Avatar’s staggering box office grosses and nine Academy Award nominations have cemented its place in Hollywood history, that much is certain. But James Cameron’s sci-fi epic could also help give 3D television the profile boost it needs to go from an oddball novelty to next-generation home entertainment.
Last year was the biggest year ever for 3D movies, with seven 3D films cracking the $100 million mark at the box office. Cameron’s tale of blue-skinned aliens versus greedy earthlings has earned 80% of its $2 billion in ticket sales from 3D showings, so it’s no surprise that the A-word often comes up in the same breath as high-definition 3D TV.
“We’re seeing mass market adoption of 3D before there’s even legitimate hardware out there to bring that experience into the living room,” says Dan Phillips, director of LCD TV marketing at Sony Canada, who cites Avatar and the recent 3D Michael Jackson tribute at the Grammy Awards as proof that tri-dimensional entertainment is firmly on folks’ radar.
But cynics – including yours truly – look at 3D TV in 2010 as a gimmicky way for manufacturers to sell high-end, premium-priced TVs to consumers who wouldn’t otherwise splash out that much cash for a new set. Sure, 3D TV will eventually become the norm. But does anyone really need it right now?
In a bid to sway skeptics, Sony is inviting consumers to drop into select Sony Style retail stores across Canada to check out the upcoming Bravia XBR-LX900 series 3D TVs, the company’s first sets aimed squarely at those who want to bring 3D home. (LG, Samsung, Toshiba and other major manufacturers will also be rolling out 3D TVs this year, beginning as early as spring.) Nobody’s talking about prices just yet, but it’s safe to say they will be somewhere between “a lot” and “yikes!”
Customers at Sony’s stores can try on a pair of the lightweight battery-powered 3D glasses – two sets of specs will come with the TV when it goes on sale this June – and park themselves in front of a beautiful 60-inch screen to watch a looping reel of 3D movie clips, nature footage, World Cup soccer and PlayStation 3 video games.
After watching the 3D demo footage and playing a bit of the racing game WipeOut HD in 3D, I came away grudgingly impressed. The 3D depth effect is convincing without being distracting, and the glasses are comfortable and even look semi-stylish. Especially compared to the goofy old-school red-and-blue 3D specs that celebs were wearing at the Grammys. Even Beyonce can’t make those look good.
Of course, taking advantage of a 3D TV will require sources of 3D content. Discovery and ESPN are planning to launch 3D channels this year, and there will be about 20 3D-compatible Blu-ray movies on the shelves over the next six months. This will mean investing in a 3D-capable Blu-ray player – argh, here we go again – but Sony’s PlayStation 3 game console will be able to play 3D movies after a software update that will be released once the 3D Bravia TVs go on sale.
“Seeing is believing, it really is. All those people who have been knocking 3D out there, most of those people have never seen it,” says Sony Canada training supervisor Karol Warminiec. “Just like Avatar in IMAX 3D, people say, ‘Yeah, I don’t know what the hype is about.’ Then they see it, and they’re blown away.”
Still, 3D TV will the domain of deep-pocketed technophiles for this year at least. But it’s cool to get a look at what it might hold for the future. Before too long, we’ll see blue-skinned aliens scampering around our living rooms. And James Cameron will be pleased.
See Sony's 3D TV in stores
Many major TV manufacturers will be releasing 3D-compatible HDTVs this year, but Sony is going to the unusual step of demonstrating the sets in-store several months before they go on sale. Customers can take a look at the Bravia XBR-LX900 series TV in action, and Sony will also be offering the “3D-ready” XBR-HX900 series, which will support 3D playback with a separately sold transmitter accessory and glasses.
If you’re eager to see the TVs before they go on sale in June, here are the Sony Style retail stores that will be doing demos. Not every store will have the 3D TV demos immediately, so call ahead: Pacific Centre (Vancouver), Richmond Centre (Richmond, B.C.), West Edmonton Mall, Chinook Centre (Calgary), Eaton Centre (Toronto), Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Toronto), Markville Shopping Centre (Markham, ON), Rideau Centre (Ottawa), Centre Eaton (Montreal).
