LONDON — The Blu-ray Disc Association is firming up plans to incorporate 3D TV content into the optical disc standard. However, the group gave few details of timescales or clear signals of which technology it would use to achieve this. And Sony is also set to announce a major push into 3D technologies.
In a statement ahead of the IFA in Berlin, Germany, which takes place this week, BDA Global Promotions Committee Chair, Victor Matsuda, said the association "intends to take full advantage of the format's high bandwidth and capacity to achieve the very highest possible quality 3D experience."
The BDA simply reiterated it was working on a uniform specification to ensure consistent delivery of 3D content across the Blu-ray Disc Platform.
"The Association is examining a number of criteria and at a minimum, the specification will require delivery of 1080p resolution to each eye and backward compatibility for both discs and players, "meaning that 3D discs will also include a 2D version of the film that can be viewed on existing 2D players and 3D players will enable consumers to playback their existing libraries of 2D content.
The BDA said in May it was forming a taskforce to probe the problem - five months after Panasonic called for the prompt creation of a Full HD 3D TV version of standard.
The recent release of a special Avatar trailer - the full film will be released in December - and the resulting interest in 3D. is believed to have reawakened the association's interest in 3D.
Meanwhile, Sony is expected to announce at the IFA plans to sell 3D televisions globally by the end of 2010.
The company is understood to have plans not only to sell 3D Bravia television sets, but to make Sony's Vaio laptop computers, PlayStation3 games consoles and Blu-ray disc players compatible with the technology.
Sony has opted for "active shutter" technology, using electronic glasses containing tiny shutters that open and close rapidly in synch with the television image to create a 3D impression. Cinema 3D uses polarisation technology with simpler glasses. However, this only works when viewers are at a certain angle to the screen, making it less suited to home viewing.
In cinemas, uptake of 3D has grown nine fold over three years, with 7,000 digital 3D screens expected to be in use worldwide by the end of 2009.
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