"The end of 3D TV"?

[pjpjpjpj]

This morning I've seen several places claiming that ESPN jumping ship will officially mark the end of the 3D TV fad that's been lingering for a few years. ESPN (and sports in general) don't get much attention on this forum (as sports and tech often don't cross paths) but since ESPN basically drives the money train for all pay TV, maybe this is a legit claim.

So much for 3-D TV. ESPN, one of the few major networks to dip a toe into the 3-D TV waters, will shut down its 2-year-old service by the end of 2013.

ESPN introduced ESPN 3D in June 2010 with the World Cup. The cable network started airing regular programming and live events the following February to customers of Comcast, Time Warner, DirecTV and a handful of other systems.

But TVs capable of airing the programming never took off, and today only 2% of U.S. households own 3-D TV. As a result, ESPN 3D never gained enough fans to even register on the Nielsen Co.’s measurable viewership threshold, according to an Associated Press report. The network said viewership was "extremely limited and not growing," according to the AP.

That’s not to say fans of high-quality TV won’t have anything to watch. “We continue to experiment with things like Ultra HD TV production tools to produce our current ESPN family of HD channels,” the company said in a statement.

[Taddeusz]

Until we have natural looking 3D screens that don't require glasses for viewing and are also viewable off axis I don't see 3D TV being any more than a gimmick. Even then 3D perception is so subjective and varies quite widely. And what do you do for people who have lost or have never had stereo vision?

There are just so many variables with 3D TV and 3D visuals in general that I don't believe it's really ever going to go beyond being a gimmick no matter how many times they try otherwise.

[graywolf]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

Until we have natural looking 3D screens that don't require glasses for viewing and are also viewable off axis I don't see 3D TV being any more than a gimmick. Even then 3D perception is so subjective and varies quite widely. And what do you do for people who have lost or have never had stereo vision?

There are just so many variables with 3D TV and 3D visuals in general that I don't believe it's really ever going to go beyond being a gimmick no matter how many times they try otherwise.

I'm one of those. Poor stereo vision. 3D just gives me a headache

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by graywolf

I'm one of those. Poor stereo vision. 3D just gives me a headache

+1. Can't watch it without it making my eyes hurt.

It was really a reason to sell more tv's anyway, not an actual step forward like 4K will be, granted to notice you'll have to have a huge display or sit VERY close to you 32" 4K monitor.

[pjpjpjpj]

I liked 3D TV for one reason: it drove down the price of the non-3D TVs I wanted to buy.

[mistergq]

Originally Posted by pjpjpjpj

I liked 3D TV for one reason: it drove down the price of the non-3D TVs I wanted to buy.

I watched ESPN 3D and was not impressed. I think cartoon movies like Despicable Me work with 3D because it is animated versus real filming just does not translate correctly. I have not tried video games yet.

[brainbone]

Originally Posted by graywolf

I'm one of those. Poor stereo vision. 3D just gives me a headache

Same boat. Having a lazy eye, it goes in and out for me while watching 3D movies and is very annoying. Yeah, I was that outfield kid with glasses getting pelted in the head with the ball while trying to catch it.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by mistergq

I watched ESPN 3D and was not impressed. I think cartoon movies like Despicable Me work with 3D because it is animated versus real filming just does not translate correctly. I have not tried video games yet.

Rendered 3D, because of the added control, is always going to be to better effect. Live action 3D can be done very well (as Cameron has shown), but LIVE live action, i.e. sports, is not going to give near as good of results. I do enjoy my 3D tv, but have only used it for movies and games - which it works great for in both cases - as always, depending on the content creator's skill/care level. I had this 3D TV before there was a bluray standard for it, and it still gives stunning results.