BBC plans to film London Olympics in 3D and 'super hi-vision'

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The BBC is considering plans to broadcast the 100 metres final at next year's London Olympics in 3D, as well as trying out a new technology that delivers picture quality said to be 16 times better than high-definition TV (HDTV).

Speaking at the Edinburgh Festival this weekend, Roger Mosey, the BBC executive in charge of the Corporation's London 2012 coverage, said that 3D coverage for the 100m and other events was "certainly on the agenda" as part of a "limited experiment".

The BBC says it will also test 'super hi-vision', a new broadcasting technology so advanced that it's not expected to be in people's homes for a decade.

Three 15 metre (50ft) high screens will be erected around the country so that the public have a chance of seeing the imagery that Mosey said was so good it would match up with the experience of watching from the stands.

"When you sit and watch it you really get the experience of being in seat D5 in the stadium," he said. "Super hi-vision might be a better long-term prospect than 3D in some ways as it gives you the feel of being in the stadium. People are knocked out by it."

Super hi-vision screens will be erected at the BBC's Pacific Quay building in Glasgow, Broadcasting House in London and, subject to negotiations, the National Media Museum in Bradford.

The BBC is also likely to broadcast the Olympic opening ceremony using the technology.

Mosey adds that Sharp is working on an 85in TV set using super hi-vision technology but that it is unlikely to be widely available until 2022.

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Andy Clough

Andy is Global Brand Director of What Hi-Fi? and has been a technology journalist for 30 years. During that time he has covered everything from VHS and Betamax, MiniDisc and DCC to CDi, Laserdisc and 3D TV, and any number of other formats that have come and gone. He loves nothing better than a good old format war. Andy edited several hi-fi and home cinema magazines before relaunching whathifi.com in 2008 and helping turn it into the global success it is today. When not listening to music or watching TV, he spends far too much of his time reading about cars he can't afford to buy.