Fully Baked 3-D Emerges
3-D is a decades-old idea that started as a theatrical gimmick and has oft been attempted as entertainment since the first—and found wanting. But not this time, say display-market analysts and supplier executives; its arrival, in believable, eye-pleasing form—on both the residential and commercial sides—is being heralded as the next big thing in displays.
“Consumers are of two minds: there are those who’ve seen the cartoons and say ‘why?’ and those who’ve seen the recent feature films and say, ‘why did it take so long?’” says Bob Perry, executive vice president of Panasonic’s Consumer Products Group. The company, at its massive CES booth earlier this year, demo’ed a 3-D full HD system using its 103-inch plasma display and a Blu-ray disc player in tandem. It is a strong proponent of 3-D and an even stronger proponent of a uniform industrywide standard for content creation that will ensure 3-D’s success by ensuring a consistent viewer experience.
“We believe it’s ready for prime time—for us; it’s a next-year product, in time for second-half sales. Unlike a high-resolution experience, it’s an immersive, compelling experience. This is the next frontier in TV—the step-up feature of the future.”
“The technology, content and distribution are starting to align to make 3-D in the professional, theatrical and home venues a viable, compelling visual experience,” concurs Chris Chinnock, president of research company Insight Media, devoted to studying the display industry. What are the signs? He says 3-D has thus far proven to be a major profit center in movie theaters, with consumers willing to pay $3 or $4 a ticket more for the same content in 3-D as for the non-3-D version. “And because Hollywood loves the revenue part of it, there’s a huge slate of 3-D movies coming now to drive the quantity of content forward.”
Also, Chinnock points out, 60 percent of Hollywood revenues are generated by non-theatrical streams such as DVD, Blu-ray and other delivery methods. “Internet, gaming consoles—all of it will happen. Together with the drive for standards creation,” he adds, “the satellite, cable and broadcast folks are huddling to leverage the current HD infrastructure to find ways to deliver it to the home.”
3-D is a decades-old idea that started as a theatrical gimmick and has oft been attempted as entertainment since the first—and found wanting. But not this time, say display-market analysts and supplier executives; its arrival, in believable, eye-pleasing form—on both the residential and commercial sides—is being heralded as the next big thing in displays.
“Consumers are of two minds: there are those who’ve seen the cartoons and say ‘why?’ and those who’ve seen the recent feature films and say, ‘why did it take so long?’” says Bob Perry, executive vice president of Panasonic’s Consumer Products Group. The company, at its massive CES booth earlier this year, demo’ed a 3-D full HD system using its 103-inch plasma display and a Blu-ray disc player in tandem. It is a strong proponent of 3-D and an even stronger proponent of a uniform industrywide standard for content creation that will ensure 3-D’s success by ensuring a consistent viewer experience.
“We believe it’s ready for prime time—for us; it’s a next-year product, in time for second-half sales. Unlike a high-resolution experience, it’s an immersive, compelling experience. This is the next frontier in TV—the step-up feature of the future.”
“The technology, content and distribution are starting to align to make 3-D in the professional, theatrical and home venues a viable, compelling visual experience,” concurs Chris Chinnock, president of research company Insight Media, devoted to studying the display industry. What are the signs? He says 3-D has thus far proven to be a major profit center in movie theaters, with consumers willing to pay $3 or $4 a ticket more for the same content in 3-D as for the non-3-D version. “And because Hollywood loves the revenue part of it, there’s a huge slate of 3-D movies coming now to drive the quantity of content forward.”
Also, Chinnock points out, 60 percent of Hollywood revenues are generated by non-theatrical streams such as DVD, Blu-ray and other delivery methods. “Internet, gaming consoles—all of it will happen. Together with the drive for standards creation,” he adds, “the satellite, cable and broadcast folks are huddling to leverage the current HD infrastructure to find ways to deliver it to the home.”
