— Are people really ready to don funny glasses to watch
three-dimensional television in their homes? The answer is a resounding
“yes,” according to the electronics and entertainment industries.
A technology developed in the 1920s, 3-D has often
been ignored or ridiculed. For years it was used in cheesy monster
movies or similar B-movies and required viewers to wear cheap,
eye-straining plastic glasses.
“3-D has had a bumpy ride,” Samsung America President
Yet 3-D technology now seems poised for its big
breakthrough, fresh on the heels of the blockbuster hit “Avatar.” The
3-D movie has already generated more than
Encouraged by that success, leading TV manufacturers, broadcasters,
plan to launch 3-D devices and services in 2010. Even glass makers are
getting into the act with fashionable 3-D shades that viewers won’t be
embarrassed to wear.
“It is now absolutely clear that 3-D is a global movement across all industries,” said
By the end of spring, TV makers
will introduce as many as two dozen 3-D-capable television sets. They
also plan to sell 3-D Blu-ray players and 3-D-compatible sound systems.
Many of these devices will be available in retail stores before the World Cup begins in June.
To entice customers,
The 3-D movement needs a broadcaster such as
early in its infancy. The company was one of the first to make a big
push in HD starting in 2003, hastening widespread adoption of the
technology that initially struggled to set down roots. Since then,
older analog TVs have been phased out by manufacturers and HD is coming
to dominate.
“We know sports fans drive new technology,” said
Also on board is satellite provider
To fill those 3-D channels, cable and satellite providers need
“It’s an incredible artistic tool for filmmakers, and it has proven to be very big business,” said
Movie lovers and sports fans aren’t the only groups
of consumers being targeted. As part of their 3-D push, electronics and
entertainment companies aim to capture the youth crowd with 3-D video
games and 3-D displays for computers.
millions of customers who own the PlayStation3 video console will be
able to add 3-D technology to their boxes with a simple firmware
download. And
“Clearly this is going to be a must-have for the next generation of gaming,” Huang said.
3-D is even spreading beyond entertainment and will be incorporated into digital cameras and video recorders.
As stunning as 3-D looks on TV, it might look even
better for photos and home video, based on demonstrations at the annual
CES. 3-D cameras could also help the technology make bigger inroads
among women, who are major purchasers of cameras and recorders.
Despite all the attention, however, it’s far from
clear if consumers are willing to join the 3-D revolution. Many
households have already spent small fortunes to buy HDTVs or build home
theaters based on old-fashioned two-dimensional technology. They might
be very reluctant to buy premium-priced 3-D TVs anytime soon,
especially given a poor economy.
What’s more, there is simply not enough content in
3-D available now to make it worthwhile for most consumers to upgrade.
TV makers have developed technology to “upconvert” 2-D video into 3-D
video, but it’s not as good as native 3-D.
Yet the backing of so many titans in the electronics
and entertainment industries seems sure to give 3-D the kind of push
its never gotten before — the kind of push that might just make 3-D a
mainstream technology 90 years after it was invented.
It doesn’t hurt that those cheap 3-D glasses now have a little more style.
—
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