Is the Industry Souring On 3D TV?

TVPredictions.com ^ | May 26, 2010 | Philip Swann

[Las Vegas Dave]

In recent days, more TV executives and industry analysts are expressing doubt that 3D and 3D TV will be a big hit.

BBC chief Danielle Nagler told an industry conference in London that it may be years before 3D TV overcomes certain technological hurdles. She added that she's not ready to commit her network to producing 3D programming until she learns more.

“We are excited about the developments of 3D but we need to see what the long term benefits of 3D to broadcasters is, before we commit”, Nagler said, according to the web site, News In Tech. “We are not clear on what makes good 3D and are certainly not clear on what makes good 3D television. The trials we are doing are a bit like early color -- it looks interesting but there is a long way to go”

CBS CEO Les Moonves told an industry conference in Beverly Hills that he has seen 'prototype' conversions of old Star Trek shows to 3D and they did not "knock him out."

"Does the experience get good enough on television to work? I'm not sure it's going to be economically viable for the near future," Moonves said, according to Reuters.

And Wall Street analyst Richard Greenfield this week even cast doubt on whether 3D will continue to be successful in movie theaters. Home Media Magazine reports that Greenfield noted in a blog post that the new 3D Shrek movie generated box office revenues far below Avatar and Alice in Wonderland during its opening weekend.

There were even reports that many consumers decided to watch the 2D version of Shrek because it was priced lower than the 3D edition. Greenfield said consumers may not be willing to pay a premium to see a sub-par film in 3D.

“The last thing the industry needs is consumers starting to believe that 3D is simply ‘not worth it,’” Greenfield said. “The movie industry cannot afford a wide-spread consumer backlash against (3D)."

[Nepeta]

Here in N. Dakota, people routinely picked up analog TV 100 miles from the transmitters. Not anymore. Now, I can’t get two out of the five Fargo stations—and I live in Fargo.

Heh, in the summer, when the cloud and atmospheric conditions were just right, I used to get analogue signals bouncing in for a few lucky hours in Ohio from as far away as Denver, Texas, and one station with a huge transmitter in one of the Dakotas. That was fun back in the days when stations clearly identified themselves every 30 minutes.

[Las Vegas Dave]

Mrs. LVD and I are contemplating renewing our annual membership for the Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village, they have discounts on the 3D IMAX films, although Dearborn, Michigan is a 3+ hour drive for us..(the only 3D we would consider).

http://www.thehenryford.org/imax/index.aspx?trailer=hubble3d

The last 3D movie we saw was several years ago at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, I believe it was “The race to Atlantis”?

[Las Vegas Dave]

Possibly you may need to upgrade your TV antenna?

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx is a good place to start for your search.

As for the technical side,
http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ISSUES/erecting_antenna.html and
http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html (with Db gain charts).

LVD

[Arthur McGowan]

Well, of course I do. I knew that.

But I don’t want to. I don’t want to spend the money, and I’d rather be mad.

[NavyCanDo]

I'm not sure if its true or not, but I heard what is driving the 3D market is not the demand for 3D movies, but because the Chinese who can have copies of the movies on DVD the day the movie hits the theaters in the U.S. have no ability to copy the movies in the 3D media.

As for the 3D itself, I'm not impressed either. The effects are subtle and not worth an extra 3 or 4 dollars a ticket. There not like the effects they had back in the 1950’s when they would toy with the audience with objects coming out at them. That was a novelty, and it was fun. This new 3D is a rip off.

[gogeo]

But I don’t want to. I don’t want to spend the money, and I’d rather be mad...

Thanks for my laugh of the day.

[CaptSkip]

Granted I live less than 15 miles from the 'Antenna Farm' in North OKC, but I installed INSIDE MY ATTIC, a Winegard HD 7210P off-air antenna purchased from SolidSignal.com, that is superior to DirecTV image quality. I sh*t you not!

Installed the HD-7210P high in my attic, on a 2" PVC mast, aimed at the 'antenna farm' in OKC where most all local broadcast antennas are, used a 3 GHz capable grounding block and single 3Ghz 2-way splitter (2nd HD set at treadmill), and the image quality in an A/B test comparison to DirecTV is superior!

Whether it's CSI Miami from KWTV or KFOR's in-field HD local news, or the CH4 HD helicopter (Tornados in HD!), the off-air HD signal is superb!

[gathersnomoss]

You lucky bastard. Has anyone else used this method?

[Mr. Jeeves]

“The last thing the industry needs is consumers starting to believe that 3D is simply ‘not worth it,’” Greenfield said. “The movie industry cannot afford a wide-spread consumer backlash against (3D)."

What makes him think the consumer ever believed 3D was worth it in the first place? It's always been a gimmick that impressed little kids and very few others. Come up with a 3D holo-projector that requires no glasses, and minds may change.

[CaptSkip]

Naysayers on theater 3D...should have watched Avatar 3D via IMAX. An enthusiastic believer you would be...unless you just prefer to be a contrarian.

Avatar on IMAX 3D was sooo cool. Not at all gimmicky. Or the NASA Shuttle Mission IMAX 3D Movie previews that were shown with Avatar. Wow oh wow...it was like you were out with the astronauts during the spacewalks!

Just one example from Avatar...when the little lighty-floaty-thingies were shown, you would swear they were floating above the heads of the folks in front of you in the theater. Very cool!

My family will pay the price for an IMAX 3D ticket if the movie is worth it.

[Jim Noble]

“The last thing the industry needs is consumers starting to believe that 3D is simply ‘not worth it,’” Greenfield said

2D, 3D, there's still nothing on.

[NavyCanDo]

IMAX 3D is one thing if you don't mind the ticket prices, but you are not going to get that into your living room by selling you HD TV you bought back in 2007 at the next garage sale and buying a new 3D TV