BT confirms UHD Dolby Atmos football
February 1, 2017
By Colin Mann
Jamie Hindhaugh, Chief Operating Officer of BT TV and BT Sport, has confirmed that following its introduction as part of the broadcaster’s coverage of the Liverpool vs Chelsea Premier League encounter, every Premier League match, as well as a selection of FA Cup games, broadcast live on the channel will be available in Ultra HD and Dolby Atmos sound.
The match, the 172nd covered by the broadcaster in UHD, “far more than any other broadcaster” according to Hindhaugh, marked the first ever live BT Sport match shown in UHD and Dolby Atmos sound.
“We wanted to add to the immersive nature of UHD by incorporating Dolby Atmos,” explained Hindhaugh.
What happens during BT Sport’s Dolby Atmos broadcast?
According to the Dolby Lab Notes blog: “During the game, a soundfield microphone will capture the sound of the crowd in 3D, while a range of other microphones will capture many different elements, from the referee’s whistle and the spectators’ cheers to the thud of the football being kicked. A total of 12 microphones placed around the edge of the football pitch and near the crowd will capture all of the multidimensional sounds.”