More than half of Europe’s public service broadcasters would like to adopt a version of stereo 3D TV that is backwards compatible with 2D TV, according to a new report.

A European Broadcasting Union (EBU) survey showed that 51% of members thought the broadcasting systems that would best meet their needs would “require both a new display and set-top box, be viewed in 2D on a normal receiver and give the highest 3D quality possible today”.

The systems being used or trialled by many non-PSB broadcasters around the world, including BSkyB in the UK, are 3D-only.

Some 11% of respondents said they wanted a system that needs “a new display but not a new set-top box, and provides somewhat higher quality”, while 25% said none of the current systems meet their needs.

An ITV source said: “Like blackand- white and colour, service compatibility means you can reach a larger audience across all formats.”

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