Televisions

LG's new 3D-ready LX9900 will hit the UK market this May.

After months of rumours and tentative news reports on the arrival of 3D products, sure signs are appearing that 3D TVs and Blu-ray players are finally on their way to the living room. Panasonic is reported to have begun selling its VT25 series in the US today via the Best Buy group of retail stores. There, customers can buy a package including a 50-inch VT25 plasma TV, a 3D Blu-ray player, and a single pair of 3D glasses for 2,900 USD (1,900 GBP). On the other side of the Atlantic, the UK market has heard plans by LG to release a 3D TV (the LX9900) and 3D Blu-ray player (the BX580) in May — although LG has given no word yet on pricing.

It remains to be seen whether Samsung will beat LG to the British market: The company recently told reporters from online reviews portal Which? that its TVs would go on sale in April — a month ahead of LG’s first model. Samsung is already leading the way in the US, where it began taking pre-orders last week via Amazon for the UN55C7000, a 55-inch 3D-ready LCD TV.

Reports of 3D devices have been pouring in at a steady rate for months now, and it’s all beginning to seem like old news – hasn’t every manufacturer now announced plans for 3D TVs and 3D Blu-ray players?

Well, not quite. Here’s a Who’s Who of recent announcements.

LG announced the release of its LD920, which was also the model used in Sky's 3D TV demo in late January.

Just before the month began, Sky drew a wave of attention. First, we heard that it had ordered a 3D broadcast van from Sony; then, the reason for that became clear: Sky announced the arrival of Europe’s first dedicated 3D channel this April – and iced the cake by immediately providing a test broadcast from a Premiere League football match. This was watched by fans across the country in nine pubs kitted out with LG 3D TVs – and, presumably, a very large box of polarised filter glasses.

Since then, there’s been something new every couple of days. Early in February, Singapore’s Sunny Ocean Studios, a TV manufacturer, announced plans to release a 3D TV that requires no 3D glasses. In a similar topic, Sony indicated plans to introduce 3D contact lenses using the circular polarisation method. On February 9, we heard – courtesy of the Korea Times – that Samsung and LG were planning to release 3D TVs as early as March this year. Soon afterwards, LG explained its “Active Retarder” technology, which it plans to introduce in about two years – the technology is said to combine the advantages of today’s two popular 3D TV technologies (polarised filters and shutter glasses).

Reports surfaced on February 12 that Sony would add 3D support to its PlayStation 3 games console this summer via a firmware update, and on February 16, Panasonic announced the arrival of its first 3D Blu-ray player, expected during spring 2010.

Rumours surfaced on February 23 that Philips would launch a 3D version of its Cinema 21:9 TV, the world’s first LCD TV in Cinemascope format. Televisions.com reviewed the original model back in summer 2009, and found the unusual screen format a bit gimmicky. The extra bonus of 3D support, however, might help the screen provide an even more immersive movie experience.

Philips reportedly plans to introduce a 3D version of its Cinema 21:9.

A report by Which?, the online reviews portal, then claimed that Samsung would first release its 3D TVs in the UK this April – later than suggested by the Korea Times. LG seems to remain on track for March, however, and even apparently let slip about a handful of further 3D devices expected for May – a spreadsheet detailing the company’s “road map” for 2010 briefly appeared online, although it’s not clear whether the information was genuine.

In the last few days of the month, French broadcaster announced plans to launch a 3D channel before Christmas 2010. As things stand, this would be Europe’s second dedicated 3D channel, but we’ve got an inkling we’ll hear a lot more 3D news soon.

Sky's decision to begin its 3D broadcasts with weekly football matches might be an attempt to shift 3D's appeal to a new audience.

We’ve learnt today that the creators of Scream 4 are not planning on shooting the film in 3D. When asked by entertainment-news website IESB whether the film was likely to be released in 3D, the film’s writer, Kevin Williamson, said: “I don’t think it’s an option. We’re the movie that makes fun of it.”

This is representative, perhaps, of the way people currently perceive 3D technology – a gimmick, a novelty, a tactless device. But as 3D takes hold in the cinema and living room, the need to wow the audience with in-your-face effects will surely subside. But 3D might well struggle to prove itself as a grown-up device – even with the massive (!) hype currently surrounding the technology.

One ray of hope, and it’s surely no coincidence, is that Sky 3D will begin its regular UK broadcasts with weekly football matches. This distances 3D from the swarm-of-bees/razor-sharp-cutlass kind of imagery that gave it its long-standing gimmicky image.