3D TV systems arrive and this time to stay

You can take this to the bank, 3D is here again. But this time it’s not just for the movies, as 3D TV systems will allow you to play real 3D DVDs on your own 3D DVD player, all from the comfort of your own easy chair.

Although the technology may date back to the beginning of the last century, it has not always enjoyed a good press. Some of the movies released in 3D were downright rubbish and to some extent this eliminated any chance of it becoming mainstream, although if you ask some they would say it was those awful 3D glasses that put the final nail in in the coffin

So what has changed? It’s really because technology has been thrust back into the spotlight, in recent years, by recent Hollywood blockbusters and Disney productions. This has been fueled by the massive success of Avatar, released in three dimensions, becoming the highest grossing film of all time. But Avatar was just one of 17 3D movies in 2009 with at least 12 more planned for 2010.

The speed with which the major players in the consumer electronics industry have jumped on this and brought the technology to the point of launch has been staggering. It seems that the only thing that has been holding up the massive launch has been the content; lack of DVD players and 3D programs.

All of that has changed as we leave the 2000s and enter this new decade. Amazon has joined the journey and now offers true 3D DVD movies, documentaries, series and music DVDs that can be played on regular 2D or new 3D Blu Ray DVD players. They also recently had a small batch of the first 3D Blu Ray DVD players, the Samsung BD-C6900. These soon sold out at a price of $399 and, at the time of writing, no announcement has been made as to when they will be back in stock. A good point on the subject of 3D DVD players is that the Sony PS3 can play 3D discs with a simple firmware update.

Broadcaster BSkyB is also getting in on the action early. His recent broadcast of the Arsenal-Manchester United match in 3D, played in a small group of nine pubs across the UK and Ireland, took the industry by storm. This followed their announcement that a full 3D channel will be available to new and existing Sky HD+ box subscribers from April this year. ESPN will launch its 3D channel in June, broadcasting some 80 or more sporting events in 3D, and the Discovery/Imax/Sony partnership will have its own version before the year is out.

So you can watch, this time, with the promise of true 3D DVDs and broadcasts along with a 3D DVD player and 3D TV systems to see it all. Yes, 3D is here to change the way we watch television forever.