After 3D films like Avatar comes 3D TV
While fans are still pouring into theaters to see James Cameron's multi-million grossing 3D film Avatar, DirecTV will announce an upcoming 3D channel for their customers, reports HDGuru.com. DirecTV will make their big announcement at the next Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on January 7. 2010.
DirecTV is not the only one using the 3D-frenzy created by Cameron's blockbuster-hit to promote their capabilities. The UK-based media company Sky is using airtime in some 700 cinemas before Avatar begins to carry their first major consumer-awareness campaign for their 3D channel as well.
What is needed: In order to view either one of these 3D channels, you'll need an HD-3D television set with the latest 3D technology like Philips' 3D WOW Technology. The Quad TVs from Philips, unveiled in 2008, use this WOW Technology which is based on autostereoscopic displays. The gist of what autostereoscopic displays does is it judges the positions of a viewer's eyes separately and then displays the images twice to give the illusion of depth. Read more on how the technology works from IOL Technology. (Note not all 3D TVs use this way to display the image(s), but this seems to be the predominant way.)
Consumers in Europe won't get too much of a head-start on their 3D viewing neither, claims HDGuru.com. Both Sky and DirecTV (who jointly own some Sky cable companies down in Central and South America) have said they will be ready for broadcast by early 2010. Both companies have said they will be broadcasting movies, sports, and other various "entertainment" programs.
The one hitch? You still need a pair of funny glasses to view the images in 3D.
READ: The full story from HDGuru.