IFA NEWS: Panasonic confirms 3D TV and Blu-ray for 2010, but details remain sketchy
Panasonic unveiled its Full HD 3D TV “extravaganza” at IFA in Berlin this morning, with 3D trailers of James Cameron's forthcoming 3D film Avatar. The company even flew in Avatar producer Jon Landau – who produced Titanic with Cameron – to wax lyrical about 3D technology.
Once again, Panasonic confirmed it will launch 3D TVs and Blu-ray players in 2010, but specific details of models and launch dates are thin on the ground here at IFA.
And there was no mention of rival 3D TV formats from the likes of Sony and Sky TV, or how Panasonic's system might integrate with those.
However, there was plenty of rhetoric about the “digital hearth” and how we'll all soon be clustering round our 3D TVs rather than the fire, as we used to do in the olden days.
Laurent Abadie, the newly appointed CEO for Panasonic Europe, says: “All our R&D effort and all our enthusiasm has gone into developing 3D TV. Let's step into the 3D world and live in it.”
Yoshiiku Miyata, vice-president of Visual Products and Display Business Group at Panasonic, adds: “One issue has not been resolved: real life is 3D, but TV pictures are still 2D. This is about to change forever. Today Panasonic is showing a new visual revolution.”
Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory
Miyata points out that Panasonic is the only AV manufacturer with its own 3D studio in Hollywood, capable of shooting and editing 3D footage. The company is working closely with James Cameron on Avatar, and using clips from the film – due out this December – to demonstrate 3D TV.
It is also demoing clips of the forthcoming 3D video game of Avatar, developed by Ubisoft, in one of two 3D cinemas here at IFA.
To view the clips in 3D you have to wear a set of special glasses, and we've just seen the full demo. Watching the film feels a bit like watching a video game, and while the 3D effect certainly works, it does give a slightly strange feel to on-screen motion.
Panasonic's 3D system uses frame sequential technology to create two separate video channels, one for each eye, scanned at double the normal frame rate. The 1080p picture is processed using the company's UniPhier engine.
On its roadmap for 3D TV, Panasonic also says it will develop 3D Blu-ray recorders and 3D home cinema in a box systems, but again precise details remain sketchy.
One things for sure: the battle for supremacy in the world of 3D TV has just begun.
Comments
Hi,why are they banging on about 3d tv and 3d bluray I just wish they would improve the quality of bluray now because some of the dvd`s I have watched are very poor..thanks
Never mind 3D HD TV what about just including Mpeg4 in 2D TV's as Freeview will be going HD from DEC. But not one of the TV makers has yet talked about including a fully compatible ( for 2010 ) Freeview set. Or are we all just to ditch our set by Xmas and no I don't want another set top box under my set It's starting to look like a server farm as it is.
Hmmm I don't think so some how, maybe in the next 10 years when 40" OLED, HDMI 1.6, 3D wireless streaming comes out in one box and is established!
James
im just yawning again im afraid.
Hi,
Love the idea of 3D HDTV as I do - the fact that one has to get a new 3D Capable TV (at Big $$$ I would expect), a new AV Amp/Receiver, A 3D Capable Blu-Ray Player & HDMI 1.4 Cables for what will initially be a very few titles on some very expensive 3D Blu-Ray movies hardly inspires one to rush out & sell all their present equipment at a loss and fork out another fortune on replacing it all. I trust one will not be able to watch regular programmes like East-Enders or F1 in 3D Then?!
Bazzy!