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China to get its first 3D TV channel within weeks
Half a billion TV set owners could soon have the perfect excuse for an upgrade: a new 3D channel that has already started broadcasting on a trial basis and is due to launch officially over the Chinese New Year. Operated by China Central TV and a handful of local stations, it'll transmit 4.5 hours of free-to-air fuzzy red and green content each day, which can be picked up by anyone with a hi-def set-top box and a 3D TV. They won't have to watch it on a 71-inch 21:9 panel, but it'll certainly help.
NHK demos Hybridcast streaming, teams up internet and cable TV for superior 3D delivery
With all the hubbub surrounding competing 3DTV technology, it's easy to forget the all important delivery process: how is your TV getting its content, and what does it mean for the viewer? It may seem trivial, but the answer is all-too important to the folks at NHK, who are hoping to facilitate Full HD delivery for 3D content using a new hybrid broadcast system. Think you already have Full HD 3D? Think again: most broadcast 3D content is delivered via side by side transmission, forcing two images (one for each eye) into a single 1080p frame. This allows 3D content to pipe through existing HD channels, but when the separate images are reconstituted and upscaled, resolution and picture quality suffer. NHK hopes to resolve this by fusing broadcast transmission with broadband streaming, what it calls Hybridcast. In a recent dual-stream demo, NHK sent the image for one eye over standard HD TV broadcast pipes, and the other through those wondrous internet tubes, eventually reassembling the two streams into a single, Full HD image, ready for your hungry eyeballs. This prototype delivery system is little more than a demo right now, but with any luck, it'll be giving us a whole new reason to freak out about broadband bandwidth caps in the near future.
Sony backing new series of 3D TV shows launching in Japan this January
Now that Japan's first 3D broadcast is old news, Sony hopes to spark 3D TV sales in the island by offering a new series of late night 3D programming. Created in partnership with the Japanese TV company BS Fuji, the proposed lineup will launch with three 30-minute specials. The first will air at midnight on Saturday, January 1st, with the other two following at the same time on Sunday the 2nd and Monday the 3rd. Topics covered include: rail travel on the Orient Express, a bird's eye trip that follows the ultra low-flying journey of a powered paraglider, and a recap of Sony Aquarium 3D coverage from 2008-2010, which apparently has been a popular annual summer event held in Sony's Ginza building. After that trio, 30 minutes of 3D programming will continue to air at the witching hour from January 9th onwards. How much this ploy will help Sony's 3DTV sales considering Japanese consumers can already watch BS11 3D broadcasts is debatable, but anything's better than robot theater right?
Hockey Night in Canada will go 3D for two games this winter
Considering how well MSG's 3D broadcast of the Rangers / Islanders game was received, CBC Sports' decision to air two Hockey Night In Canada games in 3D this winter is splendiferous news for fans in Mountie land. The first-ever 3D Canadian hockey game broadcast is set for December 11th, when the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Montreal Canadiens, while the second will come later during the 2010-11 NHL season on February 20th, when the Calgary Flames host the Canadiens in the Heritage Classic. To pull it all off HNIC has partnered with Panasonic -- who conveniently will be the official 3D and HD sponsor for the series when it premiers this season on October 7th, too. In terms of potential audience, Scott Moore, executive director of CBC Sports shared they "don't even know how many 3D TVs are out there", but it's not a coincidence the games are scheduled around Christmas when many of our neighbors to the north will be looking to upgrade. Moore was also clear that these games don't guarantee 3D HNIC is here to stay given its costs over standard HD. But if you and your puck-loving friends can put more than $55 million worth of 3D equipment under the tree, we bet that tune could change.
LG expects to sell 3.8 million 3D LCDs by 2011, partners with Korean broadcaster SkyLife
Well, this sure marks a change of tone for LG. After taking the cautious approach and throwing out a single 3D TV model in 2009, the Korean manufacturer is now boldly predicting sales of 400,000 3D units in 2010 and 3.4 million in 2011. To make it all happen, the company has announced it will introduce a "wide range" of 3D TV sets measuring between 42 and 72 inches diagonally, with flagship models among them. Furthermore, LG's new partnership with SkyLife will see both companies investing in 3D content creation, as the digital satellite broadcaster will be pitching in $25 million. Naturally, this Korean push is merely a prelude to a planned assault on American and European markets next year, which LG expects will jump all over 3D given its internal survey data indicating 58 percent of people want an extra dimension to their viewing experience. What we're most excited about, though, is the "ultra-slim" bezel you see in the picture -- it is no accident or mere prototype, and its minimization is part of LG's effort to maximize immersion. We like it, 3D or not.
