Sony pledges 'affordable' 3D TV experience

Sony today pledged to make viewing this summer's World Cup in 3D "more affordable", momentarily forgetting that - so far - no one is broadcasting the matches in more than two dimensions here. It also set out its 3D stall, promising not only screens but also Blu-ray Disc players and PS3 games that can take advantage of the …

[Annihilator]

Consumer or industry driven

Has anyone figured out who actually WANTS this to become a reality? I'm suspecting the hardware manufacturers more than the consumer. People look at me as if I'm insane when I say I went to see Avatar in 2D and discovered it was rubbish.

Get the funniest feeling we'll look back on this in 20 years with the same chortles we aim at anaglyph images.

If I want a 3D viewing experience, I'll go and see a play.

[GettinSadda]

Pinch of salt needed

"Buy a 3D BD player and you may receive a copy of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and Deep Sea in 3D."

Yeah, but I would take that claim with a huge pinch of salt - the BD player I bought from Sony claimed to give me two free BD films. There is a CD ROM in the box that you put in your PC, it then asks you for your details and the serial number of the BD player and sends these to Sony. I did that over a year ago, and still have not received my free discs!

[Anonymous Coward]

Hmmm

Personally, I can't forsee me ever buying one.

The notion that I'm going to sit around wearing glasses in my own home to watch TV seems bizarre, not to mention the issues when 3 or 4 friends come 'round.

On this fad, i think I'm gunna pass.

[Oliver King]

OK

You must be aware by now that it is illegal for a manufacturer to set s RRP for a TV in the UK. It is therefore hardly surprising that Sony is 'staying mum'.

[Anonymous Coward]

Pricing?

Let's face it, Sony's affordable is somewhere between a months and a years wages...

[JaffaMan]

ow my brain/eyes/wallet!

I got up close and personal with several 3D TVs at the recent Gadget Show Live. Yes, it's quite impressive. But most manufactures are going with the active shutter system. To me, I could just perceive the flicker of the glasses and after watching some demos (Sony was playing 3D videos via a PS3 btw, Wipeout and Motorstorm looked awesome!) after only a minute or so, my eyes/brain hurt!!

Not to mention so would your wallet. £100 for a paid of active shutter glasses!! So if you've a family of 4 and invite another couple over, that's £600 just in glasses. And how many pairs do you reckon you'll sit on/the dog will chew/drop in a pint glass over the year?!

LG were the only one with a passive (polarised) display. Much more eye friendly but only 720p (oh diddums, looked good enough to me and my eyesight is top notch).

Passive or not at all for me

[Anonymous Coward]

Blimey.

Blimey you're all a bunch of whiners! You all sound like the people who pooh poohed the motor car, because it was slow, noisy and didn't run on hay.

Go and look at these new Sony panels and you'll notice the difference in quality. Ignoring the 3d, you get the variable LED system for intense contrast, and a 200htz refresh rate using the third version of the Bravia engine. The picture quality is awesome. Plus you get FreeviewHD built in, and the PS3 can make use of it 'out of the box' .

The 3d -- at least in the Sony TVs I've seen -- are all active, this is why the TV runs at 200hz, so you get the left eye and right eye at 100hz each. It's because of the requirement of 3d, the 'normal' 2d is at 200hz, and that alone is worth it.

The 3d is a gimmick, not likely to be used much outside of the occasional BlueRay film, but the technology leads onto a much improved viewing performance for the normal 2d.

All of this made me pre-order by 900 series one a few weeks ago. (It better be here by the World Cup! ;)

[BRYN]

If Sony's TV are so good

How come they really on Samsung to make their panels.

What your really saying is look how good those Smasung panels work in the overly espensive Sony plastic box, designed for people to stupid to releiase that Sony is on a shell of its form 80's glroy days, when it made everything it sold and was a quality prosduct.

Mines the one with a Samsung telly in the pocket and an extra £300 to spend in ther other pocket

[Oliver King]

OK

Time to dispel that Sony is really a Samsung myth again. Whilst Sony we're in a joint venture with Samsung for the panel substrate, the colour filters, backlight, panel drivers and image processing are all Sony. They're now working with Sharp on the panel.

Having watched the Man U v. Chelsea in 3D in the pub on a LG polarising system it really was impressive and added to the game. It was far from a gimmick. The active shutter system is even better which I also saw at the Gadget Show.

I'm with Blimey, a 40LX903 including 2 pairs of glasses for £2k, which is cheaper than the first 1080P set I bought, plus my PS3 and Sky HD only requiring a firmware upgrade I'm looking forward to it.

[Anonymous Coward]

Said it before, will say it again,...

3D will be a gimmick as long as the experience is not immersive. With games and other technology, we are used to interacting; until the 3d experience matches this, it will fall short in the public consciousness.