QVC experiments with TV shopping in 3D

QVC has reportedly been experimenting with ways to take home shopping into 3D, as it also revealed plans to launch a high definition channel.

According to specialist website 3D Focus, the UK's most established shopping channel produced a 3D showreel at its Croydon studios of QVC presenters selling kitchen products, jewellery and clothing.

QVC's 3D exercise was purely an experiment at this stage and there are no confirmed plans to launch a 3D channel or produce video on-demand content.

However, the 3D initiative follows various other innovations from QVC since it launched in the UK in 1993, including the conversion to widescreen, an iPhone app and QVC Active, a Red Button multi-screen service.

QVC director of media operations Richard Burrell told the website that there are plans to launch QVC HD when more broadcast capacity becomes available on digital terrestrial after the end of the digital switchover in late 2012.

In 2007, QVC extended its Freeview carriage agreement with the ITV-owned multiplex operator SDN until 2022. The shopping channel broadcasts live 17 hours a day, 364 days a year.

Meanwhile, Sky's dedicated 3D channel is currently showing ESPN's 3D coverage of the NBA Finals, under a collaboration agreement between the two broadcasters.