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LAS VEGAS
— 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
Tim Baxter
acknowledged.
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
$1.1 billion
in worldwide sales, making it the second biggest revenue
generator ever.
Encouraged
by that success, leading TV manufacturers, broadcasters,
Hollywood
studios, computer companies and video providers such as
DirecTV
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
Jen-Hsun Huang
, chief executive of graphics chipmaker
Nvidia
, one of dozens of companies that demonstrated 3-D at
the massive Consumer Electronics Show in
Las Vegas
. It was one of the big themes of the 2010 event.
By the
end of spring, TV makers
Sony Corp.
,
Samsung Electronics Co.
,
Toshiba Corp.
,
Panasonic Corp.
and
LG Display Co.
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,
Sony
and
Walt Disney Co.'s
ESPN
will collaborate to film up to 25 World Cup games in 3-D
— the most-watched event on the planet.
ESPN
will even create a new channel specifically for 3-D.
The 3-D
movement needs a broadcaster such as
ESPN
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
ESPN
President
George Bodenheimer
.
Also on
board is satellite provider
DirecTV
, another company instrumental in helping to create the
HD market in the U.S.
DirecTV
plans to create several channels dedicated to 3-D
content later this year.
To fill
those 3-D channels, cable and satellite providers need
Hollywood
to start pumping out far more 3-D shows and movies.
Along with
ESPN
and
Sony's
own large movie studio,
Dreamworks
, Discovery Channel and
Imax
have already signed on. More broadcasters are expected
to follow.
"It's
an incredible artistic tool for filmmakers, and it has
proven to be very big business," said
Dreamworks
CEO
Jeffrey Katzenberg
, whose studio plans to release a version of the
animated hit "Monsters vs. Aliens" in 3-D.
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.
Sony
, for example, said 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
Nvidia Corp.
has produced new 3-D graphics chips and teamed up with
computer makers such as
AsusTek Computer Inc.
and video-game producer Epic Gaming to bring 3-D
technology to the market.
"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.
Sony
,
Samsung
and
Panasonic
are among the companies that plan to sell 3-D cameras
and recorders in the near future.
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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