Following on neatly from our post about the revival of retro technology, I’m thrilled to see the buzz surrounding 3D entertainment will soon burst out of the cinema and into our living rooms. 3DTV is on its way, and you might be getting your first look sooner than you think.
Avatar, the film that ran out of records to break, showed the immense potential of 3D – a visual banquet for cinema goers, and unprecedented box office receipts for studios. No surprises then that the clamour to replicate this success in the home entertainment sector is approaching fever pitch.
Sky has already announced plans to launch a 3DTV channel during 2010, and next month’s Six Nations grudge match between England and Wales will be broadcast live to cinemas in 3D. So the technology is in place, the beers are in the cooler, all we need now is for the TV manufacturers to show up at the party.
Thankfully, we won’t have to wait long; all the major players have announced plans to launch 3D sets this year. Which is great news, unless you’ve just shelled out for a soon-to-be redundant HDTV. And there could yet be more pain around the corner: even the format war here has a third dimension, as various technologies compete to become the 3DTV standard.
Some R&D departments have favoured the ‘passive’ approach. Like the technology used in cinemas, their goggles have a polarisation filter which ensures each eye only sees one of the two overlapping images.
On the other side of the fence are the ‘active’ team. Their screen and goggles work in harmony to block individual frames from alternate eyes. By rapidly shifting the perspective from one eye to the other, this technique delivers a continuous stream of 3D goodness to the viewer.
I’m in no position to suggest which of these formats will join the Betamax hall of fame. But whatever happens, 2010 could be the year that 3D finally makes a lasting impression.
Charlie Thorogood has seen the future, and it’s three dimensional.
The prospect of watching sport in 3D is pretty interesting, assuming the technology can keep up with the action (otherwise there could be puke in the cinema!).
there is a very simple reason why this should take off quite quickly in bars
beer + comedy glasses = good times
It’s not coming…it’s here – Sky Sports are showing the Arsenal v Man U game in 3D in selected pubs this Sunday.
can i have some 3d contact lenses please as i’m a little self conscious.
An opportunity is there for producing designer 3d glasses
I feel left out not being able to do 3D! HDTV won’t go redundant because people with broken eyes will still appreciate it!!
The pioneers of this technology now and in the future will be the porn industry.
3 Double D.
Say no more.
GfK (market research company) says 25,000 3DTV sets were sold in Europe in May – which was pretty much the first month of availability. It doesn’t seem that much, though, when the industry expects global sales of 252 million this year. GfK’s survey said 2/3rds of people interested in buying one wanted it for gaming. Nintendo 3DS is out in a few months. A Jan 2011 review will be interesting…
…But did you see the Queen in her Swarovski-encrusted 3D specs? She wore a pair at a 3D screening at Canada’s Pinewood. Proper pimped up crystal ‘Q’ on the side. One loves it.
I’m sure the World Cup helped drive a fair percentage of those 25,000 European sales as well, Cathy. But true to form, we’re lagging behind the Far East: Samsung has already sold 26,000 3DTV sets in South Korea alone.
Anon@9.35, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were right. The same was true of both the printing press and, more recently, the Internet.