ESPN Sets Up 3DTV Lab

Designates Wide World of Sports Complex as Hub for 3D Development
By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 2/25/2010 4:38:43 PM

ESPN, citing the need for "a real-world testing ground" for the ongoing development of its forthcoming 3DTV service, said it has designated the ESPN Innovation Lab at the Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando as the hub for developing 3D technology.

Last month, ESPN said it would debut a 3D service this summer with the World Cup, and would include at least 85 live events in the first year, including college football, college basketball and National Basketball Association games. However, the programmer said, it would be in experimentation mode with 3DTV leading up to the June launch as it looks at different technologies and production techniques.

ESPN said it will invite technology companies to use the Orlando facility for emerging technology enhancements focused on 3D television. The sports programmer said also will bring a new production center online that can be used for producing live sporting events for multiple ESPN platforms.

"The Innovation Lab and the new production center based at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex gives ESPN a designated testing ground to continue creating a robust ESPN 3D network," Chuck Pagano, ESPN's executive vice president of technology, said in a statement.

Pagano added that the complex provides ESPN access to more than 300 sporting events, so 3D production testing can occur throughout the year. "The research ESPN gathers through these facilities will set the pace for innovation and provide fans the best 3D on-air coverage of sporting events," he said.

ESPN has not yet announced any distribution agreements for the 3D service, which will not be a 24-hour channel and will go dark when live events are not being broadcast.

The Orlando facility houses eight editing rooms which will feed highlights into the main server system based in Bristol, Conn. The production center controls 42 robotic cameras throughout the complex which will capture highlights from the various playing venues. The production control room has 16 channels of bidirectional video along with audio ingest, play out, graphics building and other capabilities.

ESPN opened the Innovation Lab opened in October 2009. The facility has produced two production elements: Ball Track, a Doppler-radar hit-tracking system that has the ability to track home runs; and Snap Zoom, which debuted on Monday Night Football on Sept. 28, a freeze-frame technology that zooms in on an area of interest.