While oversees viewers may get to see 2010 soccer action in 3D at home, local fans won't be so lucky, says SABC's 2010 project manager, Nothemba Madumo.
US cable network ESPN announced plans earlier this week to introduce a 3D channel for broadcasting live sports events, beginning with the opening match of the Soccer World Cup on 11 June.
But there are no similar plans for local screens, says Madumo, although matches will be screened in HD for those with HD-ready TV sets.
Sony was named the official sponsor of EPSN's 3D channel at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), in Las Vegas, this week, while Discovery, in partnership with Sony and Imax, as well Sky in the UK, also plan to bring 3D channels in 2011.
Frost & Sullivan ICT analyst Saverio Romeo says global sport events such as the Soccer World Cup can act as a driver for the adoption of 3D technology, as it capitalises on the immersive experience offered. ”3D technologies enhance the impression of the physical presence of a spectator at an actual event. Using an emphatic expression, 3D brings viewers close to reality.”
But he adds that the next big leap for TV viewing won't be a stable feature in most homes for some time. While Romeo expects 3D technology to become part of home multimedia systems, when this will happen depends on the price of 3D TV.
“At the moment, the average consumer cannot afford it. There are also other factors to take into consideration, such as the standard of broadband connections,” notes Romeo. “If we think about 3D TV streaming, the connection should be very fast and reliable, with latency close to nil.”
According to Frost & Sullivan research analyst Karthik Kamalakannan, “3D TV is still in its infancy and a lot needs to happen before it is widely adopted”. Kamalakannan says the costs of new 3D TVs will have to come down and be competitively priced with existing digital technologies.
Kamalakannan adds that compelling TV programmes such as sport shows, feature films, and commercial TV will have to be introduced to justify the investment being made by consumers.
3D comes home
Major electronics makers such as Sony, Panasonic, Samsung and LG unveiled 3D-capable TVs and Blu-ray players at CES this week, but all will require viewers to wear special glasses.
According to Kamalakannan, it is estimated that, in another five years, the US 3D TV household penetration would be about 58%, while Europe may experience up to 6% household penetration of 3D TVs.
But Kamalakannan stresses that a major hurdle for 3D TV is the high production cost of programmes, as 3D movies and events require multiple cameras for shooting. “In addition to that, streaming these high-definition videos incurs higher costs and greater bandwidth.
“Without compelling demand for 3D TVs and an available pool of content, satellite and cable operators may not devote resources for transporting live high-definition 3D streams, as it is very expensive,” Kamalakannan notes.
Research firm DisplaySearch says in its “3D display technology and market forecast report”, released this week, that the market for 3D displays is predicted to take off in 2010, largely encouraged by the recent success of 3D cinema.
It forecasts 3D-ready TVs will grow from 0.2 million units in 2009, to 64 million units in 2018. “3D-ready TV will be the largest application in terms of revenue in 2018, at $17 billion,” the firm says.
Box office boom
For now, 3D's main audience may remain in the cinema, with epics like James Cameron's fantasy Avatar raking in $1 billion worldwide in the first three weeks of its release.
Film studios Disney and DreamWorks have both announced that all future animated releases will be available in 3D, with Shrek Forever After, Tron Legacy and Alice in Wonderland being just some of the 3D releases scheduled for this year.
According to Romeo, 3D cinema is gaining momentum in Europe in terms of the number of screens, 3D films, and audience attendance. “If you look at the number of 3D screens available in Italy, for instance, they're already present all over the country, both in highly populated urban areas and rural areas.”
DisplaySearch forecasts there will be more than 7 000 new 3D cinema screens installed worldwide in 2010, and an additional 9 000 in 2011.
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