Manufacturers of Blu-ray disc players on Thursday reached an agreement on a standard for next-generation players capable of showing 3-D videos. Although several movies have already been released that allow 3D viewing with current players, many consumers have complained about their less-than-high-definition quality, and some producers have declined to allow their films to be released in the present state of the 3D video art. The new standard will require replacing current players with new ones and its likelihood of success is therefore hinged to the public's continued appetite for 3D fare. Concurrent with the announcement by the Blu-ray Disc Assn. of the 3D agreement, Sony announced that RealD, the company that developed the 3D technology used with Sony's digital projectors in theaters, will make the glasses for its 3D Blu-ray players. Also on Thursday BSkyB, News Corp's British satellite TV service, said that it will launch an ad campaign in U.K. theaters showing Avatar to promote a 3D TV channel that it plans to inaugurate next year. Details of the 3D channel were sketchy, although in its announcement the company said, "As Sky's 3D TV services uses the same underlying technology as that being used in cinemas, it seemed natural to use Avatar as our first marketing platform. We also wanted to give consumers the opportunity to sample first hand the quality of experience we will offer next year."

18/12/2009