For the first time both finals at Wimbledon 2011 will be broadcast in 3DThe BBC has announced it will broadcast live 3D coverage to homes across the UK for the first time, when it broadcasts the men’s and ladies’ finals of the 2011 Wimbledon Championships via the BBC’s HD Channel.

The free-to-air broadcast of the Championships in 3D will be available to anyone who has access to a 3D TV set and to HD channels, regardless of which digital TV provider they use.

The live 3D coverage of the ladies’ and men’s finals on Saturday 2 July and Sunday 3 July will mark the 125th anniversary of the Wimbledon Championships.

3D specialist Can Communicate will be shooting the finals and using three Element Technica Quasar rigs, two Element Technica Pulsars, and one Calcutta, all with two Sony P1s with Canon lenses.

NEP Visions has won the contract to supply host OB technical facilities. The project is Visions’ first live 3D broadcast, utilising its state-of-the-art 3Gb/s Gemini OB units.

Six Element Technica 3D camera rig systems will be installed around Centre Court, utilising Sony P1 cameras, HDFA200S and MPE-200 control systems.

Visions will use the newest trucks in its fleet, Gemini I/II, to provide the 3D feeds for broadcasters including the BBC, while also broadcasting to cinemas worldwide. Gemini comprises two full three-tier production spaces and two Calrec Apollo sound desks for cinema and television sound mixes. Special consideration has been given to the workflow with regard to the EVS systems and on-site editing / graphics in 3D, with the convergence operators situated adjacent to the EVS operators to aid the production process.

Visions is also providing HD trucks and flypacks to NBC and ESPN for their US Wimbledon coverage.

WIMBLEDON

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