Verizon and Panasonic collaborated to demonstrate Full HD 3D streaming over Verizon's FiOS platform at CES 2011 in Las Vegas. The demonstration, which utilized Panasonic’s Blu-ray 3D player, was touted as a first of its kind.
"We're proud of our work with Verizon to develop this Full HD 3D streaming capability," said Eisuke Tsuyuzaki, chief technology officer, Panasonic Corporation of North America. "Panasonic has always believed that the best way to view 3D is via a Full HD, 1080p resolution image, but until now the only option available has been on Blu-ray Disc™ media. Over Verizon's high-bandwidth FiOS network, we've now shown that this kind of innovation can be accomplished by a premium television service like FiOS as well."
Verizon says, unlike cable, its Full HD 3D transmissions over FiOS preserve the complete 1080p picture resolution, while cable degrades the 3D image, typically reducing resolution by half. In a demonstration at the Verizon-sponsored Blogger Lounge, FiOS engineers showed a selection of 3D content streaming to a Panasonic Full HD Blu-ray 3D Disc player at a bit rate of up to 18 Mbps (megabits per second)--double the bit rate currently used by most cable providers.
Tony Melone, chief technology officer for Verizon, said, "Delivering full-resolution 3D content is a natural fit for Verizon's FiOS network. Built with the future in mind, FiOS was designed with the bandwidth headroom to grow along with consumer demand for the latest technologies. Verizon continues to deliver the future of TV and is once again redefining the consumer's at home-entertainment experience."
Last year, Verizon televised the first National Football League game in 3D, the New York Giants versus the New England Patriots, as well as the first Major League Baseball games in 3D, between the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners. The telco launched a 3D movies on demand channel in November and is expected to begin carrying the ESPN 3D network sometime this year.
