M3D

M3D was Hungary's first three-dimensional television channel, launched on 25 June 2012 by MTV Zrt. and the Médiaszolgáltatás-támogató és Vagyonkezelő Alap (MTVA). It was conceived as a 50-day experimental broadcast, available free of charge online and via the MinDig TV service in Budapest and its surroundings on UHF channel 43. The channel was also carried on the Eutelsat 9A satellite, but only accessible with an MTVA card. Its test transmission ran from 25 June 2012 until 12 August 2012, with pre-broadcast promotional material beginning on 18 June 2012. The service was notable for bringing major sporting events to Hungarian viewers in 3D. The final of the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship was available in 3D exclusively on MinDig TV, and the 2012 Summer Olympics were broadcast in 3D for selected sports. The channel also offered an exclusive film package assembled by MTVA for the 50-day experiment, including recent Hungarian music concerts from the Republic to Omega's 2012 super-concert. Daytime programming featured cooking shows, circus performances, space exploration, coverage of the Geneva Motor Show and other automotive events, and world film festivals and premieres. New nature films, extreme sports demonstrations, and evening feature-length cartoons, concerts, and art films were also part of the lineup. The channel showcased castles and natural beauty of Hungary and Transylvania. Technically, M3D used a high-definition MPEG-TS transport stream at 1920x1080 pixels, with AC3 audio in two Hungarian-language channels (stereo and 5.1 Dolby Digital). The broadcast was transmitted from a 1 kW ERP transmitter on the Széchenyi-hegy tower at 50 meters height, with horizontal polarization, at 12 Mbps data rate, using 16QAM modulation, 1/32 guard interval, and 1/2 forward error correction under DVB-T standards. The left and right eye images were horizontally squeezed by half to fit into a normal HD frame, a technique known as side-by-side. Four Hungarian 3D films from the 1950s were also shown, originally in the over-under (Po) system, and were re-edited in MTVA's studio for broadcast. At the end of the operating period, an anaglyph (red-cyan) version of the broadcast was also available online. M3D was operated by Antenna Hungária, which was among the first in Europe to launch 3D test broadcasting in digital terrestrial television. The channel ceased broadcasting after the London Olympics, returning to promotional material until midnight on 13 August 2012, when it was switched off. A similarly named archive channel, M3, launched on 20 December 2013, but that was a different service that ceased on 30 April 2019 and has since operated as an internet television channel.

M3D was established as Hungary's first three-dimensional television channel, initiated by MTV Zrt. and the Médiaszolgáltatás-támogató és Vagyonkezelő Alap (MTVA). The channel was announced on 12 June 2012 at a press conference starting at 11:00, with the launch date set for 25 June 2012. Its test transmission began on 18 June 2012 with promotional material, and the operational test broadcast started on 25 June 2012 with nature films and concert films. From 25 June to 2 July 2012, the channel was available exclusively on MTVA's satellite transponder and on the Budapest MinDig TV frequency, because Antenna Hungária held the exclusive 3D broadcasting rights for the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship final held on 1 July 2012. From 2 July 2012, the channel also appeared in the offerings of other satellite and cable providers, with the exception of Digi. The test broadcast was originally planned to last 50 days, ending on 12 August 2012. After the London Olympics, it again broadcast promotional material until midnight on 13 August 2012, when it was switched off. The channel's programming included a mix of sports, culture, and entertainment. It broadcast the 2012 European Championship final in 3D exclusively on MinDig TV, and covered key sports of the 2012 Summer Olympics in 3D. MTVA assembled an exclusive film package for the 50-day experiment, featuring recent Hungarian music concerts from the Republic to Omega's 2012 super-concert. Daytime programming included cooking shows, circus performances, space exploration, coverage of the Geneva Motor Show and other automotive events, and world film festivals and premieres. New nature films, extreme sports demonstrations, and evening feature-length cartoons, concerts, and art films were also shown. The channel also presented castles and natural beauty of Hungary and Transylvania. Technically, M3D used a high-definition MPEG-TS transport stream at 1920x1080 pixels, with AC3 audio in two Hungarian-language channels (stereo and 5.1 Dolby Digital). The broadcast was transmitted from a 1 kW ERP transmitter on the Széchenyi-hegy tower at 50 meters height, with horizontal polarization, at 12 Mbps data rate, using 16QAM modulation, 1/32 guard interval, and 1/2 forward error correction under DVB-T standards. The left and right eye images were horizontally squeezed by half to fit into a normal HD frame, a technique known as side-by-side. Four Hungarian 3D films from the 1950s were also shown, originally in the over-under (Po) system, and were re-edited in MTVA's studio for broadcast. At the end of the operating period, an anaglyph (red-cyan) version of the broadcast was also available online. M3D was operated by Antenna Hungária, which was among the first in Europe to launch 3D test broadcasting in digital terrestrial television. The channel ceased broadcasting after the London Olympics, returning to promotional material until midnight on 13 August 2012, when it was switched off. A similarly named archive channel, M3, launched on 20 December 2013, but that was a different service that ceased on 30 April 2019 and has since operated as an internet television channel.

• Announced at a press conference starting at 11:00 on 12 June 2012, with launch date set for 25 June 2012.

• Test transmission began on 18 June 2012 with promotional material.

• Operational test broadcast started on 25 June 2012 with nature films and concert films.

• From 25 June to 2 July 2012, available exclusively on MTVA's satellite transponder and Budapest MinDig TV frequency.

• 2012 UEFA European Football Championship final broadcast in 3D exclusively on MinDig TV on 1 July 2012.

• From 2 July 2012, appeared in other satellite and cable providers' offerings, except Digi.

• 2012 Summer Olympics key sports broadcast in 3D.

• After the London Olympics, returned to promotional material until midnight on 13 August 2012, when it was switched off.

Hungary's first experimental 3D terrestrial television channel, pioneering 3D broadcast technology in Central Europe.

• 3D television broadcasting

• 3D sports coverage (2012 European Championship final, 2012 Summer Olympics)

• 3D films (nature, concerts, Hungarian music, 1950s 3D films)

• 3D cultural programming (castles, natural beauty, film festivals)

1. 1M3D on Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2M3D on Hungarian Wikipediahu.wikipedia.org