3D or not 3D...question for any of the WHF team

[admin_exported]

Having read much about 3D, I was wondering if any of the team could look into their crystal ball and comment on the future of 3D films. Are films likely to be produced in 2D on the whole for a few years to come, with only CGI films like Up or Avatar cashing in on the 3D techology? Or will most films be in 3D within a couple of years? May be an impossible question, but would be interested in your comments....Just wondering if I should buy a 3D compatible blu ray player to future proof myself (altough only have 2D tv set), or will a 2D blu ray player will see me fit for a good few years...

Many thanks!

Pete

 

[Andrew Everard]

I would expect it to be several years before there's any substantial library of 3D Blu-ray content available, and that the majority of films will continue to be made in 2D for the foreseeable future, with only the popcorn spectaculars succumbing to 3D.

That said, interestingly defensive piece on 3D here...

 

[keneddy]

I own a Pioneer Plasma TV -one of the last 43" ( XDE I think ), which has been superb. I also own a Denon 3802 AV Amp-again, very good quality. I am about to buy a Blue-ray player. My problem is: I need multi-channel outputs as I have no intention at present to change my amp or TV, and the makes I am looking at -Sony, Panasonic etc. dont support them. In addition, I don't need 3D ( for the same reasons ), but the better quality sets all include this. Why can I not just buy a good quality 2D set with these connections-or is the market forcing us to take 3D? And what happens if the format of 3D changes-ie: some TVs now dont require the viewer to wear glasses? Thanks . Ken.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Players such as the Cambridge Audio and Oppo models do have just such multichannel outs – group test coming up in August issue, on sale end of this month.

The reason for all the 3D sets is that, for the moment at least, that's the way the TV companies all think the market is going – or rather, that's the way they'd like the market to go, in order to keep premium-product prices higher. I guess the answer is just to buy a set that's very good with 2D, and not use the 3D capability.

And if one technology wins out over the other, there should be no problem: the difference between the 3D formats is down to how the sets and their glasses handle the content, not how it's broadcast or delivered from disc, so it's not a case of buying a set that'll be obsolete overnight should the current 'format war' ever be resolved.