The Truth About 3D TV...

[Anonymous]

I'm not interested either.

Conceptually, I don't like the idea of 3d films as the future of film making - fortuneately the vast majority of films will continue to be in 2d (only big blockbusters and animated films will most likely be in the format). I can't see any smaller films being released in 3d or any foreign films.

Technically, I wouldn't be interested unless the screens were large enough to produce a truly "immersive" (I don't need 3d to feel "immersed" in a film, a good plot, characters etc do that already) experience (ie projector and screen NOT tvs), and the technology worked faultlessly with fast motion, and sports (though I don't want to watch football in 3d).

I certainly don't want films to be updated into 3d.

I hope it's a fad which passes.

 

[Anonymous]

There's a few things to clear up here...

* It's unlikley that footy fans are going to wear glasses in a bar - at home, alone, however - who knows?

* The fad/gimmick arguement - it's clearly got an audience and it's not something that 'replaces' films/broadcasts, but it's something that the public are driving. And, if anything, movie studios need this technology to restart cinemas after BD players and home cinema set-ups are rapidly beating what you can expect from your local Odeon.

* If you play games, it's great. We've played them and MotorStorm is very impressive.

* format war? It's possible, though broadcast and BD are two different wars.

* Sony have said that a 50GB disc is fine for a 3D feature film, though extras will need a second disc.

Maybe this is a Big Question topic as well as a feature....

Anyway, keep the questions coming, as we'll be putting them to the key players behind the tech very soon.

 

[Sliced Bread]

Thanks for the feedback Richard. However with regard to...

Richard Melville:Sony have said that a 50GB disc is fine for a 3D feature film, though extras will need a second disc.

...I'm sure the picture will fit on the disc, but the question is...will they need to compress the picture in order to make it work?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Richard Melville:but it's something that the public are driving.

With respect, Rich - cobblers!

It's purely being driven by the movie and electronics industries, keen to drive sales and boost margins, as I explained here...

 

[Alec]

Sorry Mr Melville, I'm with Andrew. In fact, the only point i can grant you there is that its good for gaming - you would know and i wouldnt as im not a gamer. Also, you may be right about disk capacity but it doesnt help if im not interested. But hey, im not even interested in bluray live extras.

I'm also with Mark Kermode a little, who says its also another way of trying to stay ahead of pirates.

 

[Andrew Everard]

al7478:I'm also with Mark Kermode a little, who says its also another way of trying to stay ahead of pirates.

As indeed I pointed out in that blog. And it seems the straw-poll here is favouring the 'non placet' camp...

 

[Alec]

Andrew Everard:

al7478:I'm also with Mark Kermode a little, who says its also another way of trying to stay ahead of pirates.

As indeed I pointed out in that blog. And it seems the straw-poll here is favouring the 'non placet' camp...

Well im glad you've been keeping up with the good Doctor. I just find his radio slot entertaining, regardless of whether i agree with him on the films he reviews.

 

[Cofnchtr]

Richard Melville:
There's a few things to clear up here...

The fad/gimmick arguement - it's clearly got an audience and it's not something that 'replaces' films/broadcasts, but it's something that the public are driving. And, if anything, movie studios need this technology to restart cinemas after BD players and home cinema set-ups are rapidly beating what you can expect from your local Odeon.

Hi,

Was the question not about 3D TV?? It's clearly got an audience at the cinema but not big enough to warrant every release being 3D or it would already have happened given how long it's been around. (Jaws 3D anyone). I believe people go to the cinema to watch in 3D 'to see what it's like' rather than being a fan of the medium. Are there figures to back the claim in comparison to an 'ordinary' release of the same film? How many went to see 'A Blockbuster in 3D' compared to 'A Blockbuster in 2D'?

And as Andrew E says - I don't think it's consumer driven. Perhaps some of the 'if you say it often enough people will start to believe you' philosophy here?

Cheers,

Cofnchtr.

 

[Anonymous]

Totally not interested, I don't even watch enough porn to warrant been interested in it, well let's face it, they're the only players that would take it seriously.

I went to see Journey to the Centre of the Earth in 3D as well as Bugs at the Imax, the former because it was the only thing we could get to see with some free tickets at the time and the latter purely just out of curiousity a few years ago.

Now the cinema experience was okay but was no where quality picture wise. It didn't handle fast motion at all well, looking blurry and slightly discoloured. Same could be said of my Imax experience, which is maybe why they use the shock factor to make it interesting, most of everything else was shown in a laboured slow way (panning shots) as it seemed they (the makers) knew fast doesn't work as well.

We're all striving for higher quality HD pictures, well some of us that care anyway, but it's going to come to a point, will we really be able to tell the difference on our meagre sized TV's using just our eyes. I had the Blu Ray of Journey in 3D, absolute rubbish, to the point I couldn't even watch it for longer than 15 mins, so viewed the normal version instead.

And as for replacing my new HD tv for a 3D one, probably not in my lifetime by which time there will be something else more radically different to warrant a TV or media watching interface to change to.

 

[Anonymous]

What a miserable cynical lot you are - Bring 3D on it is the future and I cant wait to see it.So dont keep knocking something you have yet to see !!!!!1

 

[zientific]

Like so many others, I'm not interested especially if I have to wear glasses.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Ah, but I have seen it - lots, and from several manufacturers -, and...

 

[pete321]

Another one for the not particularly bothered, for all the reasons already mentioned. We're probably going to get more pixels and even sharper 2D images in the not too distant future, I'd be concerned that with 3D you'd lose some of ultra clear/sharp picture we're all becoming used to.

 

[Anonymous]

Clive Smith:What a miserable cynical lot you are - Bring 3D on it is the future and I cant wait to see it.So dont keep knocking something you have yet to see !!!!!1

The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who haven't got it.

- George Bernard Shaw

And like others, have seen it and still don't rate it.

 

[fido87456]

Not interested in 3D at all, I predict it'll be a niche cinema market for a while and then go away.

 

[ElectroMan]

Clive Smith:What a miserable cynical lot you are - Bring 3D on it is the future and I cant wait to see it.So dont keep knocking something you have yet to see !!!!!1

I'm only cynical because the manufacturers seem to be shortening the life cycle of our televisions.

From black & white to colour, small screen to large screen, full screen to wide screen, at least these upgrades took a decent length of time. Now, just as people have bought HD sets, here comes another system that we all need to upgrade to!

And having used a 'frame sequential' 3D system with LCD shutter glasses, I know it can look amazing; but there's the rub - I wouldn't want to wear special glasses for very long, because it can get quite tiring.

 

[nads]

Cofnchtr:Richard Melville:
There's a few things to clear up here...

The fad/gimmick arguement - it's clearly got an audience and it's not something that 'replaces' films/broadcasts, but it's something that the public are driving. And, if anything, movie studios need this technology to restart cinemas after BD players and home cinema set-ups are rapidly beating what you can expect from your local Odeon.

Hi,

Was the question not about 3D TV?? It's clearly got an audience at the cinema but not big enough to warrant every release being 3D or it would already have happened given how long it's been around. (Jaws 3D anyone). I believe people go to the cinema to watch in 3D 'to see what it's like' rather than being a fan of the medium. Are there figures to back the claim in comparison to an 'ordinary' release of the same film? How many went to see 'A Blockbuster in 3D' compared to 'A Blockbuster in 2D'?

And as Andrew E says - I don't think it's consumer driven. Perhaps some of the 'if you say it often enough people will start to believe you' philosophy here?

Cheers,

Cofnchtr.

+1

Yep go and see it at the megaplex, well what is the cost? a couple of tickets.

Watch it at home, what is the additional cost on top of what we have already spent on the HDDVD BD players. and then the 7.1 set up and amp not to mention the 50" plasma or the projector.

Like i hinted at earlier what will we need to change? what additional boxes will we need? and will we need a new screen!

 

[Andrew Everard]

New player, new TV, silly glasses...

 

[bigboss]

ElectroMan:

Clive Smith:What a miserable cynical lot you are - Bring 3D on it is the future and I cant wait to see it.So dont keep knocking something you have yet to see !!!!!1

I'm only cynical because the manufacturers seem to be shortening the life cycle of our televisions.

From black & white to colour, small screen to large screen, full screen to wide screen, at least these upgrades took a decent length of time. Now, just as people have bought HD sets, here comes another system that we all need to upgrade to!

And having used a 'frame sequential' 3D system with LCD shutter glasses, I know it can look amazing; but there's the rub - I wouldn't want to wear special glasses for very long, because it can get quite tiring.

I completely agree with that. HD is just about to take off in a big way....& another format is already knocking at its doors! I suspect, that's exactly going to be the reason why 3D may not take off in the big way as many are anticipating. It's an expensive technology, & how many people are going to afford it, in this economic climate, after having invested in HD? Laser Discs remained in the niche market until it died.....never became commercially successful.....something similar will happen here, I think.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Trouble is, as in CD/SA-CD and DVD/Blu-ray, the big electronics players have concluded that the mass market doesn't respond too well to something as esoteric as better quality.

CD took over from LP as mass format because of convenience and extra features - track skip, less need for care of the discs, etc - just as MP3s, etc., are displacing CDs. Lower quality, but instant online access.

DVD took over from VHS for the same reasons - instant scene access, extra features, no degradation after many plays, not need for 'be kind, rewind'.

HD only offers better quality over SD, as BD 'only' offers better quality over DVD - and the majority of consumers doesn't give a damn. Hence the addition of extra BD Live content to make BD more appealing, as far as the movie and electronics companies are concerned.

But show us dumb consumers football players leaping out of the screen, or the Grand Canyon in 3D, the 3D proponents suggest, and the mass market will crumble like a very crumbly thing with extra butter in the mix to make it more crumbly after it's baked.

In their view, it's all a bit 'stupid is as stupid does'...

Princess Leia and the holographic 'help us, Obi-Wan Kenobi' have a lot to answer for. As have the Jetsons. Probably.

 

[Alec]

God andrew i think im ill agreein with you so much. On the other hand i dont think vinyl really does sound that much better than CD, and blurays have to be good - a bad transfer can be really bad. I know, theres the sound, but most wont get, or dont have room for, or whatever, a suitable sound system.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Sorry, we were talking 'how the industry sees us', and not reality.

The two are very different...