Motorola Adds 3D Processing to Set-Top Boxes

The Mobile Devices and Home business of Motorola Inc. has announced software enhancements for its DCX line of set-top boxes, representing a breakthrough in 3D video processing to provide consumers with an exceptional and seamless 3DTV experience.

If 3D content is processed in the set-top before delivery to the 3D-capable television, consumers will not have to access on-screen menus to configure the set-top and television set every time a channel change involves switching between 2D and 3D video. Further, all of this is done while maintaining the visual integrity of emergency broadcast messages, closed-captioning, or on-screen displays while 3D video is playing.

“The development of this 3D software enhancement gives our service-provider customers a straightforward solution for deploying high-quality 3DTV services today using their existing video-delivery infrastructure,” said John Burke, SVP, Motorola Mobile Devices and Home.

With many service providers having already announced intent to broadcast selected 3D programming, there are several challenges to overcome to deliver 3D signals using currently deployed infrastructure and devices. Although frame-compatible 3D content can be passed through deployed set-tops and viewed on 3DTVs today, accessing the set-top on-screen guide and menu while watching 3D content is an unsettling experience for the consumer. Motorola addresses these deployment challenges by integrating 3D-signal-processing software into the set-top.

The 3D-processing software in the set-top box automatically detects the presence of 3D content and identifies the format, and the set-tops support 3DTV over both MPEG-4 and MPEG-2 and are capable of 1080p24/30 output.

Detecting of 3D content, the set-top automatically reformats all on-screen text and graphics to match the incoming format, supporting all on-screen displays, such as closed-captioning, emergency alerts, application graphics, and text overlays, as well as existing EPGs and applications.

To spur greater 3DTV deployment, Motorola will be working with customers to add support to members of its other set-top products.

Motorola is demonstrating these new 3D TV-enabled set-tops in Booth SU2912 at NAB.