Eutelsat launches direct-to-cinema in Germany

http://www.today3d.com/2010/06/eutelsat-launches-direct-to-cinema-in.html

 

Satellite operator Eutelsat and German service provider Bewegte Bilder Medien AG want to feed live events, movies and other content including 3D material via satellite to cinemas in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The partners plan to establish a digital cinema network on Atlantic Bird 3 (5° West) for this purpose.

 

Reception contracts have already been signed with almost 100 theatres including all 27 UCI Kinowelt houses. The network is part of a European network which Eutelsat operates with partners in France, Italy, Poland, the Benelux countries and other states.

 

Encrypted transmissions are received by participating cinemas with special satellite equipment and stored on a hard-drive with live events being directly fed into the cinema halls. In addition to movies also trailers, commercials, short movies and other content can be distributed this way.

During the current soccer World Cup, the live games South Africa vs Mexico and Germany vs Australia were fed to seven cinemas in Germany and Switzerland in 3D with further World Cup live matches and live concerts in 3D to follow in the next weeks.