Whether you love it or hate it, get ready for 3D HDTV
3D HDTV looks set to be the next big thing in the consumer market. Here's our guide to what you need to know to enhance your viewing pleasure.
Your mileage may vary
Don't be surprised if you buy a 3D HDTV this year, take it home, turn it on, and get a blurry mess instead of eye-popping 3D.
Beyond glasses and a new TV, there are still some issues that will make the 3D transition just as frustrating and difficult as the move to HDTV. For starters, you're going to need new cables, HDMI spec 1.4 to be exact.
In addition to 3D, the new iteration of HDMI will support expanded colour spaces, 4K resolutions (4 times the standard 1080p resolution), and ethernet over HDMI (the ability to share an internet connection over the HDMI cable).
The extra features should make an upgrade ideal even for those who aren't planning to move towards 3D, but it is a requirement for those making 3D a home theatre option.
And how about 3D content? Many content developers such as Blu-ray and DirecTV have pledged support, but you may need to buy a new box that will support 3D output.
For those of you who use a PS3 as your Blu-ray player, you'll be pleased to know that Sony is making the PS3 forward compatible with 3D and will most likely utilise a firmware upgrade to support new 3D movies.
However, the fate of other 3D Blu-ray players has yet to be discussed and you may need to purchase new hardware.
And finally, even if you get all the cables and boxes figured out, an unlucky five to ten percent will be unable to watch 3D content at all.
Turns out some of you have eyes that aren't quite up to spec on 3D technology, and are unable to perceive depth on a 2D plane.
These stereoblind people can do exercises and buy eyewear to train their eyes into seeing 3D on a TV, but is the cost and effort really worth the privilege of buying more consumer electronics?
There are many questions left to be answered this year. Will 3D really be the revolution all the big manufacturers want you to think it is?
Are you sitting at your computer, credit-card in hand waiting to pre-order that first set?
In 2010 the big TV story is 3D HDTV; that's a fact, we just don't know yet if it's going to have a happy ending.
Comments
Lew Warren said: David your article is great but anaglyph 3D redblue glasses for movies was ONLY for short subjects in the 20s and 30s Polarization was invented in the 40s so ALL movies in the 50s and since have been using polarized glassesAnaglyph 3D is still used for movies on TV because the pixel structure even for 1080p isnt detailed enough to pass on the polarization The new 3D HDTVs will have to use the shutter glasses for true colorProjected HDTV could be polarized and therefore use the polarized glasses This would be a good solution for bars and large home theatersAnaglyph 3D was used and still is used for printed material such as comic books
callum said: Eric you do realise people were and still are saying the same about HD and bluray and I imagine many said the same as colourNo they dont expect the public to keep up with them As you may remember when HDTVs came out they were very expensive As with virtually all new technology a group of enthusiasts buy them and over time they get cheaper and cheaper until now where HDTVs are pretty much standardThe same will probably happen with this A few will buy them upon release it slowly drops in price over the next few years then more people choose to buy them so they get even cheaper etc etc
V.R. said: In rural Pennsylvania we are in a tech black hole The only way to receive cable is to buy a dish the only way to get half way decent net speed is to buy another dish In fact since the networks went digital the only way to receive their broadcasts reliably is through the satellite dish The converter boxes work but the signals can not be trusted to stay strong 3D TV sounds incredible but it also sounds like more trouble than its worth for at least a few years
Eric Adolpho said: I can understand technology moving on but in my opinion this has got to be over the top The manufacturers have just pushed out the LED televisions giving better clarity in viewing standards and now this What cost for the recievers and then the costs for say 4 people in a household for the glasses Is this all about changing your television as often as changing a pair off trainers How long do these companies expect the public to keep up with them the cost in doing it is very high Are we all rich people
Mike O'Connor said: Read elsewhere that free-to-air TV doesnt have the necessary bandwidth 40 mbps to broadcast 3D-TV in High Definition although BluRay can provide the bandwidth Whats the truth about the situation