NEWS TV SETS

3D-TV is about to experience its ultimate breakthrough if Sony’s market estimation is correct. As the Japanese company announced today, Thursday, it expects that up to 50 percent of televisions sold by the company will be 3D-enabled in three years. On the other hand, South Korea is striving for leadership for the terrestrial broadcasting of 3D content. In 2010, an extensive test run is set to start.

However, 3D cable offers are already in the running in South Korea. In Europe, by contrast, satellite TV should offer the first 3D channels in 2010. Sky has also announced a channel for England in July.

Advertisement

Within the context of a presentation of 3D devices at the IFA, LG had already indicated that 3D could be more than just a niche market in about three years. Sony, which also claimed a leading role with the announcement of the market launch of a 3D-enabled Bravia LCD model in the coming year, has now substantiated for its own products how strongly 3D will grow in the near future.

For the financial year ending in March 2013 for Sony, the manufacturer expects that 30 to 50 percent of all models sold by the company will be 3D models. In this context, it was also emphasised that games would be especially enjoyable with 3D. In this regard, Sony, as a console manufacturer, has a trump marketing card in its hand as compared with other 3D TV manufacturers.


However, it is practically certain that 3D TV will be broadcast to a large degree in 2010 for the first time. In this regard, the South Korean Korea Communications Commission (KCC), which is not simply aiming for satellite tests, is ambitious. "We want to go a step further and become the first country in the world to broadcast 3D TV in HD quality on terrestrial television ", the Korea Times quotes a KCC spokesperson.

Although the KCC timeline allows for an extensive test run in the second half of 2010, other broadcasting methods may also reach the 3D goal first in South Korea. Cable company CJ HelloVision expects to be able to implement 3D Video-on-Demand offers within one to two weeks. In Europe, satellite provider Astra announced in March that it was negotiating with various TV broadcasters about 3D.

Of course, it remains to be seen whether 3D television will really catch on as quickly as Sony and the KCC hope. In the course of the IFA, Philips still expressed doubts as to the suitability and readiness of 3D technologies for the market. American technology analyst Rob Enderle believes that the maturing process will take up to seven years – but he has a reputation amongst US bloggers and media of making blatantly incorrect estimations of failure. (pressetext.de)