Exploring Digital Trends @Engauge

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@KathleneHestir

There has been a LOT of talk about 3-D television over the past few days thanks to the billion dollar success of James Cameron’s Avatar and several exciting unveilings at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Vegas. Mighty electronic competitors like Sony, Samsung, Toshiba, LG and Panasonic revealed their versions of 3-D televisions alongside other 3-D technologies they hope to bring to the market in 2010.

Sony Leading the Pack: Sony is not hiding its intentions to dominate the 3-D television industry. They have partnered with major networks like ESPN, Discovery and IMAX to launch 3-D channels by 2011. Disney-owned ESPN promises the earliest launch with a June 11 broadcast of the FIFA World Cup soccer match. They also promised to show at least 85 other live sporting events including the Summer X-Games, U.S. PGA Tour, college basketball and college football, however the 3-D channel will go dark when they are unable to provide content. Sony has also partnered with the Discovery Channel and IMAX to launch the first 24/7 3-D television network in the country in 2011. Sony plans to have 46,000,000 3-D televisions produced by 2013.  DirecTV Inc. is also planning to launch two 3-D channels and a 3-D video-on-demand service in 2011.

3-D Equipment: To experience 3-D television in full you will need to purchase a new 3-D television and a special 3-D cable box and/or a special Blue-ray player, along with cables to transport the large 3-D files. Viewers will also need to wear special polarized 3D glasses to enjoy the full effect. All of this equipment is likely to cost up to $5,000, and networks have yet to announce if they will charge premium fees for 3-D channels.

Panasonic unveiled the world’s largest high-def, 3-D television at CES; with a screen size equal to nine 50-inch panels. They also revealed a 3-D camcorder for consumers looking to record their own 3-D content.

Samsung and Toshiba discussed plans to offer select 3-D televisions with processors that would enable the conversion of 2-D programming to 3-D in real time. Samsung also wowed the crowd with a 52-inch 3-D Display that did not require any glasses, and its ultra-thin 9000 3-D television series with a screen thickness of 0.3 inches – the same thickness as a pencil.

The 3-D Dilemma: Many tech aficionados are voicing their skepticism on the future of 3-D television, stating the expensive upgrade costs for consumers, the lack of programming offered and the sheer pain of keeping up with and wearing 3-D glasses. While 3-D movies are drawing larger and larger crowds – everyone knows you behave differently in a theater versus at home watching a football game with your friends. So will 3-D televisions sets successfully transition into our homes as easily as hi-def and blue-ray? Only time will tell…