SingTel to pioneer 3D TV in the region

Company will provide infrastructure to allow local broadcasters to play out 3D content for Singapore’s national 3D TV trial.

Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) on Tuesday announced it is the first in the region to enable content providers and television broadcasters to deliver 3D TV content to consumers in Singapore and abroad via high-speed satellite and land-based platforms.

SingTel will play a vital role in Singapore’s national 3D TV trial by providing the infrastructure and capabilities to allow local broadcasters, such as mio TV, to play out 3D content through their respective broadcast television platforms, according to a SingTel report.

This is possible with SingTel’s state-of-the-art 3D-enabled broadcast playout facility, which is housed at the Bukit Timah Satellite Earth Station. The first of its kind in Asia Pacific, the multi-million dollar facility will allow content producers and broadcasters to address technical issues prior to the island wide commercial roll-out of 3D TV services.

The facility also serves as a powerful digital media exchange and 3D content distribution centre that connects companies in Singapore to major media hubs worldwide via satellite and SingTel’s award winning ConnectPlus Internet Protocol Virtual Private Network (IP VPN).

SingTel also offers a comprehensive suite of solutions to aid media companies in every stage of the production process for content in 3D, High Definition (HD) and Standard Definition (SD) formats. This includes tools for processing raw footage into formats for tapeless delivery, as well as editing and post-production services. With these solutions, content producers can avoid heavy upfront investments in broadcast infrastructure and software, thus allowing them to focus on their core business activities.

Mr Titus Yong, SingTel's Vice President of Satellite, said: “From playout services to content editing and post-production, SingTel has the full range of capabilities to make 3D TV a reality in Singapore and the region.

“Our 3D-enabled broadcasting capabilities demonstrate SingTel’s transformation from a provider of ‘pure’ carriage services to a leading multimedia and ICT solutions company. With our cutting-edge solutions, we are proud to be catalysts for the development of high quality 3D TV content and services that will usher in an exciting new era for the broadcast and multimedia industry.”