3D TV will won't go primetime in 2011

One analyst’s recent claim that sales of 3D TVs will truly take off during 2011 is far-fetched, a rival market watcher has claimed. Claudio Aspesi, an researcher at US investment firm Sanford Bernstein, this week forecast: "The beginnings of broad 3D TV adoption in Europe could take place as early as 2011," according to a …

[Francis Davey 1]

Resolution?

My experiences of playing with a 3d (autostereo) display in the early 90's was that switching from 2 to 3D made a blocky low-res picture look much better. Your brain already does a lot of smoothing. I'm not sure that you need quite the same picture quality as you do with 2D, or at least that its not completely obvious that you do.

[Tzael]

Consumer uptake

We may see some manufacturers and content providers teaming up for limited trials in the next couple of years but I think consumers will be wary of format problems. Think of how many people were stung by buying HD-ready TVs that weren't fully HD compliant. Everyone's just about comfortable with DVDs but Blu-Ray hasn't really taken off yet and there are no doubt a few bitter memories of buying HD-DVD set-top boxes and movies amongst the early adopters.

I reckon we'll see a proper roll-out of 3D TV services after 2012. There's a lot of work to do before such services are mature enough and the appropriate hardware is pushed along the production and distribution pipelines.

[Paul Shirley]

3D gaming headache

Let's hope LCD's do a lot better than CRT's did last time 3D gaming sank without trace.

I still remember the wicked headaches and queasiness as little as 10min of 3D gaming caused at 160Hz on a good CRT in the 90's. Pushing the monitor to a punishing 200Hz didn't help.

Most likely the combination of reduced frame rates trying to push out that stereo view and the difficulty tuning the effect for your exact seat position were the cause. With every new game bringing top of the line graphics monsters to their knees this doesn't bode well for 3D gaming to become widespread. Crysis at 30fps may be playable but not while holding a sick bag!

[Ralph B]

Not the joystick you were thinking of

> Gaming will be the “killer content” for 3D

No. It'll be porn. Like it always is.

[MeRp]

@Paul Shirley

3D gaming sank w/o a trace? Was that today? Why isn't there a reg article about this... no more FPS games being produced!

The wicked headaches and queasiness have drastically reduced for most people as effects and frame rates improved. Turning up the refresh rate on the monitor doesn't do that much when you still only have 15 fps from the software...

[WinHatter]

The final piece of the puzzle is picture quality

Based on Sky's "Quality Programmes" I don't see it as a major issue.

Crap in HD is still crap, applies also to 3D & 3DHD

As for games if the TV does not cover the full visual field + the torso/head rotation angles, I don't see the interest as the brain is already doing the job, and if it were the motion on the screen would not match the inner ear sensors which may end up in falls whilst sitting.

Expect some law suits.

[Sorry that handle is already taken.]

@MeRp

You have misunderstood. Paul is referring to stereoscopic gaming through the use of shuttered goggles, and a video card and game that support them.

[Anonymous Coward]

Here we go again

Been hearing this for years, they say gaming will be the killer app, but only if they get the programmers to stop using 2d tricks in their rendering, Stereoscopic gaming has got a lot harder since the introduction of pixel shaders!

[Joey]

Nah...

...it was a flop when they tried it with radio, it will flop again!