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Streaming 3D Services Gain Momentum

NEW YORK –

Samsung’s announcement that it will
launch in June a fulfillment engine for streaming 3D
video on demand content on its connected 3D TVs is
another step in the growing trend to bring 3D video to
the masses over alternatives to traditional multichannel
video platforms.

Samsung’s 3D VOD streaming capability on the
“Explore 3D App” is an extension of a streaming 3D
HDTV demos which have been offered to owners of
connected Samsung 3DTVs in the form of 3D HD
trailers of other short-form 3D HD content.

The new filling engine in the Explore 3D App was
developed for Samsung in collaboration with Rovi
and will start by continuing to offer free demo material
before ramping up to a broader service with fulllength
3D feature films later in the year.

The more compelling offerings will eventually carry
an online charge, Samsung said.

“I think the future plan is to not discontinue offering
free [3D] content, but to still offer it but also compliment
it with theatrical movies,” Dan Shinasi, Samsung
Electronics America, senior marketing manager
for HDTV product planning, told TWICE. “We are in
discussions with multiple studios now, as another
form of delivery for 3D.”

Shinasi explained that premium Samsung streaming
3D content will be offered in side-by-side, framecompatible
format, but the exact resolution level and
frame rates are still to be announced.

Samsung will be the administrator of the 3D movie
service, Shinasi said, adding that authentication will
begin in Korea, and servers will be maintained at different
locations around the world, including the United
States.

“They will do authentication to make sure it’s a
genuine TV, because that is part of the Digital Rights
Management (DRM) process, to make sure you are
not streaming to somebody who is ripping content.”

The Explore 3D app will ship on 3D Samsung
LED LCD and 3D plasma TVs and will be
accessible with a single click from Samsung’s
SmartHub interface.

In addition to movies, the service is expected to
include: music videos, educational content and fulllength
TV shows from Wealth TV.

Shinasi said delivery of the 3D film from the studios
will be “very similarly handled to the way others are
doing it,” pointing to VUDU’s streaming 3D HD movie
offerings, which began in January.

VUDU currently offers more than 35 movies in 3D
including “Tron 3D,” “Green Hornet 3D,” “Toy Story
3 3D” and more.

Among the most recent 3D releases from VUDU
is “Gnomeo &
Juliet.” A full
listing of available
3D titles
can be found
on VUDU’s web
site (

www.vudu.com

).

VUDU’s 3D
content is also
available on select
Samsung
3D TVs, as well
as 3DTV from
Vizio and Sharp.
LG offers VUDU’s
3D service
on both HDTVs
and 3D Blu-ray
Disc players.

It is also available
on the Play-
Station 3 console.

“As more 3D content is made available for home
audiences, VUDU intends to grow this offering to
provide its 3D-enabled customers with the most-convenient
way to access 3D content at home,” a VUDU
spokesperson said.

Movie studio Turner was also said to be preparing
the launch of a streaming service platform for 3D versions
of some of its library films later in the year.

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