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Sky has confirmed plans to offer the 3D coverage of London 2012 to be produced by Eurosport to all Sky+ HD subscribers with a 3D TV set.
Eurosport, the pan-European broadcaster of the Olympics, plans to air more than 100 hours of 3D coverage over the course of the Games this summer.
As part of a deal with Sky, this coverage will be showcased on the Sky 3D channel, which launched in October 2010 and is now enjoyed by more than 250,000 Sky subscribers.
The channel has previously just been available to customers taking the top tier Sky World subscription package, but for the duration of the Games Sky is unlocking Sky 3D to more than 4m homes with a Sky+ HD subscription, enabling them to watch the Eurosport coverage.
To access the Olympic 3D action, customers will need to purchase a 3D TV and then connect it to their 3D-ready Sky+ HD box.
Sky 3D will air exclusive 3D action from Eurosport every day during the Games, including around eight hours of live coverage and four hours of highlights from each day.
Events to be covered in 3D include the opening and closing ceremonies, the men's 100m final and selected other sports such as gymnastics, swimming, basketball and canoeing.
Sky will also make a wide range of 3D Olympic highlights available on Sky Anytime, the satellite broadcaster's video on-demand service.
Eurosport will also run standard and high definition coverage of the Games on the Sky platform by using the special live stream channels to be launched to show every second of coverage by host broadcaster the BBC.
Sky 3D director John Cassy said: "We know from our own extensive experience that sport in 3D is captivating and we expect the Olympics to be no different.
"It's fitting that the London 2012 Games will be the first 3D Olympics and we're delighted to partner with Eurosport to ensure Sky customers are able to become immersed in the action like never before. Whether you're enjoying the Games in high definition or 3D, viewers will never have felt so close to the action."
Eurosport's managing director of rights acquisition, distribution and development Jean Thierry Augustin added: "Eurosport has been innovating to provide fans with the best live sports experience for many years.
"We pride ourselves on giving a truly global view of the Olympic Games, letting supreme sporting performances drive our coverage.
"This opportunity to present the London 2012 Olympics in 3D to Sky customers will give British fans an unforgettable experience of their 'home' Games and the international sporting heroes it will generate."
As official broadcaster for the 12th consecutive Olympics, Eurosport intends to devote its entire channel to daily coverage of London 2012, including 13 hours of live HD action alongside a breakfast news show, daily highlights and overnight replays of the best action.
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The BBC also intends to offer live 3D coverage of selected events from the London 2012 Olympics using the BBC HD channel available on various digital TV platforms.
The BBC has confirmed its 3D television plans for the London 2012 Olympic Games, including live coverage of the prestigious Men's 100 meters final.
The corporation will show certain events from the games in live 3D on all platforms in the UK using its BBC HD channel, similar to the approach it took with the Wimbledon finals last year.
Live 3D coverage will include the Opening Ceremony, Closing Ceremony and the Men's 100m final, while a nightly highlights package will air at the end of each day.
Roger Mosey, the BBC's director of London 2012, said that these events have been chosen because they "mark the pinnacles of the Games".
He said that the approach of using the BBC HD channel was intended to "minimise the loss of HD that is a consequence of our 3D service".
Standard definition coverage of the Games will be available on BBC One and simulcast in HD on BBC One HD. The 3D coverage will use "spare" capacity on BBC HD, the channel which is available on Sky, Freesat, Freeview and Virgin Media.
This means that anyone who receives one of the digital TV services will be able to watch the broadcasts, as long as they also own a 3D-enabled TV set.
Mosey said that the nightly highlights will feature a "range of sports", although he cautioned that it is not currently clear how much of the opening and closing ceremonies will be shot in 3D, meaning the extent of coverage could be varied.
3D is just one of a number of new technologies being trialled by the BBC at the Olympics, including the placing of three Super Hi Vision big screens around the UK, capable of showing a picture 16 times sharper than normal HD.
It is hoped that 3D coverage of the Games will provide a boost to 3D TV sales, which have so far been sluggish, largely due to the slow economy and the paucity of good content to watch.
Kim Shillinglaw, the 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 host broadcaster, the BBC has pledged to bring live sport from every venue at London 2012 across BBC One, BBC Three, and 24 live videos streams on BBC Online.
To cope with the coverage demands, the corporation will also extend BBC Three to a full-day schedule and temporarily launch a dedicated Olympics radio station.
Eurosport, the pan-European broadcaster of the Olympics, plans to air more than 100 hours of 3D coverage over the course of the Games this summer.
As part of a deal with Sky, this coverage will be showcased on the Sky 3D channel, which launched in October 2010 and is now enjoyed by more than 250,000 Sky subscribers.
The channel has previously just been available to customers taking the top tier Sky World subscription package, but for the duration of the Games Sky is unlocking Sky 3D to more than 4m homes with a Sky+ HD subscription, enabling them to watch the Eurosport coverage.
To access the Olympic 3D action, customers will need to purchase a 3D TV and then connect it to their 3D-ready Sky+ HD box.
Sky 3D will air exclusive 3D action from Eurosport every day during the Games, including around eight hours of live coverage and four hours of highlights from each day.
Events to be covered in 3D include the opening and closing ceremonies, the men's 100m final and selected other sports such as gymnastics, swimming, basketball and canoeing.
Sky will also make a wide range of 3D Olympic highlights available on Sky Anytime, the satellite broadcaster's video on-demand service.
Eurosport will also run standard and high definition coverage of the Games on the Sky platform by using the special live stream channels to be launched to show every second of coverage by host broadcaster the BBC.
Sky 3D director John Cassy said: "We know from our own extensive experience that sport in 3D is captivating and we expect the Olympics to be no different.
"It's fitting that the London 2012 Games will be the first 3D Olympics and we're delighted to partner with Eurosport to ensure Sky customers are able to become immersed in the action like never before. Whether you're enjoying the Games in high definition or 3D, viewers will never have felt so close to the action."
Eurosport's managing director of rights acquisition, distribution and development Jean Thierry Augustin added: "Eurosport has been innovating to provide fans with the best live sports experience for many years.
"We pride ourselves on giving a truly global view of the Olympic Games, letting supreme sporting performances drive our coverage.
"This opportunity to present the London 2012 Olympics in 3D to Sky customers will give British fans an unforgettable experience of their 'home' Games and the international sporting heroes it will generate."
As official broadcaster for the 12th consecutive Olympics, Eurosport intends to devote its entire channel to daily coverage of London 2012, including 13 hours of live HD action alongside a breakfast news show, daily highlights and overnight replays of the best action.
********************************************************************
The BBC also intends to offer live 3D coverage of selected events from the London 2012 Olympics using the BBC HD channel available on various digital TV platforms.
The BBC has confirmed its 3D television plans for the London 2012 Olympic Games, including live coverage of the prestigious Men's 100 meters final.
The corporation will show certain events from the games in live 3D on all platforms in the UK using its BBC HD channel, similar to the approach it took with the Wimbledon finals last year.
Live 3D coverage will include the Opening Ceremony, Closing Ceremony and the Men's 100m final, while a nightly highlights package will air at the end of each day.
Roger Mosey, the BBC's director of London 2012, said that these events have been chosen because they "mark the pinnacles of the Games".
He said that the approach of using the BBC HD channel was intended to "minimise the loss of HD that is a consequence of our 3D service".
Standard definition coverage of the Games will be available on BBC One and simulcast in HD on BBC One HD. The 3D coverage will use "spare" capacity on BBC HD, the channel which is available on Sky, Freesat, Freeview and Virgin Media.
This means that anyone who receives one of the digital TV services will be able to watch the broadcasts, as long as they also own a 3D-enabled TV set.
Mosey said that the nightly highlights will feature a "range of sports", although he cautioned that it is not currently clear how much of the opening and closing ceremonies will be shot in 3D, meaning the extent of coverage could be varied.
3D is just one of a number of new technologies being trialled by the BBC at the Olympics, including the placing of three Super Hi Vision big screens around the UK, capable of showing a picture 16 times sharper than normal HD.
It is hoped that 3D coverage of the Games will provide a boost to 3D TV sales, which have so far been sluggish, largely due to the slow economy and the paucity of good content to watch.
Kim Shillinglaw, the 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 host broadcaster, the BBC has pledged to bring live sport from every venue at London 2012 across BBC One, BBC Three, and 24 live videos streams on BBC Online.
To cope with the coverage demands, the corporation will also extend BBC Three to a full-day schedule and temporarily launch a dedicated Olympics radio station.
