A smattering of pay-TV providers have already
announced their
intentions to start piping out
3D programming to their users (starting next week with
The Masters), but up until now, neither of America's (two) major fiber operators had bit the three-dee bullet. Verizon's own Shawn Strickland, vice president of FiOS product management, has come forward today with a bit of news on the matter, and it's the kind of stuff you want to hear if you're a) lucky enough to
already be in a FiOS TV market and b) one
who cares about the third dimension. He notes that his company is "monitoring the early sales of 3D TVs and expects to announce a 3D offering well in advance of the holiday TV-shopping season," further saying that Verizon is already in "active discussions with a number of companies in the emerging 3D value chain." He makes no bones about the hurdles along the way, suggesting that "technological challenges remain, as technology that enables TVs and set-top boxes to adjust the set to display 3D content has not been perfected or distributed, causing a major viewing hassle for consumers." That said, we're pretty stoked about having a 3D FiOS TV offering "in the market in time for the holiday," with the company aiming for a product that has "fully automated HDMI format-switching capability that switches between 2D and 3D, not via ponderous access to the TV's setup menu." Now, let's see how many of these wishes come true, cool?
posted April 2nd 2010 1:01PM
@STUPIDIPADFANBOYS
Whatever you do, DO NOT click on that link. It's very, very offensive, and you'll have to kill your browser to make it stop.
@EWTHeckman
Nevermind. Engadget killed it already. Great job guys!
Verizon is the best!!!....every body knows it!
@Antiapple
i would agree with you except for that one pesky detail about them halting all future plans to roll out FiOS in other markets.
@willowtwf
+1
Consider less than half of content in HD channel are actually shot in HD, i think the 3D program are far gimmeck just try to eat your wallet.
@techlord
Dude it's cool. This holiday season while everyones going nuts over 3D TV's I'll be looking at the lower priced LCD/LED HDTV's. I'm not really for paying an extra 1,000 or so dollars for something I'm rarely (if ever) am going to use....
@PlatinumSkeet The new sets aren't *that* much more for 3D capabilities. Just look at the prices for the new sets around this time LAST year. Not much different. Also, the 3D is on the "flagship" models, not the mid-low end sets.
Although, if you factor in the cost for the glasses for 4-6 people to watch, then I agree with you.
If you had your goggles on all the time like a good consumer should, you wouldn't be having this problem.
What's the point. Didn't Engadget just run an article stating that FiOS expansion is being shelved.
Yes, they did: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/27/verizon-shelves-plans-for-future-fios-rollouts-relocations-to-m/
Limited availability means limited usefulness.
@jimlivingston
at least them east coast sumbitches will have something to look forward to. we poor Chicagoans will be stuck with comcast until the end of time
@rekit There are not even that saturated in the east coast. I'm in NJ and I can't get it, although the next street over can.
I really wish this fascination with 3D would go away. Whenever I see an article about it or news of more movies coming out in 3D I think of that guy in Back to the Future who's always wearing the red and blue 3D glasses.
I love FiOS. This might push me to get a 3DTV, if the price drops significantly.
The scoreboard! Its coming out at me!
How much is it gonna cost me to buy 17 pairs of glasses for Sunday football for all my buddies... ehh never mind. Wake me up in 7 years when i'll replace the 58V10 i just bought.. heh, heh..
@chase1963
C'mon...admit it. you don't have 16 buddies do you?
@Tes
Slightly facetious comment... My basement usually sees at least 10 people if the game is at my house that week. sunday crowds love free homade meatball sandwiches! lol.. I do have fios and love it. This whole 3d thing is going to take quite a while to be perfected. I'm not buying into it for years, if ever.
@chase1963
I kid man...I keeed!
Awesome news for the 2 people in the world who have 3D televisions!
Can't wait for these channels to fail and for this fad to end. Every 3D movie that comes out all I read are endless reviews about how the 3D effects were terrible and took away from the movie (Clash of the Titans and Alice in Wonderland are the latest victims of 3D).
Personally watching Avatar in 3D made me feel sick for over an hour afterwards. Now I can get headaches at home and look like a moron watching TV with geeky glasses?!? Wow where do I sign up for this crap? Ugh.
@cool8man Avatar was awesome in 3d, Alice in wonderland not so good, but it may have been the theater i saw it in, and a sub par projection system compared to where i saw Avatar
@d0ug said subpar theater is the old channelside IMAX here in Tampa. fools ripped out the old FILM IMAX projection system and are projecting onto the IMAX screen with a Sony 4k digital projector. It looks like shit and they're only using like half the screen
@cool8man
You are the first person that I know who *didn't* like AVATAR in 3d.
If 3d glasses make you sick you should avoid cars, boats, planes, and just all together going outside of your bedroom.
@DoctarPeppar
I know quite a few people that vomited after watching Avatar in 3D, including one of my family members. They will never go to another 3D movie.
I didn't get sick, but the glasses were very uncomfortable to me to wear over my regular glasses. They were cumbersome and I didn't have much nose left to hold them up. I attended an IMAX 3D version.
I liked the movie, but felt that 3D did not add anything to it. I'd prefer to see it in 2D and will be buying the deluxe 2D Blu-ray version in the fall.
It's just a fad, man!
Big deal, DirecTV will have 3D in june
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/article.jsp?assetId=4630001
With more channels as the year goes on
@Leindurstit The goggles, they do NOTHING!
Whatever happened to bringing FiOS to customers?
@EWTHeckman I has. w00t
@bighap
::: jealous :::
Plfft, this isn't news -- don't you guys know there's a new IPAD app in teh appstore!? Go write about it! Everyone is DYING to know about the appstore!! OMG!!
I liked the image better when it was fuzzy and simulating what 3D TV looks like without glasses.
3D with glasses sucks. The first mass market 3D devices that allow you to create, share, and consume 3D content without the need for glasses will win big time.
@Kamalot Well glasses free 3D TV does exist, but has a problem in that you have to sit in a "sweet spot" to get the 3d effect, where as with glasses everyone in the room can get a good view. http://images.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=parallax+barrier+3d&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&start=0
@d0ug
Yup. I realize it exists and it has limitations. That does not make the prospect of wearing another set of foppish 3D goggles any more appealing.
I can not get FIOS, therefore I hate FIOS.
@Neros Fiddle Uh, what exactly is going on in that avatar?
At this point, and since Verizon is apparently no longer rolling out FiOS installations to the rest of the country, I'd prefer they focus on something subscribers really need, like a decent DVR with a guide that actually reflects what is airing or going to air so you can schedule things to record. 3D can wait. I've seen one of the TVs at Best Buy and I got a little nauseous both times I checked it out. That doesn't happen at the movies, so I'll wait a while before committing to a 3D TV.
So first, you need a 3D TV. Second you need FiOS in your area.
That limits your market to what, three people on earth?
For a great rip off price just like HD channels an extra low price of $99.99 a month you get standard 3D channel service. but wait theirs more you also need the 3D programing box for a low price of $999.99. But wait theirs more, in order to see 3D you need 3D glasses for an additional $199.99. But wait theirs more theirs an additional $19.99 per box charge per month. But wait theirs more you need a brand new television that supports 3D for another low price of $6,500. But wait theirs more, get all this shipped to your home of one low price of your entire life savings.
Detroit 3 points over NY? This must be some alternate universe...
@BoBoTheChimp Unless of course they are talking about the Jets :P
Must...get...something...similar...on..U-Verse...I mean, really! We're lagging behind people! Our signal is ultracompressed to fit in 6mb/s bandwidth!
I like it because its the best in the area, but I would switch to FiOS in a heartbeat if it was available in Raleigh.
Why in god's name would I care about this? I mean, I love FiOS internet but I mean....does Verizon understand that NOBODY wants to buy another TV nor glasses....and most don't even care about 3D TV
Just keep improving 1080p and move on when that is perfected
I'm not getting a 3d tv it's just a gimmick