AugustaNational
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ESPN 3D exec explains why golf is such a good fit for the network
With the second consecutive year of the Masters Tournament being broadcast in 3D, if you're wondering why golf and 3D are such a good match look no further than ESPN 3D coordinating producer Phil Orlin's post on the new Front Row blog. He points out the varying terrain of the golf course and the ability to accurately read greens as reasons why 3D works so well at Augusta, and that watching it that way is the closest thing to seeing it in person. You can see for yourself when 3D coverage of the tournament kicks off today at 5 p.m., and while we're sure more people will be watching than did last year the question is still how many?
Comcast will beat DirecTV to the punch by broadcasting the Masters Tournament in 3D April 7-11
Very cagey way to play it Comcast. While DirecTV, ESPN and Discovery were first to say they would have 3DTV broadcasts back at CES, the cable company will actually be the first to deliver it, starting with the Masters Tournament (but why not the 3D broadcast of the Final Four?) April 7-11. That's right, the first "live next-generation 3D broadcast of a major sporting event on TV, the first live simulcast of a next-gen 3D event online, and the industry's first live multi-camera next-gen 3D production" will be on cable (& internet), not satellite or telco. Again, that's right, if you don't have a 3D television set up yet, it will also be streamed at Masters.com (no word whether this is a Comcast only or if it will be open to all) for all those with a 3D setup on their PC. We'll temper our expectations until we see what kind of quality is able to squeeze through Comcast's fiber backbone and down our neighborhood coax wires, but this should certainly blow away the anaglyph stuff currently offered on VOD. Of course, the old school HD streams will still be broadcast on ESPN and CBS, but if Tiger really does make his comeback at Augusta this should give us a better view of the course (and any residual damage from that "car accident") than ever before. [Thanks, Simon]
