3DTV
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3D TV coming to British pubs this weekend, can expect chilly reception
Imagine, if you will, the quintessential British pub. A pair of elderly chaps sitting in the quiet corner discussing their best Spitfire manoeuvers, the teenage whippersnapper putting on a mature voice and trying to buy alcohol at the bar, and the inevitable legion of sports fans setting up for their weekly life or death football match. Now put 3D glasses on 'em -- doesn't work, does it? Sky TV is hoping its launch of 3D content around UK drinking establishments will be a runaway success, whereas we're just hoping those glasses aren't too hard to clean up after being inevitably discarded with disdain. Nine pubs will be broadcasting the Arsenal versus Manchester United match in 3D this Sunday, with a full rollout in April.
Sky Perfect launching 3D over satellite in Japan this summer
Another day, another broadcaster launching 3D. This time it's Japan's Sky Perfect JSAT, which plans to flip the switch ahead of World Cup 3D action in June. Of course this isn't the first 3D broadcasts for the country, but it's similar to rollouts planned by DirecTV here and Sky in the UK, using side by side format, h.264 compressed video to send the new broadcasts over existing boxes. Currently broadcasting 58 HD channels and still looking to add more, it plans to kick off with two or three programs, mostly sports and live events.
Samsung's 240Hz 3DTVs now in mass production
We're still waiting for details -- sizes, dates, prices -- on Samsung's latest HDTVs, but for now all we know is it's claiming to be the first to begin mass producing 40-, 46- and 55-inch LCD models with 3D 240Hz motion technology. Whether or not you're planning to put on some active shutter glasses and take in the 3D effects, a 20% increase in response time should make even old school 2D HDTV watching a smoother experience. Find anything wrong with that?
Comcast positioning itself to be King of 3D programming, will upgrade to real 3D this year
You know it's coming: the inevitable slew of boutique 3D television channels that will serve nothing but gratuitous content the same way all those HD-specific stations and their nature programs did a few years ago. Comcast wants to be at the forefront of the 3D exploitation capitalization to come, and while its current offerings are modest (a 3D version of The Final Destination, a Jonas Brothers concert, and other stuff your step-brother Billy might like) and only offered in anaglyph format (red/blue glasses), the good news is it isn't charging any extra for the content -- yet. Better still is a confirmation that it won't let DirecTV have the real 3D spotlight to itself for long, as VP Derek Harrar confirmed it will offer the same frame-compatible 3D (which doesn't require a new cable box, only a 3DTV) "this year." Comcast isn't saying exactly what else is coming next, but specialized channels should be cropping up before the summer is through, and you can be sure they'll be grouped into a premium "3D Tier" for the ultimate in billing surcharges.
Switched On: The two sides of 3DTV
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. Without a doubt, 3D was the keystone feature touted by every major TV and Blu-ray player manufacturer at CES 2010. But the 3D technology we'll see this year asks more of consumers than previous reinventions. As with HD, they will need new TVs, new video sources, and optimized content like Avatar to make the experience worthwhile. But consumers will also likely need glasses -- and not particularly fashionable glasses -- to experience the 3D effect. It's a lot to ask customers, given just-completed 10-year transition to digital and high-definition television. Compare that to the roughly 30-year gap that separated the mainstream arrival of color and the first HDTV in the U.S. It also remains to be seen how strong of a marketing push major electronics companies will put behind 3D. The shift to HD was aided by a government mandate that coincided with the shift from over-the-air analog broadcasts to digital broadcasts. And before there was much HD content on television, consumers embraced the dramatic form-factor shift from CRT to flat-panel televisions -- HD often just came along for the ride.
3D stole the show at CES 2010
Not sure why we've been putting this off, but we'll just come right out and say it: there's no doubt that this was the year for 3D at CES. We walked the show floor for countless hours and can tell you that just about everyone was showing something related to 3D at their booths. Most of these demos required a bit of a wait to experience them (thanks, hype), and everywhere you went people were talking about 3D. Granted, not all of that talk was positive, but it was talk nonetheless. Whether or not the technology will be seen in history as a success in the market place is obviously still up in the air, and much like a finely crafted episode of Lost, 3D at CES this year was littered with more questions than answers. %Gallery-82768%
Poll: Will you buy a 3D HDTV?
While last year's CES darling -- widget HDTVs --has expanded into full blown app stores built into every display or set-top box around, there's no question that the big news in Las Vegas in 2010 was 3D. Details on prices and exact shipping dates are still at best, sketchy, but we put our eyes into enough shutter glasses to last us until 2011. So, here's this year's question: are you ready to upgrade your HDTV for a World Cup, Avatar or BCS National Championship Game ready 3DTV? Or are you more inclined to wait for more content / lower prices before jumping in? Finally we can't forget those who never intend to buy a 3D ready setup and are perfectly happy with things the two dimensional way they've always been. Get your vote in, and as always, feel free to let us know why in the comments. %Poll-40164%
Xbox's Greenberg questions demand for at-home 3D
Over the course of this year's CES, it was easy to get swept up in the fervor around 3D technology. Not Microsoft's Xbox team lead Aaron Greenberg though -- in speaking with G4TV, Greenberg said he thinks "there's a lot of challenges about 3D in the living room." To Greenberg, it's not a question of technology (or lack thereof) that's holding back 3D, it's the home environment. "I don't know about you, but when I play games or watch TV, I've got my phone, I've got all kinds of things going on. I get up, I get down, I'm looking outside at the weather and it's ... I'm not in a dark theater, wearing glasses, staring at a screen. I think it's just a different environment." This isn't to say Microsoft isn't flexible when it comes to consumer demand -- quite the contrary! "As consumer interest for 3D grows, we'll grow with it," Greenberg admitted. "I think right now we're unsure what level of interest there is from consumers to really want a 3D experience in the living room." Currently, only a handful of games ( Avatar, Invicible Tiger, and upcoming XBLA racer Scrap Metal, to name a few) support 3D on Microsoft's console. "If it becomes really important and people want to do more with it, we're absolutely happy to support it," Greenberg assured. Of course, with plenty of resources currently invested in the development and launch of Project Natal and its motion-based technology, Microsoft certainly has incentive to keep interest in 3D at arm's length.
LG's 55-inch 3DTV is 3D (photo) ready too
Taking 3D pictures with Fujifilm's 3D point and shoot is pretty easy -- even if ultimately unsatisfying -- but if you need a place to display them, LG has that covered. Tucked away in its booth was a demo of "the world's first 3D camera compatible HDTV" dutifully taking SD-card stored snaps and putting them on the big screen. Not an entirely complex process, but we figure if a better reviewed 3D camera makes it to market, you might appreciate picking up the right HDTV for the job. %Gallery-82626%
Sony OLED 3D TV eyes-on
Hey! Don't run away just because this here display has 3D in its name -- it's optional don't you know. Sony is showing off its 24.5-inch OLED television here at CES, and we have to admit to being blown away once more by the sheer vibrancy and clarity of the output. The jump from the 15-inch panels that are still very sparsely available in retail channels is most welcome. We can totally envision spending our happily ever after with one of these screens serving all of our visual needs, 3D or otherwise. Sony's reps couldn't tell us when these will make it to market, but the pics below should whet appetites appropriately. %Gallery-82050%
DirecTV 3D broadcasts officially announced, coming in June
Buried in Panasonic's flood of CES 2010 announcements is the official confirmation that DirecTV will be first in the U.S. to offer 3D TV. The three dedicated channels (PPV, DirecTV On Demand and a free 3D sample demo) offered at launch will be "presented by Panasonic" for the first year they're on-air and available to all DirecTV HD customers via a software upgrade. Additional content partners include AEG/AEG Digital Media, CBS, Fox Sports/FSN, Golden Boy Promotions, HDNet, MTV, NBC Universal and Turner Broadcasting System -- are we the only ones hoping the Mayweather/Pacquiao bout gets pushed back and broadcast in 3D?
Mitsubishi's projection HDTVs get an adapter to deal with Blu-ray 3D
As frustrated as many haters are at the flood of 3D displays announced in the run up to CES, imagine how Mitsubishi must feel since it's been shipping compatible projection TVs for quite some time. The price of being ahead of the curve? Plugging upcoming 3D Blu-ray discs into your 82-inch projection display will require the new 3DC-1000 3D adapter to switch those right/left images to the checkerboard format Mitsubishi uses. Despite reversed polarized lenses in the demo RealD shutter glasses, flipping them upside down for a quick impression revealed 3D with as much smoothness and pop as we've experienced from competing technologies -- when flashing bulbs and jostling crowds weren't throwing off the IR synchronization. With the "easy and affordable" (but no specific price given) adapter due in the spring it should be just in time for that Avatar 3D viewing party, or maybe a bit of footy if that's more your style.
ESPN 3D launches in June with World Cup soccer -- our football to follow later
Need any more proof this is the year of 3D? USA Today is reporting ESPN 3D will start broadcasting this summer with a World Cup soccer match, with additional content coming from the Summer X Games (we won't have to wait for the flick to hit theaters this time) NBA games, and college basketball & football. DirecTV still hasn't confirmed its rumored plans for 3D, but CableLabs CEO Paul Liao is quoted calling the level of engagement 3D sports presents viewers as "unprecedented." More details on exactly how 3D in the home will happen are sure to come throughout the week -- we've already been blown away by 3D sports, it looks like everyone else will have their chance in just a few months.
NXP is bringing the hardware for new ultrawidescreen, 3D HDTVs to CES
If you've been pining over the Philips Cinema 21:9 display that's available everywhere except in the U.S., keep an eye out for any manufacturers who might use NXP's new TV550 platform, which promises built in support for 21:9 "ultrawidescreen" displays. Worried about the extra screen space going to waste while displaying 16:9 formatted television content? No problem, it's also widget-ready to run additional info or VOD menus in the space next to an HD image. Integrating all that into a single chip should also bring costs down, so it'll be even cheaper to bring back family movie night with that one relative who always complains about the black bars. As if that's not enough, there's also the company's other new development, the PNX5130, claimed to be the first video co-processor that handles 3DTV, frame-rate conversion and local dimming backlights all on one chip, for 120Hz and 240Hz displays. NXP chips have most notably recently popped up in the Roku streamer, we'll be keeping an eye out at CES 2010 to see where it goes next.
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.
UK Channel 4 set to throw some 3D programming our way
Sony and Panasonic are both hellbent on convincing us their forthcoming super-duper 3D television sets are the future, but before we all start selling off the children and re-mortgaging our homes, how about a little taster of what it might be like? Channel 4, the British answer to a question nobody ever asked, is about to offer up a selection of 3D programming this month, which it dubs as a return to "good old fashioned fun." The menu includes a documentary about the Queen's coronation (in other words, ancient history), a magic show, and even a couple of goodies like Flesh for Frankenstein and Friday the 13th, Part III. If we find can remember to get down to the local Sainsbury's and grab ourselves a free pair of those rad-looking three-dee glasses, you might even be treated to our eyes-on impressions. Watch this three-dimensional space! [Thanks, Mitch T]
Samsung showing off 55 inches of 240Hz 3D LCD glory
Look, we know this 3D thing is as likely to sink as it is to swim right now, but we have to hand it to Samsung -- it's pursuing the idea with some pretty hefty ambition. A 55-inch 1080p panel with a true 240Hz refresh rate is a decent base on which to build your paradigm-shifting new offering. Using a set of "shutter" glasses, which rapidly alternate between blocking out the left and right eye, the set is capable of delivering the full 240Hz quality, debatable as its benefits may be. Of course, the value or otherwise of a TV like this is going to be found only by experiencing its output in person, so if you're somewhere near Seoul this week, head on down to the IMID 2009 conference to get an eyeful of an early model.
Sony to debut 3D BRAVIA TVs by end of 2010, also eyeing 3D VAIOs, Blu-ray films, and PS3 games?
The Financial Times has it on good word what the major unveil in Sony chief Sir Howard Stringer's keynote tomorrow at IFA 2009 will, so much so that it's quoting him with phrases he hasn't even said yet. According to the report, the company is making a huge push into the third dimension, with 3D BRAVIA HDTVs hitting the retail channels by the end of 2010. Also on the menu is 3D-compatible PlayStation 3 titles (which we've kind of heard before), VAIO laptops, and Blu-ray movies, but it's unclear from the article if they shares the same 2010 timeline. Polarized glasses will be required for use, but hey, just consider it a fashion statement. We're now very anxious to see how close Sir Stringer sticks to this purported script for tomorrow's big event.
3D TV channel coming to UK next year, 3D-ready set and glasses required
We can still remember the days, not too long ago, that HD channels were but a sparse luxury. Now of course they're a dime a dozen, but you can still look onward to the next big thing, which BSkyB is wagering will be 3D. The satellite broadcast is gearing up to launch a 3D television station next year to showcase movies, and sports -- the latter of which we're thinking will be the biggest draw. Any customer with a Sky+ HD box can receive the transmission, but you're also gonna need to look past that ragged old flat-panel HDTV and instead use a 3D-ready set and glasses. We can't imagine a huge demand for this anytime in the near future, but if the technology does take off, they'll be more than ready to capitalize.
Deutsche Telekom exec sees holographic TV within a decade
Deutsche Telekom, the parent company of the better known T-Mobile, has certainly made a name for itself over at the IPTV World Forum. The outfit's Chief Innovation Officer Christopher Schlaffer was quoted as saying that both 3DTV and holographic TV were definitely primed to take off within the next ten years. His reasoning for such a bold assertion was this: "Storage capacity and processing capacity is exploding. There is no doubt that bandwidth is tripling every year, so ten years from now are we going to be looking at 1,000Mb connections in every home on average? I would say yes, absolutely." Granted, this is just one guy's opinion on what may or may not happen, but given just how quickly the television viewing experience is morphing right now, we suppose it's not all that far-fetched. Besides, some of this has to come true if we're to enjoy the 2012 Olympics in 3D, right?[Via ElectricPig]
