Intel acquires Replay Technologies to offer immersive viewing at sporting events

The multinational processor is now the owner of the freeD format, which allows fans to view replays of match plays in 360º and 3D via television and the Internet.

The Israeli company Replay Technologies, specialized in 360º video and 3D image repetition technology through television and the Internet with its freeD system, has been acquired by Intel, as the latter announces on its corporate blog, without mentioning the amount disbursed.

Replay's freeD solution is used to view 360º replays of key plays during sports broadcasts, giving fans a spectacular, detailed view from any point of view., as currently used in the NBA All-Star (see attached video), which will allow Intel to improve its augmented reality developments for this type of events and establish itself in this market.

For 360º reproduction, Replay uses high-resolution cameras surrounding the stadium and extensive use of computer graphics to give viewers that immersive feeling from any angle during the broadcast of the matches..

As Brian Krzanich has pointed out, CEO of Intel, “It is one more step in the so-called digitalization of sports. We want to go further in the way of consuming and interacting with fans and the media than simply broadcasting sporting events, offering added value.. At the recent All-Star we have given fans an immersive 3D viewing experience on television and online that gives a taste of what is to come.".

Specifically, the company used its high-performance computing with the sixth generation of Intel Core and its server technology, to create seamless 3D video processing using twenty-eight UHD cameras distributed around the court and connected to servers, which allowed broadcasters to deliver 360º videos of the main plays to fans.

The multinational also specifies that “Intel is the owner of the freeD format, and together we can scale to this new category of immersive sports entertainment, what is attractive to leagues, stadiums, television operators and fans, as well as that Replay will continue with the same team, led by its CEO, Roen Yogrev.