3D Olympics Feed Will Hit 80% of U.S. Homes

Comcast, DirecTV, Time Warner Cable, Cox, AT&T, Verizon and others will carry the 3D feed

By George Winslow -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/20/2012 3:14:11 PM

NBC Olympics and Panasonic have announced that the first-ever 3D coverage of the Olympic Games will be available on multichannel providers serving nearly 80% of all U.S. homes during the London Games.

Operators carrying the feed, which will total about 242 hours of stereoscopic broadcasts or about 12 hours a day, include Armstrong, AT&T, Blue Ridge, Bright House Networks, Cablevision, Comcast, Cox Communications, DIRECTV, Insight, Mediacom, RCN, Suddenlink, Time Warner Cable, Verizon and Wide Open West.

"We are pleased that nearly 80 percent of U.S. TV households will receive the incomparable clarity and performance of the first-ever 3D production of the Olympic Games," said Joseph M. Taylor, chairman and CEO, Panasonic Corporation of North America in a statement. "Panasonic's 3D technology and NBC Olympics' superb, moment-by-moment coverage of the Games will make the events more engaging to viewers as they watch their favorite athletes compete."

The feed will be produced by the International Olympic Committee's Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) and use Panasonic's 3D production technologies, including its fully integrated twin-lens Full HD 3D camera recorder products.

Events will include the opening and closing ceremonies, men's and women's gymnastics, coverage from the aquatic center, including both diving and swimming, bicycle racing and full coverage of track and field from the Olympic stadium.