TVB’s 3DTV TimelineJanuary 5, 2010
 Despite the economic difficulties of 2009, the year marked a turning point in the adoption of 3D a viable entertainment format. TVB presents a timeline of
3D video developments over the last year, from content to workflow
initiatives to display technologies:
December 4, 2008: The San Diego Chargers and the Oakland
Raiders appeared in a 3D simulcast displayed at theaters in Boston, Hollywood,
and New York.
January 8, 2009: A 3D version of the Gators-Sooners match-up was
simulcast in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show.
February 14, 2009: The NBA’s All-Star
Game was simulcast in 3D.
February 24, 2009: Toshiba
announces the development of OLED Wallpaper TV, with a 3D version utilizing
circularly polarized light in the works.
March 2, 2009: Avid Technology announced
it was developing native support for the Sony XDCAM format, as well as adding
3D capabilities to its various editing software packages, Composer and
Symphony.
March 9, 2009: BSkyB continued plowing toward 3DTV, with a goal to
offer it by the end of the year.
April 6, 2009: BSkyB successfully transmitted live 3DTV across its HD
infrastructure in the United Kingdom.
April 20, 2009: At the NAB show in
Las Vegas, Panasonic announced work on a full 3D HD production system, encompassing
everything from capture to Blu-Ray distribution. The Panasonic gear list
comprised authoring, a twin-lens P2 camera recorder and drives, 3D Blu-Ray
discs and players, and a 3D plasma display. Panasonic displayed its HD 3D
Plasma Home Theater at the NAB convention.
July 30, 2009: BSkyB now plans to launch its 3D
channel in 2010.
 August 24, 2009: Panasonic joined James Cameron in a flack blitz for “Avatar,”
with a multipoint media and sales campaign and a nationwide tour with
customized 18-wheelers outfitted with 103-inch Panasonic Viera plasma HDTVs and
Blu-ray disc players.
September 2, 2009: Sony announced that it planned to introduce a
consumer-ready 3D TV set in 2010, as well as build 3D capability into many of
its consumer electronics, encompassing music, movies and video games.
September 10, 2009: Mobile TV production specialist
NEP is rolled out its first 3D truck.
September 11, 2009: BBC executives say some of the 2012 Olympics Games
there could be carried in 3D.
September 12, 2009: ESPN transmits an
invitation-only 3D version of the University of SoCal versus Ohio State game to
theaters in Los Angeles, Columbus, Ohio; Hartford, Conn.; and Hurst, Texas.
 September 14, 2009: IBC features
several professional 3D technologies, including Nagravision’s 3D program guide
and Viaccess 3D conditional access. The awards ceremony featured a 16-minute
clip of James Cameron’s “Avatar.” Skeptics mentioned the headache factor, as
well as the difficulty of doing graphics for 3D.
September 24, 2009: In-Stat finds that about 25 percent of those who
are at least somewhat interested in having the ability to view 3D content at
home, however, were unwilling to spend more money on a 3D TV.
October 1, 2009: Sony Broadcast bows a new single-lens 3D technology comprising
a new optical system that captures left and right images simultaneously, with
existing high frame-rate recording technology to realize 240 fps 3D filming.
October 8, 2009: 3M says it has developed 3D for mobile devices. The
auto-stereoscopic 3D film targets cell phones, small video game consoles, and
other portable digital devices and requires no glasses.
October 21, 2009: SMPTE’s fall conference focuses on 3D, with Dolby
Labs, Fox Network, DTS, and RealD lending input.
October 26, 2009: Televisa broadcast the first soccer match in 3D over
the weekend to parts of Mexico.
November 11, 2009: Rich Greenfield, analyst with Pali Capital, deems 3D a gimmick, at least as
far as the movie industry was concerned. The movie “Scrooge” in 3D fueled his skepticism.
November 23, 2009: Sony chief Sir
Howard Stringer is counting on 3D to be the company’s next $10 billion
business.
 December 3, 2009: The International
Federation of Football said it would broadcast 2010 World Cup soccer matches in
3D. FIFA said it has signed a media rights agreement with Sony, one of its
official partners, to delivery 3D versions of up to 25 matches in the 2010 FIFA
World Cup South Africa.
December 3, 2009: Neither Michael
Jackson’s videos nor the next Spiderman movie would be among Sony’s upcoming 3D
releases, the company’s top executive said.
December 14, 2009: Two events mark
the advance of 3D. First was the debut of a live 3D broadcast on the massive
display screen at the Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Texas. The second--the
release of “Avatar,” James Cameron’s interplanetary 3D epic.
December 18, 2009: “Avatar” changes
Greenfield’s doubts about 3D. “We are assuming ‘Avatar’ will reach opening
weekend attendance levels of about 12 million, with 57.5 percent of attendance
occurring on 3D screens yielding total opening weekend box office of over $100
million,” he said.
January 4, 2010: ESPN announces
the intended launch of ESPN 3D in time for the June 11 FIFA World Cup Soccer
games.
January 5, 2010: Sony, Discovery
and IMAX make it official, announcing the intended launch of a 3D network in
2011. 3D technologies dominate previews of the annual Consumer Electronics Show
in Las Vegas. DirecTV is expected to announce the 2010 launch of an HD 3D
channel at the show.
|