Abu Dhabi Sports brings the thrill of the stadium direct to viewers

Abu Dhabi, March 26, 2013 (WAM) - Sports fans across the Gulf and Middle East can now enjoy watching all the important games as if they were live at the ground, as Abu Dhabi Sports becomes the first free-to-air broadcaster in Middle East to produce and broadcast LIVE HD in Dolby Digital Plus (DD+) surround sound. Using the latest technology for HD and Dolby sound, Abu Dhabi Sports channels Abu Dhabi Al Riyadiya 1 and Abu Dhabi Al Riyadiya 2 are now broadcasting in HD with Dolby Digital Plus sound, while Abu Dhabi Al Riyadiya Extra is now showing programs in HD using the "Stereo" sound technique. All additional AD Sports channels will continue with the standard broadcasting service, but with new improvements to image quality. Mohamed Najeeb, Head of the Abu Dhabi Sports Channel, said: "The unique experience of watching a sports game in Dolby surround sound really brings the thrill of the match in to your home. Watching the Abu Dhabi Al Riyadiya Channels with cinematic surround sound and HD technology will be closest thing to actually being there." "We are pleased to be working with Dolby to utilise their cutting-edge sound techniques in live broadcasting, to bring this amazing experience to our viewers around the world. This is the first time this technology has been used in the Middle East on free to air channels. The technology was previously used last year to broadcast some games on our paid platform, Channel 8, but now we have adopted it as our basic broadcasting technique for Abu Dhabi Al Riyadiya channels, with viewers able to choose between the available channels sounds," added Najeeb. Abu Dhabi Sports, has been broadcasting much of its international programming in Dolby Digital since August 2010 for Abu Dhabi Sports network subscribers- including the Barclays Premiere League, Formula One and WWE. "Live programming such as sports is a great showcase for Dolby surround sound; and we are delighted to be working with such a forward-looking partner such as Abu Dhabi Media, and specifically the Abu Dhabi Sports Channels, on this landmark project to present this technology for the first time in the Middle East on free-to-air channels," said Tarif Sayed, Regional Director, Dolby Digital, Middle East '&' Africa '&' Pakistan. "Football fans will truly feel the difference that the Dolby Digital Plus surround sound provides, in experiencing the all the action and capturing the moment," Sayed added. Abu Dhabi Sports is the first broadcaster in the region to begin the transition in adopting Dolby Digital Plus - the latest and the most advanced audio codec from Dolby. Dolby Digital Plus will enable Abu Dhabi Sports to provide an immersive surround sound experience for its viewers on TV, and also on mobile, tablets and PCs in the near future. – Emirates News Agency, WAM