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Virgin's small-cell networks to improve 4G coverage in the UK's biggest cities
The UK government has been pretty vocal about carriers needing to improve network coverage in rural areas, but that's not to say everything's hunky-dory in some of the UK's biggest cities. That's why Virgin Media Business -- the part of Branson's empire that deals with broadband infrastructure and the like -- is combining its fibre network with wireless expert Arqiva's knowhow to improve 4G coverage in cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Bradford and Southampton. To do this, the pair will install small-cell technology (which, incidentally, EE is using to bring coverage to underserved rural regions) in "street assets" such as lampposts and CCTV cameras. These mini-masts will increase network capacity and improve 4G coverage in areas where buildings can get in the way of the signal. When the small-cell systems are up and running, the idea is carriers will pay Virgin and Arqiva to access them. That should be an easy sell, however, since they can immediately improve 4G services for their customers, no new infrastructure investment required.
DreamWorks CEO participates in live transatlantic 3D broadcast
While it's not quite a hologram interview, DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg still managed to wow onlookers in Amsterdam by being the subject of a live 3D broadcast originating in Los Angeles. This isn't the first of its kind, mind you, but those involved are still patting themselves on the back and dubbing it the "first transatlantic HD stereoscopic 3D broadcast." Part of the demonstration was to showcase the bigwig's belief that 3D is the future of cinema, as he stated that it was "the most exciting thing to happen to the visual experience in 70 years." Over at IBC2008, 3D HD was being pumped up by firms such as 3Ality and Quantel, and as much as we doubted that this stuff could ever catch on, we can't say the marketing teams aren't doing their darnedest to make it so.[Image courtesy of PhotoBucket]
Real-time 3D HD teleconference demo scheduled
AT&T may be missing out on this "reach out and touch someone" opportunity, but Dreamworks SKG is there to score on the first real-time 3D HD broadcast. SKG CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg will be interviewed in stereoscopic 3D HD glory by 3Ality Digital, and the resulting bits will be beamed by satellite company Arqiva to Amsterdam. The demo will be the first real-time 3D HD broadcast, and the "real-time" angle is definitely where the challenges are. The two HD camera feeds are muxed together at the source into a (very strange looking, we assume) 2D image, which is demuxed on the receiving end before being beamed out to Christie projectors. Neat stuff, and we're just waiting for the day this tech comes to distance workers all over.[Image courtesy TMCnet]
Italian, Spanish operas beamed live across Europe in HD
Apparently the Met isn't the only one focused on spoiling opera viewers remotely, broadcast company Arqiva is delivering live HD feeds of opera from Italy and Spain via its satellite network. Working with DDCinema, it delivered its last broadcast of Samson and Delilah from the Teatro Comunale in Bologna, Italy to nearly 70 theaters across Europe. If any of Engadget HD's European opera fans missed out, don't worry, they plan at least three more tests this year. As long as they don't try to skimp on the HD and Dolby 5.1 Surround audio, we expect the results will be just fine.
