Virgin pips Sky 3D
September 28, 2010
Virgin Media has snuck in to try and steal Sky’s thunder by unveiling ‘the first commercially available 3D TV service for UK viewers.’ The cable TV company has launched 3D Movies on Demand, which will give customers access to 3D versions of films.
Virgin Media customers with 3D-enabled set-top boxes (reported to be around 1.2 million) will be able to use the movies on demand service, which is provided by FilmFlex. The first film, StreetDance 3D, will be available for £5.99 (E7.2) for a 24-hour rental with other titles set to roll out in the run-up to Christmas.
Meanwhile Sky has announced “Friday 1st October will see the next step in television history delivered to living rooms across the UK as Sky launches Sky 3D – Europe’s first in-home 3D channel. Sky 3D brings ‘Event TV’ in to the home, with big sporting events, big movies, big performances and big documentaries, enabling people to enjoy a new immersive viewing experience.”
Available at no extra charge to all Sky+HD customers with a 3D TV and Sky’s top TV package, Sky 3D will bring viewers sports, movies and a broad selection of arts, entertainment and documentary programmes, including an average of three live sports events each week.
3D coverage in home starts with the Ryder Cup live from Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd October and is followed by live coverage of football, rugby union and boxing, with an average of three live sports events each week.
Sky 3D also brings viewers some of the biggest box office 3D films, and a selection of some of the most exciting collaborations in programming across arts, documentaries and entertainment, including Flying Monsters 3D: a pioneering feature about the prehistoric world –– written and presented by Sir David Attenborough will have its 3DTV premiere on the Sky 3D channel in December 2010.