As CES officially opens, it's already clear that 3D will be one of the big themes of the show. And given the success that James Cameron's 3D blockbuster Avatar had at the box office over the holidays, consumers are pretty excited about 3D. Speaking at Panasonic's 2010 CES Press Conference on January 5, Avatar Producer Jon Landau said, "3D is not about gags; it's about creating a window into a world. I think we'll see 3D become ubiquitous."

As reported previously on this site and in Marketnews and Here's How magazines, the 3D TV systems arriving this year will employ active liquid-crystal glasses. When displaying 3D content, 3D HDTVs show alternating left-and right-eye frames. The lenses on the glasses are controlled by a transmitter on the TV, opening and shutting rapidly so that each eye sees only the image intended for it. The eye-brain integrates these images into a complete 3D picture. Panasonic demonstrated its version of this system at CES and during roadshows held in 2009; and I found it very effective.

In late 2009, the Blu-ray Disc Association ratified a standard for 3D Blu-ray, paving the way for 3D Blu-ray players and software.

At CES 2010, several manufacturers announced plans to ship 3D HDTVs, Blu-ray players and home-theatre systems in the first half. Some TVs will be fully 3D-capable, and will be supplied with 3D glasses. Others will be 3D-ready, capable of driving an optional 3D transmitter for controlling the glasses.

The next version of Panasonic's V-series Viera plasmas will feature 3D. They'll be available in 50", 54", 58" and 65" screen sizes, along with a 3D Blu-ray player. This summer, Sony will ship a 60" 3D LED-edgelit LCD (shown here), complete with two pairs of 3D glasses, as well as a 3D-ready 52" LED-backlit model and a Blu-ray 3D player.

At its press conference, Samsung said one-third of the models in its lineup of LED-illuminated LCD televisions for 2010 will feature 3D, including the pencil-thin 9000 series. Samsung will also offer 3D CCFL-illuminated LCDs, plasmas, Blu-ray players and home-theatre systems. The televisions will have 3D processor that can create a 3D effect with 2D content, Samsung said.

Toshiba's forthcoming CELL TVs will feature 3D. The term "CELL TV" refers to the televisions' eight-core video processor, which the company says is 143 times more powerful than the processors in competing televisions. The CELL processor's functions include the creation of 3D effects from 2D content. There will be five models in two series, with 46", 55" and 65" screen sizes, all of them LED-backlit LCDs with 512-zone local dimming.

LG's ultra-thin Infinia LE9500 47" and 55" LED-backlit TVs will be 3D-ready. The company will offer a 3D Blu-ray player later in 2010.

What to watch in 3D: Also at CES, manufacturers announced partnerships to drive the volume of 3D content. Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DreamWorks Animation, and Frederic Rose, President and CEO of Technicolor, visited the Samsung Press Conference to officially present the first 3D Blu-ray release to Samsung: 2009's Monsters vs. Aliens. DreamWorks decided in 2007 to make all future releases in 3D, Katzenberg noted. "3D is a wonderful way to reduce piracy, and it provides a premium experience for moviegoers," he stated. Of the top-10 performing movies in 2009, four were 3D titles, he observed.

Panasonic announced a partnership with the U.S. satellite-TV service DirecTV to create three dedicated 3D channels, with content ranging from movies to sports to documentaries. A firmware update will allow DirecTV satellite receivers to display these 3D channels, which will launch in June.

Sony announced an agreement with Discovery Communications and IMAX Corporation to develop a 3D TV network that will launch in 2011. "We view 3D as the future of television," stated Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav at Sony's CES 2010 Press Conference." The channel will feature documentary and children's programming from Discovery, IMAX, Sony Pictures Entertainment and other providers. Sony is also a sponsor of ESPN's 3D sports venture, and is providing 3D cameras for this summer's FIFA World Cup of Soccer.

Watch this space, and our magazines, for more detailed coverage on the Canadian availability of these 3D HDTV products, as well as 3D content and services from Canadian providers.

Article Tags:  hdtv, 3D, blu-ray, sony, panasonic, samsung, lg, HDTV, LED, LCD, plasma, dreamworks, katzenberg, technicolor, discovery, zaslav, directv, toshiba, discovery, espn, avatar, landau, imax