Will A/V Receivers Need to Be 3D Compatible?

I actually disagree about 3D being only a fad.  Aren’t you guys seeing what Avatar is doing in the movie theaters?  It is going to break Titanic for being the number 1 movie domestically and globally.  Do you really think it is about the story?

3D of today and of years past are very different and now that it will be a realistic option customers will bite.  Will it be mainstream in homes by the end of 2011, no.  But I really don’t see it fading away.  Treat 3D in 2011 like HD in 2001.  By 2015 I’d expect 35% penetration and by 2020 it will surpass 50% (guessing that is where HD is now). 

One thing I don’t see happening though is 3D on most home TVs.  I imagine it will be limited to 1 or 2 tvs in most homes.  People won’t want to put on the glasses while sitting in the kitchen eating or lying down to watch TV in bed.

Obviously this is all just my own opinion.

Jvc43,

You actually nailed it when you said “One thing I don’t see happening though is 3D on most home TVs”.  That’s the key and that’s what will make it a fad.

What younger people don’t realize is that this is actually the third or fourth (or maybe fifth, depending on how you count) attempt to make 3D a viable “gimmick” to bring people into the theaters.

The first wave was in the early fifties with such noted films as Bwana Devil, House of Wax, It Came from Outer Space and The Robot Monster, among others.  A few years later, the second wave (or maybe the second half of the first wave), encompassed such greats as Hondo, Creature from the Black Lagoon and Cat-Women of the Moon.

The next wave, in the 60’s and 70’s released such notable films as The Mask, The Bubble and the notable soft-core porn films The Stewardesses, and Andy Warhole’s Frankenstein.

In the 80’s, we were treated to 3D cinematic greatness with Amytiville 3D, Friday the 13th Part III and Parasite, among others.  The current wave actually started with James Cameron’s Ghosts of the Abyss and (d)evolved to films like The Polar Express and Scar 3D.

Are we beginning to see a pattern here?  While there have been a very few notable films released in 3D like Kiss Me, Kate, Dial M for Murder and now, possibly, Avatar (although the jury is still out on its “greatness”) generally 3D has been reserved for “B” or lesser films.

There are serious shortcomings to projected 3D.  Wikepedia describes them best:
“Objects seem often to be flat, in different overlapping parallel planes.”

“Viewing a 3D film one can expect an ability to focus the look on near or far objects at will, but stereoscopic film imposes the focal point as the cameraman has planned.”

“Not everyone can view 3D films. Most people experience full normal stereo vision, but even a modest difference in the strength and/or clarity an individuals eyes can prevent them from being able to see the images presented in a 3D film. There is no adequate solution so far to this problem, and it remains a fact that some otherwise normal-visioned people will never benefit from the films released using these methods.”

In my opinion, 3D TV has most, if not all, of the same shortcomings as 3D films, with the added problem of requiring many new, expensive and possibly incompatible technologies.

Carl,
Very well documented and said! To update and add to your list of 3D events, let’s not forget episodes of, “Third Rock From The Sun,” and, “Medium,” that were broadcast on CBS & NBC during prime time. (Which both failed miserably in the ratings because people did not want to wear the glasses)  If I remember correctly, you either got your free pair of paper 3D glasses from 7/11 or inside your TV Guide Magazine.

Since I have never been to a 7/11 or had a subscription to, “TV Guide,” I contacted the company who were the distributors of the glasses to buy a pair to watch the shows. I don’t remember the name of the company, but the company was nice enough to send me a bag full for free.

While I had the company rep on the phone, he also explained to me that there were 4 different ways 3D was recorded. Thus, (when it came to glasses), there were 4 different types required in order to see the effect.  He also explained to me, (as you’ve already pointed out), that not everyone would be able to experience the effect. This was due not only to personal vision capabilities, but just as most people are right handed, some people, (like myself), are left handed. Therefore, (since the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, and vice versa), their glasses would enable you to flip them over. In other words, having a red lens on the left and a blue or green lens on the right is not a universal standard for viewing 3D.

Another factor he threw into the equation was that 3D glasses, (all 4 versions), were designed for people who had 20-20 vision. Thus, if you already wore corrective contacts or prescription eye glasses, you might not be able to see the 3D effect at all, and if you did, it may be blurry.

Bottom line, IMO, (and I’ll say it again), the public just gone done kicking and screaming spending money upgraded their CRT’s to flat panel TV’s, and paying additional monies to their cable or sat providers in order to watch HDTV. Since most people only purchase a new TV about every 10 years when their old ones crap out, I can’t see anyone replacing everything they own to experience 3D for quite some time.

Good points,

Just to clarify though, when I said I don’t think 3D on most home TVs, I didn’t mean that it wouldn’t make it to most homes, rather that most homes with multiple TV sets will only limit it to 1 or 2 of their sets.  I’m guessing the average person has 3 or 4 sets in their home with larger homes at 6-8.  I’d imagine that most smaller homes will limit 3D to just one set in the house and larger homes will add a second. 

My home has 7 TVs in it with 5 of them being HD capable (and receiving HD QAM) and 3 of them having HD DVRs.  If 3D was mainstream now I’d imagine two of our rooms would have 3D and the other 5 would have regular HDTVs.

For all that are saying it’s a fad.. After Avatar 0 a very boring moving imho, there is the new James Bond in 3D. The latest production has a hold of a couple of months due to this latest change.

Jean-Pierre

Everyone seems to be discussing 3D in relation to movies only. What about gaming? That industry has a huge market. Most, even casual gamers, would update their sets to accommodate 3D games.

some major differences are being glossed over with the history of 3D.

the failure of 3D where you wear colored glasses is irrelevant to the failure or success of the current 3D efforts where you will either wear polarized glasses or automatic shutter glasses for full color 3DHD.

3D was a gimmick when it was used to shoot stuff out of the screen to make you jump.

It’s not a gimmick when it’s used like it is in Avatar to make the screen disappear and put you in that world.  The success of Avatar should show that people are willing to wear 3D glasses for quality programming.

3D Movies like Avatar
3D Sporting Events
3D Video Games

all should be big hits.

And the people who have spent money on HDTVs is largely irrelevant too.  It’s the people who will spend money on HDTVs that are important.  Will they spend a bit more to get 3D capable HDTVs? Quite a few will.

Alan,

Did you see Avatar at the theaters?  Did your theater show the previews for the upcoming 3D movies?  Check out the buzz about the upcoming Piranha 3-D.  Same old “B” 3D stuff!

sure, Piranha 3-D was teh same old “B” 3D stuff, but Alice in Wonderland looked fantastic.

There wasn’t a trailer, but I expect Toy Story 3D to be outstanding as well.

And didn’t dreamworks say all of their movies will now be 3D? 

Isn’t Speilberg working on a 3D movie?

and personally I can’t wait for 3DHD sports.

A lot of nay-sayers. Real3D is awesome - no red/blue crap, just polarized lenses and a great effect. Have you seen a 3D movie in the theater? It’s a great experience. I realize it’s not for everyone, but sorry - if it works for most people (and it does) then the edge cases matter little.
Buying new cables? That’s the least of my worries - buying a new receiver and projector is what sucks, but oh well..

Guys, 3D for gaming is something else!

How large is the gaming industry and its impact on the purchase of the equipment to maximize the experience.  I think that is where its at.

MK