Eutelsat Teams With General Satellite and St Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre for a Premiere 3DTV Satellite Transmission to New-Generation TV Displays

PARIS, April 14, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In a new display of how 3D is rapidly redefining the viewing experience, Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) is teaming with Russia's General Satellite Corporation and the Mariinsky Theatre for a satellite transmission on 15 April from St. Petersburg of an exceptional sequence of classical ballet performances by leading Russian dancers. The 3D content will be received live in Moscow and Paris and displayed for the first time on Samsung's first generation of Full HD 3D TV sets.

This European premiere of satellite-delivered 3D content to TV displays will be transmitted on Eutelsat's All-3D channel on the EUROBIRD(TM) 9A satellite. Launched over one year ago, this first All-3D channel for Europe has enabled Eutelsat to collaborate with industry leaders in the burgeoning 3D market, including Samsung, Sony, Hyundai, Sensio, France Televisions, SKY Italia, Ciel Ecran and OpenSky.

In an agreement announced today between Eutelsat and General Satellite, up to 500 hours of 3D content produced by General Satellite will further enrich the line up of Eutelsat's All-3D channel. General Satellite is already Russia's leading supplier of HD content for the Platforma HD package broadcast across European parts of Russia via EUROBIRD(TM) 9A.

The dance sequences in St Petersburg will be filmed in 3D (two video signals and one audio signal), mixed, encoded and uplinked to Eutelsat satellite capacity from an SNG truck at the Mariinsky Theatre. The live signal will be delivered to six Samsung 3D Ready 55" displays via a standard HD set-top-box produced by General Satellite. Viewers will watch the ballet sequences using Samsung Active glasses to show the lifelike depth and colour clarity that is now possible in consumer homes.

Commenting on the premiere 3DTV transmission, Michel de Rosen Eutelsat CEO said "Coming only three weeks after the remarkable 3D broadcast to cinemas in France of the Six Nations rugby match between France and England, this premiere satellite-delivered 3DTV display will be a new landmark in the rapidly emerging market for transmitting premium 3D content. Eutelsat has been the trailblazing satellite partner in this transformation. Since content will always be king, we are delighted to conclude the agreement for 3D content with General Satellite that will enrich the programming on our unique All-3D channel on EUROBIRD(TM) 9A."

Andrey Tkachenko, Chairman of General Satellite Corporation added "This live ballet transmission marks a brand new step in General Satellite's European ambitions for 3D, in close technical partnership with Eutelsat. Viewers with the appropriate equipment can now watch high-quality 3D content broadcast by General Satellite and Eutelsat from the EUROBIRDTM 9A satellite."

The 3D broadcast of the evening of ballet is part of the Mariinsky Theatre's strategy to promote the use of the latest communications technologies in the theatre's artistic endeavours.

About Eutelsat Communications

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 26 satellites that provide coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas, Eutelsat is one of the world's three leading satellite operators in terms of revenues. At 31 December 2009, Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting more than 3,400 television channels and close to 1,100 radio stations. More than 1,000 channels broadcast via its HOT BIRD(TM) video neighbourhood at 13 degrees East which serves over 123 million cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The Group's satellites also serve a wide range of fixed and mobile telecommunications services, TV contribution markets, corporate networks, and broadband markets for Internet Service Providers and for transport, maritime and in-flight markets. Eutelsat's broadband subsidiary, Skylogic, markets and operates services through teleports in France and Italy that serve enterprises, local communities, government agencies and aid organisations in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Headquartered in Paris, Eutelsat and its subsidiaries employ 635 employees from 27 countries.

http://www.eutelsat.com

General Satellite Corporation is a Russian research company, presenting at domestic and international market the hi-tech radio-electronic equipment developments, which specifications meet the highest standards. Reliability and professionalism through many years of successful activity enabled the company to take the leading place in telecommunications business community of Russia. On February 2010 General Satellite Corporation together with Samsung Electronics (South Korea) started the first in Russia and Eastern Europe joint broadcasting of 3D-channels. Already in the end of 2010 it is expected that 3D-channels will be offering a wide range of TV programs, including movies, entertainment shows and sport.

    General Satellite Corporation Press contacts
    Serguei Orlov
    General Satellite Corporation
    +7-911-000-32-70
    [email protected]

    http://www.general-satellite.ru/

    Oksana Tokranova
    Mariinsky theatre
    Tel: +7-812-714-41-64
    http://www.mariinsky.ru
    [email protected]

    Eutelsat Press Contacts
    Vanessa O'Connor
    Tel.:+33(0)1-53-98-37-91
    [email protected]

    Frederique Gautier
    Tel.:+33(0)1-53-98-37-91
    [email protected]

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Lisa Sanders Finas
    Tel.:  +33(0)1-53-98-30-92
    [email protected]

SOURCE Eutelsat Communications