Dubai: With a raft of free-to-air satellite channels airing across the Middle East, Orbit Showtime Network's move into 3D PayTV this week is a bold strategy to distance itself from its competitors.
So says Sami Raffoul, General Manager of Pan Arab Research Centre based in Dubai, who told Gulf News that OSN's 3D launch signals the arrival of a new era that will eventually change expectations of consumers in the media marketplace.
"Television networks and stations are trying to ride the wave, but normal TV stations can't do 3D yet," said Raffoul in an interview.
Technical advantage
"It is obvious that there's a technical advantage for Orbit Showtime Network to have a technical breakthrough and offer it through its own satellite network. I think this is quite intelligent because they [OSN] need a different strategy to give to their customers."
Raffoul said there are a lot of "TV stations offering free-to-air content of high quality. Orbit wants to stay above the rest because they will melt into a profusion of other channels such as MBC, Fox and Dubai One."
Raffoul said the small amount of global 3D programming now available for consumers will widen and he lauded OSN for being first out of the gate to offer it to consumers.
"There is a scarcity of such material [3D]," he said, "but they have put it in gear to transmit 3D. Whether it's one movie or 100 movies, it makes no difference because they [OSN] are now the leader. You need someone to lead the way."
He noted that for now, 3D television viewers must use special glasses to get the full effects of a realistic environment but said that major advancements in no-glasses 3D technology are nearing the point that televisions will soon be on the market that can be viewed by the naked eye with the same effect.
"We know that in the market Sony and Samsung are racing to tap this unvisited market. The technology is progressing but has not stablised yet," he said.
Orbit Showtime Network satellite broadcasting company says it is the first in the Middle East to roll out 3D content to subscribers eager for the latest new wave in television viewing.
At a press conference at the Atlantis Hotel this week, OSN officials gathered for the official launch of its HD and 3D in Dubai and beyond.
"Following hot on the heels of the phenomenal success of high definition and the Showbox HD DVR among our viewers, we are now extremely proud to be the first TV network in the Middle East to offer subscribers the opportunity to experience cinema quality 3D movies in the comfort of their own home; 3D is a new dimension in television and is set to transform the way TV is enjoyed," said David Butorac, CEO of OSN.
The company said it is making "history this month by being the first television network in the Middle East to bring its viewers 3D movies into the comfort of their home. OSN's ground-breaking 3D launch follows on from the huge success of its HD service which now sees over 250,000 customers enjoying an exciting line-up of movies, sports and series in high definition".
Subscription package
Subscribers will need an OSN Showbox, a high-definition, 3D decoder that is provided by OSN free of charge as part of the subscription package — those with existing decoders can swap them free as well to secure a new HD and 3D decoder.
The new 3D viewing ability is part of Monday's launch of OSN Movies HD which the company said will provide an expanding lineup of high-definition and 3D programmes.
Programming will originally offer an underwater film Oceanworld 3D followed by a season schedule that "will continue to expand in the coming months with a number of titles showcasing the best of Hollywood in 3D including Bolt, Street Dance, Final Destination, and Journey to the Centre of the Earth."
Expanded 3D content in the short term will also include major sporting events.
"Yes, later in the year we will increase the line-up of movies and eventually major sporting events will be screened in 3D — this is the ultimate entertainment experience, like nothing you have seen before."
Enjoying the three-dimensional experience will be extremely user-friendly and will only require the simple flip of a switch to change the OSN decoder from HD to 3D format, the company said.
Officials said, "All you need to do is switch your TV to 3D mode, put [on] your 3D glasses and enjoy the 3D entertainment."
The Orbit Showtime Network has taken new steps to block illegal viewing of its 75 channels and 100 monthly movie premieres, company officials said. As part of its roll-out of HD and 3D content through its new Showbox HD decoders, a new secure platform later this month will lock out as many as five million illegal viewers across the region.
Anti-piracy move
The new decoder "has put an end to piracy", OSN declared in a statement this week following years of combating piracy.
The company said it has been "at the forefront of the fight against pay-TV piracy for the past decade in the Middle East and North Africa. Securing the platform is part of the network's commitment to stopping piracy and adding value to customers by expanding and strengthening OSN's entertainment line-up".
The network said it will no longer broadcast on what are called "dreamboxes or similar boxes connected to the internet from December 19. This ongoing project has been supported by an on-air campaign to inform all those illegally watching OSN how to subscribe to OSN and receive the 75 channel line-up of premium entertainment."
David Butorac, CEO of OSN, said in a statement that: "Securing the platform is a big achievement for OSN; it's the result of a lot of hard work and investment to entertain, educate and inform our customers through the best entertainment experience possible."
