<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"Have you ever had an Olympic diver inward-pike their way through your living room? If you are one of the 6 million U.S. households with a 3D-capable TV set, now is the time to dust off the feature and give it a good run. \nFor the first time ever, the London 2012 Olympic Games is now available in 3D, making it the most widely distributed 3D program ever on both a national and global level.\nNBC is working with Panasonic, the official sponsor of the 2012 Games, to pump more than 300 hours of 3D coverage into homes and bars worldwide. According to the companies, about 80% of U.S. households have access to the programming \u2014 you just need a 3D-enabled TV to watch it.\n\"This has been three years in the making,\" Panasonic Chief Technology Officer Eisuke Tsuyuzaki told Mashable. \"We tested 3D technology at Beijing and Vancouver Olympics, but this is our biggest effort yet.\"\n\nSEE ALSO: How to Watch the 2012 Summer Olympics Online\nIn addition to the more than 300 cameras covering the events in standard 2D, there are 30 ENG cameras, 20 rigs and three Olympic Broadcasting Services trucks dedicated to 3D coverage. There's even a Panasonic viewing theater on site introducing fans to a three-dimensional view of the Games.  \n\n\nIn the U.S., content is streamed from London into a Comcast Media Center in Colorado and then distributed among networks such as DirecTV, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision and others. The same is happening in regions across the world, from Europe and Asia to South America. About 12 hours 3D programming runs each day \u2014 typically focused on coverage surrounding a countries' athletes \u2014 along with highlights from the previous day and the best up-to-date moments. \nAs for how to watch, the channel defers depending on the carrier. Viewers can check their on-screen program guides or their carriers' websites to locate the right channel. \n\"The 3D broadcasts are primarily shown on next-day delay, not because of a technology issue but to make the programming experience the best for viewers,\" Tsuyuzaki said. \n\nAccording to the Consumer Electronics Association, about 10 million 3D TVs are expected to ship in the U.S. this year. The market may be on the rise, but programming is still in its infancy, which has been one of the main challenges with consumer adoption.  \nVarious sporting events such as the Major League Baseball All-Star Game and FIFA World Cup have dabbled in the 3D broadcast world, but consumers are waiting for a reason to actually use the 3D technology built into their TVs.\n\"How do you get people to turn 3D on TV?\" Tsuyuzaki said. \"You need to give them superb event programming like this.\"\nBars in the U.K. have been luring fans to their establishments with the promise of 3D broadcasts. In fact, during the Olympics, some are offering patrons free 3D glasses when you buy five pints of beer.\n3D glasses in general are another obstacle in getting the technology off the ground \u2014 no one wants to wear them. They have evolved over the years from clunky, heavy shades to more slim and stylish sets, but even still, it adds an extra level of complexity to the visual experience. \nSo will we see glasses-free 3D TV in the near future?\n\"It will be awhile until 3D TVs don't need glasses,\" Tsuyuzaki said. \"3D glasses  may not be needed in technology such as smartphones and video games, but a lot more goes into the development of TV. We aren't there yet.\" \nEven still, Panasonic said it expects about one million people to watch the Games in 3D.\n\"So far, the response great has been great,\" Tsuyuzaki said. \"We know people love 3D movies and seek them out, so it's not a surprise that viewers love this too. We just need to give them more programming events in the future, so they keep coming back to watch more in 3D.\"\nWould you want to watch the Olympics or any sporting event in 3D? Let us know your thoughts in the comments."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2012/07/31/3d-olympics-nbc/>