RYDER CUP IN 3D!!!

 TAKEN FROM WWW.RYDERCUP.COM The 2010 Ryder Cup will be the first event to be shown on Sky 3D, Europe's first residential 3D TV channel

Sky Sports will screen The 2010 Ryder Cup live in 3D.  The broadcast will be the first event to be shown on Sky 3D, Europe’s first residential 3D TV channel, which will launch on 1st October 2010.

The Ryder Cup will form the cornerstone of Sky 3D’s launch weekend’s schedule, with key holes from Twenty Ten Course at Celtic Manor broadcast in 3D, providing a unique and never-before-seen perspective of golf’s biggest team event.  

Today’s announcement builds on the successful launch in April of the world’s first commercially available 3D channel.  Sky 3D is now available in more than 1500 pubs and clubs across the UK and Ireland and over a million sports fans have already marvelled at a range of sports broadcast live in 3D since the channel’s launch.  Sports covered to date include football, cricket, rugby union, rugby league, and darts.  

The residential launch of Sky 3D will mean that any Sky+HD customer with a 3D Ready TV will be able to enjoy the spectacle of live sport in 3D in the comfort of their living room.   Viewers who have yet to buy a 3D TV, they can still enjoy the action by visiting www.sky.com/3dpubs to find their nearest Sky 3D pub.

Sky Sports will also show live coverage of The 2010 Ryder Cup in High Definition (HD), and this will be the third Ryder Cup to be shown by Sky Sports in HD.   The commentary team for The 2010 Ryder Cup will include presenter David Livingstone and commentators Ewen Murray and Butch Harmon.

Speaking about the announcement Sky Sports golf commentator Ewen Murray said: “Watching golf in 3D gives you the sense that you’re standing right beside the golfer as he takes his shot.  3D highlights every change of elevation on the golf course making it possible for the viewer to get an accurate read of each slope on the fairways and greens.”

Richard Hills, Ryder Cup Director, said: “Following the success of Sky’s High Definition coverage we have followed the evolution of Sky’s 3D broadcasts with keen interest. We have been very impressed with Sky’s efforts to further enhance its coverage and are delighted that the Ryder Cup will be a part of TV history with the launch of Europe’s first 3DTV channel.”

Sky started testing 3D technology two years ago and created history on 31 January 2010 with the world’s first live sports 3D TV broadcast - Arsenal v Manchester United.  Following this Sky has shown 3D live coverage of Test and One Day International cricket, a semi-final and final from rugby union’s Guinness Premiership, Wigan v Warrington from rugby league’s engage Super League XV, and the semi-finals and final from Stan James World Matchplay darts championship.  The new residential channel Sky 3D will also offer a range of must-see movies, sport, documentaries, entertainment and arts content.  

Sky are using anaglyphic transmissions so the glasses are cheaper the frame sequential method.  However, as the two pictures needed to make up the 3D image are shown simultaneously on alternating lines on the screen your spanking new 1920x1080 HDTV will effectively only have a resolution of 1920x540.  So there's a trade off between the screen size (as big as possible) and resolution (as small as possible), so  not sure it's worth it just yet.

Having said that, I've only just gone onto Sky+ and a flat screen - so a bit of a Luddite when it comes to TV....  

I reckon you're right Lewis.  So what happens if you lay on the sofa (like I have been known to), will the 3D effect reverse?  Golf balls being hit in the distance bu coming towards you? Wooh, trippy!