Sony, others to intro 3D TVs next year

Matthew DeCarlo

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Sony is reportedly planning to launch 3D televisions next year in an attempt to increase sales of flat screen sets. CEO Howard Stringer believes that 3D is on its way to becoming a mass-market technology. At today's IFA technology conference in Berlin, Stringer acknowledge that some kinks still need to be ironed out, but said that "the 3D train is on the track and Sony is ready to drive it home."

Sony's Bravia TV line will be their first 3D-equipped offering, but the company hopes to take it much further than that. Stringer wants to see 3D content brought to other devices like Sony's VAIO laptops, PlayStation 3, and its Blu-ray players. Sony has not disclosed how much they will be charging for the 3D-enabled Bravia sets, but it's safe to assume several thousand dollars.

The 3D movement is thought to be fueled by the cinematic success of 3D films. Many manufacturers have a newly spurred interest in producing 3D gadgets, among the larger names is LG and Samsung -- who plan to enter the market with 3D TVs of their own. Meanwhile, satellite broadcaster Sky is working to introduce a 3D channel next year.

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The second to last paragraph in the article (follow the link in Matthew's article above) explains that shutter glasses or colored lens glasses will be a part of this 3D experience.
I believe that the research phase is still on-going for lens-less 3D TV. They will use some manor of prism-ed glass to produce a 3D effect from multiple projected sources. The idea is something like those pictures on a cereal box which have motion, but this is a horrible comparison. They do expect the commercial versions to have a well defined, and believable look.
Here's a small demo and technical explanation: http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/mitsubishi-shows-off-3d-tv-technology-no-glasses-needed/
This whole 3D gimmick is the new "HD". It's the fancy must have / planned obsolescence to make consumers rush out to the nearest electronics store and buy in bulk. I wholly expect people to buy a 3D TV set to replace their working HD TV set, and then a 2K ready TV just a short time after that. myself, I'm waiting for the Holodeck - I hear that will be available in just a few years after that. (kidding)
 
I say go for it Sony! The sooner the better.
It will become mainstream and then afforable after they get enough in production. These LED TVs look cool too, but those prices have to come down before many of us can afford them.
Oh and it will bring the other HD TVs down in price. Look at LCD vs LED. Look how the price the 120hz TVs have gone down since they are becoming more prevailent. The 3D feature will have to do the same; take over as a perminent feature in the television and even PC monitors in order to bring the price down for people without wads of cash.
 
I hate 3d glasses... and this idea, while cool in some ways, just seems ridiculous. While some people might jump at the chance at owning a 3DTV, I think the majority of the world really doesn't give a crap. Anything that requires you to wear a special type of glasses in order to view media seems like a fail to me. They always have these 3d kicks and they eventually go away. It happened prior to the 80s, in the 80s, in the 90s and again, now... I suspect that a few sets will come out... but they'll sell poorly and go the way of the HD-DVD. The only way I can see a 3DTV succeed, is if glasses weren't required. This isn't groundbreaking technology... it's just revisited technology for a different venue. Instead of a movie theater or book (like a comic book), or one of those View Masters... it's a tv.
I'm already over it... I'm actually more interested in true 240hz refresh rates and true LED screens, not just backlit or sidelit LED bulbs.
 
They just needed a way to get TV's back up to ten grand. These damn thousand dollar TV's just aren't expensive enough.
 
tengeta said:
They just needed a way to get TV's back up to ten grand. These damn thousand dollar TV's just aren't expensive enough.
Could do that with OLED, like the original release of Sony's 11". They're jumping the gun here and it's going to lead to lost profits and a waste in r&d money.
 
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