Blu-ray 3D specification finalised

BD 3D

That covers the various 'glasses' methods already shown, as well as the 'no glasses' displays already shown by some manufacturers in prototype form.

The BDA describes the specification as 'display agnostic', and says it's also designed to allow PlayStation 3 games consoles to play back 3D content in 3D – to date, Sony has only talked about 3D gaming on the PS3.

2D playback compatibility

In addition, it supports playback of 2D discs in forthcoming 3D players and can also enable 2D playback of Blu-ray 3D discs on the huge number of Blu-ray Disc players already in use around the world.

The Blu-ray 3D specification will encode 3D video using the Multiview Video Coding (MVC) codec, an extension to the ITU-T H.264 Advanced Video Coding (AVC) codec currently supported by all Blu-ray Disc players.

This compresses both left and right eye views with a typical 50% overhead compared to equivalent 2D content, and can provide full 1080p resolution backward compatibility with current 2D Blu-ray Disc players.

It also makes possible enhanced graphic features for 3D, enabling navigation using 3D graphic menus and displaying 3D subtitles positioned in 3D video.

Victor Matsuda, chairman of the BDA's Global Promotions Committee, says that "We think the broad and rapid acceptance Blu-ray Disc already enjoys with consumers will be a factor in accelerating the uptake of 3D in the home.

"In the meantime, existing players and libraries can continue to be fully enjoyed as consumers consider extending into 3D home entertainment."

Follow whathifi.com on Twitter