The Working Group "3D-HD-TV" of the German TV-Platform was founded in June 2010 and is chaired by Dr. Dietrich Westerkamp (Technicolor). Already since 2003 he chaired the Working Group "HDTV and Picture Quality Improvement", which formally terminated with the set-up of the new Working Group. It is the most recent committee of the TV-Platform and looks into the expansion and optimization of High Definition TV (HDTV) as well as stereoscopic 3DTV in Germany. It should be noted that other aspects of HDTV as the future road-map of digital terrestrial television (DVB-T2) and interactivity (keyword: "HD-video text") are dealt with by other Working Groups of the German TV-Platform.
The boom of 3D movies in cinemas has created a demand of viewers to have also 3DTV on TV flat-screens at home. Hardly any manufacturer could escape this new trend of consumer electronics, and the two satellite operators Astra and Eutelsat already offer 3D demo channels. The international Digital Video Broadcasting DVB Project started the standardization of the transmission of 3DTV. In the UK TV market BSkyB already provides a 3DTV sports program for public viewing in pubs. Also broadcasters look into 3DTV and similar developments can be expected in Germany. The pay-TV platform Sky already tested first 3DTV live broadcasts in early 2010, just like the German Telekom on its IPTV-service Entertain. Telekom will offer3D movies on this platform as a video-on-demand-service in 2010.
For the German broadcasters the further roll-out of HDTV is still the most important issue. With the HDTV coverage of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in February 2010 by ARD and ZDF high-definition television eventually arrived at German households - all the major broadcasting groups now broadcast regular services in HDTV. Satellite being the primary HDTV transmission means in Germany but HDTV programs offered by cable network operators steadily increase since early 2010. Also DSL networks offer HDTV services: German Telekom broadcasts the first German football league entirely in HDTV. With ten HDTV channels the pay TV operator Sky offers the largest HDTV package in Germany, and will further reinforce the number of programs in future. The major private broadcasters RTL Group and ProSiebenSat.1 use the satellite platform HD + for their HDTV offers and one can soon expect these HDTV channels to be provided by all major cable networks.
Seen from the perspective of the broadcasters some tasks still remain to be dealt with in the area of HDTV, before they intend to seriously look into HDTV transmission: Their first goal is to increase the share of 'native' HD material, to transition their production processes completely to HDTV and expand the numbers of HDTV programs.
"With 3DTV we are at the beginning of a dynamic development," said Dr. Dietrich Westerkamp, board member of the German TV Platform: "It is technically hallenging and requires great efforts of all parties involved. By means of our active participation and moderation, we want to help to establish 3DTV in a structured way and on the basis of unified standards. With respect to HDTV our members expect, that we constructively offer solutions for remaining open issues. It is also of utmost importance to provide detailed information to retail and consumers in qualified form - about both HDTV and 3DTV."
