage to homes across the UK as part of a 3D trial during the London 2012 Olympic Games. The trial coverage will be broadcast via the BBC’s HD Channel and will include the Opening Ceremony, the Closing Ceremony and the Men’s 100m final.

A highlights package will also run at the end of each day.

The free-to-air broadcast of these events in 3D will be available to anyone who has access to a 3D TV set and to HD Channels, regardless of which digital TV provider they use.  

This is one of a small number of 3D TV editorial experiments the BBC is currently undertaking, on behalf of licence payers. 

The BBC broadcast in 3D for the first time last year when it showed the Men’s and Ladies’ Finals of the 2011 Wimbledon Championships via the BBC’s HD Channel.

Kim Shillinglaw, Head of BBC 3D, said: ‘We have always said we believe some of 2012 should be captured in 3D, and we’re delighted to confirm our offer to audiences in the UK, providing them with a new way of getting close to some of the key moments from the London 2012 Olympic Games.’

As the UK’s host nation broadcaster for the London 2012 Olympic Games the BBC has pledged to bring live sport from every venue where it’s happening. 

This will be the BBC’s most comprehensive broadcast of the Olympics; with coverage across BBC One, BBC Three, BBC Sport website (with up to 24 live video streams), BBC Red Button, BBC Radio 5 live and BBC Mobile.

The schedule for TV and BBC Red Button has yet to be confirmed and will be released nearer to the Games.