Coming Soon to Your Home Theater: 3DTV
Arthur Berman and Dale Mannu, Insight Media
November, 2008

The first session of 3D Biz-Ex 2008 was all about the prospects for enjoying 3D entertainment in one’s home.  One of the biggest challenges to bringing 3D to the consumer market, said David Naranjo, director of product development at Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America (Irvine, CA; www.mitsubishi-tv.com), is educating consumers.

Mitsubishi’s approach to getting the word out about 3D is through its “Mobile Multimedia Showroom,” a 53-foot big rig trailer that has been touring the country for the past year.  You can catch it at trade shows, select retailers and PGA (Professional Golfers Association) tour events.

Additionally, Mitsubishi last summer joined forces with graphics chip-maker NVIDIA and computer-maker Aspen Media to “provide the first complete solution for the Home entertainment market,” according to a company press release.  They want to make it easier for consumers to play, in 3D, the 250-plus PC games currently available.  Mitsubishi also is moving into sales of LCD shutter glasses for use with 3D-ready TVs, and will announce prices and availability this fall. 

In addition, broad consumer demand for 3D in the home will require turnkey 3D products.  Advertising a television as being “3D ready” is very different from selling a product that consumers actually want, which, according to Chris Yewdall, CEO of DDD (Santa Monica, CA; www.ddd.com), is one that is “3D friendly.”  Having to buy a Home Theater PC and then configure the software and hardware for stereo 3D is beyond the reasonable expectations for a consumer device, and keeps 3D firmly in the hands of the hobbyist.  3D friendly sets require only two things, he said, a plug-and-play implementation and a “low enough” price point.  We agree.

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