Bexel’s BBSOne Provides Industry Leaders a First-Hand Look at 3D MLB All-Star Action

Bexel, in conjunction with the Sports Video Group, delivered its newly refurbished BBSOne Mobile Facility for the 81st-annual MLB Home Run Derby and All-Star Game on July 12 and 13, respectively, at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, CA. Top executives from such major networks as Fox Sports, ESPN, and MLB Network were privy to a first-of-its-kind 3D viewing experience in the truck.

Bexel (a unit of the Vitec Group’s Services Division) parked BBSOne in the Angels’ compound, so that crew members, working in conjunction with SVG, Fox Sports, and ESPN, could support on-site the 3D viewing experience. During the 2½-day event, more than 250 top broadcast executives, engineers, and creative personnel came through to watch the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game in 3D.  In addition, on July 11, prior to the MLB events, Bexel screened the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final in 3D for attendees. Throughout its three-day stay in Anaheim, BBSOne attracted standing-room-only crowds, with 50 people gathered in the vehicle to view the game in 3D at any given time.

“The executives from Fox and ESPN could not have been more appreciative that we were there; it gave their upper management and remote-engineering teams a really nice environment to watch the games,” says Lee Estroff, director of broadcast technical sales for Bexel.  “By providing a comfortable, air-conditioned viewing environment, we allowed the broadcasters and executives to sit in a living-room environment to watch, evaluate, and critique the Home Run Derby and All-Star game in 3D and 5.1 surround sound.”

In the mobile facility, Bexel had four 46-in. JVC GD-463D10U 3D displays along with an Abekas Mira 3D recorder/playback server.  DirecTV installed four of its new HD DVR HR 24s, which made playback of 3D programming possible.  Feeds were brought in via fiber from NEP’s Supershooter 32 mobile unit.

“Over the years, Bexel has been an invaluable partner with SVG, and the 2010 All-Star Game 3D demo took that partnership to another level,” says SVG Editorial Director Ken Kerschbaumer. “On behalf of our members, we can’t thank Bexel enough for their tireless efforts that weekend.”

The BBSOne truck provided a comfortable atmosphere for more than 600 production professionals to watch 3D content during the weekend, and. for many, it was the first time they had had a chance to see live 3D sports.

“The event totally exceeded our expectations. Never in our wildest dreams did we envision that we would have that many people come through,” says Estroff. “The success of this event has prompted us to consider offering this service on a broader basis as a way to promote and enhance the growth of 3D television.”