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HDI's laser-driven 3D HDTV hits production, should ship next year

by Darren Murph posted Oct 30th 2009 at 4:28PM

When we first caught wind of HDI's "world's first laser-based 3D HDTV," we were cautiously hopeful that it'd be ready to go (at least as a prototype) at CES 2010. Looks like we may actually get our wish, as the company has today announced that its magical set has reached the manufacturing stage. What's it all mean? It means that the set is being fast-tracked for release in 2010, meaning that you're just months away from having stereoscopic 1,920 x 1,080 content in your living room... provided there's actually any programming to view, that is. Of course, it'll handle the 2D stuff too, and the twin RGP LCoS micro-display imagers in there ought to provide plenty of crisp imagery regardless of the source. We're still not sure if the Woz-approved 100-inch version that's being shown to curious onlookers is the size that'll be pumped out to the mainstream, but we're hoping for at least a few smaller siblings for those of us with last names other than Kennedy, Gates, Buffet and Ellison.

Continue reading HDI's laser-driven 3D HDTV hits production, should ship next year

Panasonic's 50-inch 1080p 3D plasma spotted, watched at CEATEC

by Darren Murph posted Oct 6th 2009 at 10:26PM Featured Story

At this point, Panasonic's 50-inch 3D plasma is just another one joining the fray, but considering how highly hyped the technology behind this was, we couldn't pass up an opportunity to throw our eyes on it for a bit at CEATEC. The 1080p panel was strikingly thin (or well mounted to give that impression), and the viewing angles were fantastic. The glasses that Panny provided, however, were relatively annoying (no surprise there). It should be noted that the actual spectacles sit pretty far off of your face, which simultaneously enables those with actual glasses to partake in the 3D experience while frustrating those without by giving them a cute blue rim that refuses to leave the periphery. As for image quality, the G-Force demo looked downright stunning, with depth being easily perceived and fast moving action whisking about seamlessly. Still, we're having a hard time believing a family of four would sit down and use these glasses for a two-hour presentation, but hey, we're not going to give up on the marketing squads just yet.

Gallery: Panasonic's 50-inch 1080p 3D plasma spotted, watched at CEATEC

HDI concocts 100-inch laser-based 3D HDTV, calls rivaling technology child's play

by Darren Murph posted Sep 17th 2009 at 8:48AM


Look, we've seen an awful lot of HDTVs in our day -- one lap around the average CEDIA show floor makes your local Best Buy look awfully small -- and to this day we've yet to put our peepers on a more stunning set than Mitsubishi's LaserVue HDTV. Sure, it's fat, ugly and expensive, but the image is otherworldly. Before Mitsu can even take the logical next step, a California startup has arisen to introduce what it calls the world's first laser-based 3D HDTV. We're talking 1080p 3D like you've never seen before, with CTO Edmund Sandberg noting that this production is smoother than RealD, Dolby, film and pretty much every other 3D solution. The secret here is in the speed; this set is so fast that the image "no longer needs to flash from one eye to the other," and no flashing should equate to no headaches. Too bad there's no planned release date, but we're still cautiously optimistic for a sneak peek (in addition to the video past the break) at CES 2010.

[Via OLED-Display]

Continue reading HDI concocts 100-inch laser-based 3D HDTV, calls rivaling technology child's play

JVC brings 46-inch GD-463D10 3D LCD HDTV to America: shipping now for $9,200

by Darren Murph posted Sep 10th 2009 at 12:40PM


Jumpin' Jehosaphat! We know exchange rates have been sort of crazy of late, but we can say with a good deal of certainty that the in-home 3D revolution isn't going anywhere with MSRPs like this. After introducing the 46-inch GD-463D10 3D LCD HDTV in various overseas markets, JVC is announcing here at CEDIA that its flagship 3D panel is now available on US soil for a solid chunk of change. The 1080p display touts a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, three HDMI sockets, 178-degree viewing angles, a depth of 1.5-inches and two incredibly awesome sets of 3D goggles. If you're not concerned that actual 3D content is all but nonexistent for home users, you can snag this now for $9,153 (and not a penny more).

Gallery: JVC's 1080p GD-463D10 3D LCD HDTV to America

Sony to debut 3D BRAVIA TVs by end of 2010, also eyeing 3D VAIOs, Blu-ray films, and PS3 games?

by Ross Miller posted Sep 1st 2009 at 8:06PM

The Financial Times has it on good word what the major unveil in Sony chief Sir Howard Stringer's keynote tomorrow at IFA 2009 will, so much so that it's quoting him with phrases he hasn't even said yet. According to the report, the company is making a huge push into the third dimension, with 3D BRAVIA HDTVs hitting the retail channels by the end of 2010. Also on the menu is 3D-compatible PlayStation 3 titles (which we've kind of heard before), VAIO laptops, and Blu-ray movies, but it's unclear from the article if they shares the same 2010 timeline. Polarized glasses will be required for use, but hey, just consider it a fashion statement. We're now very anxious to see how close Sir Stringer sticks to this purported script for tomorrow's big event.

3D TV channel coming to UK next year, 3D-ready set and glasses required

by Ross Miller posted Jul 30th 2009 at 11:01PM

We can still remember the days, not too long ago, that HD channels were but a sparse luxury. Now of course they're a dime a dozen, but you can still look onward to the next big thing, which BSkyB is wagering will be 3D. The satellite broadcast is gearing up to launch a 3D television station next year to showcase movies, and sports -- the latter of which we're thinking will be the biggest draw. Any customer with a Sky+ HD box can receive the transmission, but you're also gonna need to look past that ragged old flat-panel HDTV and instead use a 3D-ready set and glasses. We can't imagine a huge demand for this anytime in the near future, but if the technology does take off, they'll be more than ready to capitalize.

LG demos ultra-bright Full HD 3D monitor

by Darren Murph posted May 27th 2009 at 9:22AM


LG's certainly been known to dabble in the third-dimension, and while we're still waiting for it to ship those "one or two" 3D TVs this year, at least we're confident that it's getting closer. Over in South Korea, the company has showcased a new Full HD (1080p) 3D monitor with what it says is the highest brightness level of any competing panel. Sadly, viewers are still required to don glasses when ingesting the action, but this take on the tech enables said eyewear to be somewhat thinner and less cumbersome. Have a peek at the vid down in the read link.

Sony to finally unveil larger-screen OLED TVs at IFA?

by Darren Murph posted Apr 19th 2009 at 8:21PM


We've been waiting for what seems like ages for the next iteration of the XEL-1 to dash in and swoop us off of our feet, but frankly, we're growing anxious. As the world waits for a commercial-ready OLED TV that's larger than a standard sheet of paper, industry insiders down at the IFA briefings in Malta this past week believe that Sony could be gearing up to make all sorts of hopes and dreams come true this September. Jens Heithecker, executive director of Messe Berlin, which organizes the IFA trade fair, noted that "IFA is a trade show which is focused more on market-ready technologies," hinting that anything we see in just a few short months will be prepared for release into the wild. We're also told that more "ultra-widescreen" 21:9 sets -- like Philips' masterpiece -- could be on display, not to mention scores of internet-ready HDTVs and a Samsung set with refresh rates of 400Hz. Needless to say, IFA's shaping up to be quite a show for the television sector, so you may want to think twice (or thrice, if necessary) about snagging a new panel on August 31st.

[Via OLED-Info]

Deutsche Telekom exec sees holographic TV within a decade

by Darren Murph posted Mar 26th 2009 at 9:06AM


Deutsche Telekom, the parent company of the better known T-Mobile, has certainly made a name for itself over at the IPTV World Forum. The outfit's Chief Innovation Officer Christopher Schlaffer was quoted as saying that both 3DTV and holographic TV were definitely primed to take off within the next ten years. His reasoning for such a bold assertion was this: "Storage capacity and processing capacity is exploding. There is no doubt that bandwidth is tripling every year, so ten years from now are we going to be looking at 1,000Mb connections in every home on average? I would say yes, absolutely." Granted, this is just one guy's opinion on what may or may not happen, but given just how quickly the television viewing experience is morphing right now, we suppose it's not all that far-fetched. Besides, some of this has to come true if we're to enjoy the 2012 Olympics in 3D, right?

[Via ElectricPig]

3D: is this the resurgence that counts?

by Darren Murph posted Jan 23rd 2009 at 1:24PM Featured Story


You know, it's strange really. Not even four years ago, most everyone you talked to viewed 3D as a gimmicky trip reserved for theme park attractions and the occasional educational showing at the local cineplex. After all, it's hard to convince fifth graders to pay attention to a lesson in prehistoric history without a Tyrannosaurus Rex getting all up in their grilles, right? Now that CES has come and gone, it's safe to say that Hollywood (among other entities) is giving the format another chance to excel, but we still have strong reservations on whether it's actually what the people want. Join us after the break as we take a brief peek back at where 3D was, where it currently sits and where deep-pocketed executives -- those looking for the "next big thing" -- hope it goes.

Continue reading 3D: is this the resurgence that counts?

Next3D makes completely far-reaching claim of bringing 3D to the home

by Darren Murph posted Jan 8th 2009 at 4:13PM


So look, we fully understand that Hollywood and just about everyone who follows the industry is gravitating towards 3D, but the red flags here are just too bright to ignore. Next3D has just pumped out a completely unbelievable press release claiming that it's oh-so-close to establishing the first in-home 3D distribution service. For starters, it claims to integrate nicely with the Xbox 360, which sounds more than a little suspicious. Next, we're told that "like YouTube, Next3D will offer user-created content channels for stereo enthusiasts to post and share 3D video and still images." Right, because so many consumers have handheld 3D cameras to capture this stuff. Sorry, but the vaporware stamp has officially been slammed.

Samsung developing WiFi variant for TVs, testing elusive 3D rendering chip

by Darren Murph posted Dec 11th 2008 at 4:50AM


There's no telling what kind of off-the-wall gear Samsung is apt to unleash at CES, and we'll be honest -- we're pretty jazzed about the possibilities. At a recent tech forum, Samsung confessed that it was working with both 60GHz wireless technology (read: WirelessHD) and "its own variant of WiFi" in relation to cord-free TVs. This news is particularly bad in two respects: first, it doesn't signal very much confidence in WirelessHD, and moreover, the last thing we need is yet another proprietary wireless HD / HDMI standard to slow down the already glacial pace at which it's being adopted in the industry. Moving on, we're also told that the outfit is "internally testing a stereoscopic 3D rendering chip for its TVs that could be released as early as the second half of 2009," which would "help translate 2D video to 3D and interpret 2D content with embedded depth information." Something tells us we best get used to wearing oddly tinted glasses.

[Image courtesy of MyDigitalLife]

LG to launch "one or two" 3D TVs in 2009

by Darren Murph posted Nov 26th 2008 at 3:30PM


Deny it all you please, but the 3D revolution is here. LG is just the next brand in the growing line of consumer companies that are caving to the three-dee pressure, and according to Choon Lee, Vice President Director at the Digital TV Research Lab, LG will be launching at least one 3D TV next year. To quote: "3D TVs are the next big step for [LG]; we will try with one or two markets in 2009." Regrettably, that's about all the details he would give up, stopping short of confessing to which markets would first see the devices and when exactly during the course of next year they would launch. It's cool, though -- gives us ample time to get used to wearing those hideous glasses around the house without tripping over foreign objects.

Poll: Are you intrigued by in-home 3D technology?

by Darren Murph posted Oct 4th 2008 at 12:00PM


Yet again, this week has delivered two more impressive innovations in the in-home 3D space, and yet again, we're left to wonder if this stuff actually has teeth. We know at least some studios are putting a great deal of cash and effort into 3D technology, but are existing HDTV owners (and to an even greater extent, non-HDTV owners) ready to give this stuff a go? We suppose no-glasses-necessary 3D isn't so annoying, but having to sit almost directly in front of the set to get the experience is hardly more convenient. We know -- anything can succeed with enough marketing, but are you personally intrigued by 3D in the home? Are you champing at the bit to grab hold of more 3D material? Vent away in comments below.

Are you intrigued by in-home 3D technology?

NICT, JVC Victor team up on no-glasses-needed 3D HDTV

by Darren Murph posted Oct 3rd 2008 at 6:08AM


Betcha didn't see this one coming, did you Philips? No sooner than the aforementioned company unveiled a rather striking 56-inch Quad Full 3D HDTV over on the left coast of the US did Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) and JVC Victor one-up that with a 72-inch prototype of their own. Revealed at CEATEC 2008, the Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) set doesn't even require viewers to sport those face-consuming glasses to experience the effect. In essence, the display utilizes multiple projectors to really emphasize that elusive third-dimension, but the viewing angle is understandably limited. Oh, and we hope you're not too geeked up about this -- NICT stated that we probably wouldn't see these in the commercial realm before 2011. Ah well, at least there's IMAX to hold us.

[Via Gearlog]




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