3D broadcasts get mixed reviews

Football fans watch the World Cup match between South Korea and Argentina in 3D at a CGV theater in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, Thursday. Although some viewers were intrigued by the live football match provided in stereographic images, others were less impressed. / Korea Times

By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff reporter

The technology industry is praying that three-dimensional (3D) television will receive a kick from World Cup football. After watching matches in 3D, however, viewers appear divided on whether the format was indeed a pleasure or buzzing and annoying like the dreadful vuvuzelas.

Up to 25 matches from South Africa are being produced and broadcast in 3D, opening a new dimension in home sports viewing.

Satellite television operator, Sky Life, is currently providing the 3D-produced matches live on one of its channels. SBS, the national network that owns the exclusive World Cup broadcasting rights here, is also providing 3D matches on temporary terrestrial channel No. 66, although cable television viewers won’t be able to access it without separate digital antennas.

Television makers seem to be benefiting from the 3D marketing efforts timed around the World Cup. Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest flat-screen television maker, has sold more than 600,000 of its first 3D-enabled televisions worldwide this year, including 30,000 in Korea. Its domestic rival, LG Electronics, is gaining traction too, expecting to reach 10,000 in 3D television sales here by the end of the month.

Movie theaters, baptized by James Cameron’s ``Avatar,’’ earlier this year, are also benefiting from the 3D buzz. CJ CGV and Lotte Cinema used some of its theaters in major cities to provide live 3D broadcasts of South Korea’s match against Argentina, Thursday.

Electronics companies and television broadcasters would love to declare that 3D television is ready for primetime. Viewers, however, don’t appear ready to fully join the cheerleading team just yet.

Park Jung-eon, a 30-year-old office worker in Seoul, who watched the South Korea-Argentina match in 3D at one of the CGV theaters said that the viewer response seemed to differ from seat to seat.

``Getting used to the glasses was awkward at first, but it got better as the game went on,’’ he said.

``But I heard a lady in the front row talking to her friend about feeling a little drained and dizzy after the first-half.’’

The ``early-adaptors,’’ who were quick to splurge on the expensive new televisions, also appear to be giving mixed verdicts on their 3D football experiences.

Judging by comments from technology websites and the blogosphere, the home viewers were impressed by the depth and perspective provided by the 3D broadcasts, which made them feel as if they were watching the agonies of South Korean goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong in person.

However, it’s not that the viewing experience beat 2D in every aspect, according to Web opinions. The 3D effects were indeed impressive in close-ups and replays, but the distinction with 2D on wide-angle shots and aerial views were less evident.

And it wasn’t that 3D viewers were getting enough of those intriguing tight angles. Although dozens of cameras are used for major sporting events like World Cup football matches, the production of 3D football broadcasts in South Africa are relying just on eight 3D cameras made by Sony.

This means that 3D viewers won’t be getting the wealth of camera angles they would have enjoyed in 2D broadcasts, and there were also complaints about the awkward coexistence between the 2D graphics and captions and 3D images.

Another letdown is that viewers will be required to don those clunky glasses and glue their eyes and neck in the same position for the 90 minutes, which could be rewarding, as in South Korea versus Greece, or torturous, as was South Korea against Argentina.

``It will take a longer time to evaluate how the World Cup experience will influence the shaping of the 3D television market, but the recent tournament has showed at least that sports has the potential as killer 3D content,’’ said Oh In-beom, an analyst from Daewoo Securities.

``There is still further to go in terms of electronics, and 3D television may get a boost upon the arrival of quality content including adult material.’’

3D 월드컵 방송, 반응 엇갈려

월드컵 경기가 3D 텔레비전 마켓에서 가격을 올릴 거라는 첨단기술 업계의 바램과는 달리 시청자들은 엇갈리는 반응을 내 놓았다. 새롭고 즐거웠다는 긍정적인 반응을 보인 이가 있는가 하면 시끄럽게 소음만 만들어내는 부부젤라처럼 짜증스러운 경험이었다고 불평을 하는 사람들도 있었다.

최대 25개의 남아공 축구 경기가 3D로 방송되면서 가정 스포츠 관람에 새로운 차원을 열었다.

위성 TV 운영업체인 스카이라이프 채널에서 3D 경기를 관람할 수 있고, 한국에서 단독중계를 하게 된 SBS 역시 임시 채널 66번에서 3D 경기를 방송하고 있다. 한 가지 흠은 따로 디지털 안테나 없이 케이블 텔레비전 시청자들이 관람할 수 없다는 것이다.