3D BluRay: How to sabotage your own spec

Another year has begun and with it, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas marks the beginning of 2010 with its annual parade of technical marvels and announcements.  I usually find the CES exhibition more interesting that E3 because you get a first look at the tech behind the games and everything else involved; such as surround sound, televisions and assorted home cinema gadgets.  With this years CES awash with '3D-This' and "3D-That' - it's no surprise that manufacturers are lining up to tout their offerings for the newest fashion in Home Cinema.

One of the manufacturers on the forefront of this technology is undoubtedly Sony.  Leading the charge with a freshly announced 3D specification for BluRay, 'BD3D' is the first official affirmation that 3-Dimensional video is coming to the home cinema, and soon!  Expect to see the first throng of 3D-ready televisions hitting shops this summer along with a range of BluRay players that will be compatible with the new 3D films (and games for PS3).  As it's early days, we can omit certain deficiencies in BD3D; such as it's lack of multiple fps formats (you're stuck with 24 for now) as well as other unanswered questions regarding this 'display agnostic' specification.  In actual fact, BD3D has got some things VERY right such as the promise that 3D discs will play on 2D players (as 2D films, of course) meaning that you don't have to hold off buying a 3D version of the film before investing in your 3D player/television.

Then Sony shot themselves in the foot.

As I understand it - the main business principle behind BluRay was create a value-added format that had a higher market value than its 480p predecessor; not to mention the excuse to introduce extended functionality such as 'BD Live' which provides a legitimate reason for consumers to actually want the Java-based DRM circuit that validates your disc as you play.  In turn, 3D discs up the ante even further.  It's all designed to make you spend more money on films; but after the tough battle of getting the market to accept and embrace BluRay (which its only just now doing) - Sony not only wants to make your current player obsolete, it wants to charge you a premium to upgrade to a player capable of 3D.( which is an even harder sell than conventional BluRay itself!)   Televisions, I can accept, need to be upgraded because of the mechanical differences required for 3D display - but players are simply relaying a digital signal.  Sure, this may require a few more transistors to decode and transmit, but as we understand that the PS3 will be updated by firmware, we can accept that pretty much any BluRay player has the hardware needed to play BluRay 3D.  (Or at least, there's not much required to make it possible)

I'll cut to the chase; Sony just unveiled its new range of BluRay players and televisions.  In particular, the players consist of the BDP-S370, S570 and S770.  Obviously, the higher-end you go the more you get - and normally I'd agree with that, but on this occasion, Sony has decided to restrict 3D playback to the S770!  While I'm sure Sony's marketing people are giving each other 'fisties' for thinking this up, I believe Sony (as the flagship BluRay manufactuer) has actually stalled BluRay 3D by forcing consumers to buy the most expensive player they have on offer; particularly when the same capabilities can be found on the PS3 for less than half the price.  This is a great promotion for the PS3, but not for the 3D format.  Although many have already voiced their apathy about 3D home cinema, I am one consumer who IS geared up for it - but I see no reason why I should have to buy the top-end player for the sheer privilege of decoding the format, especially considering that I already need to get a new television which will cost me between $1800-$2500 U.S. on its own!

Sony - what the hell?  Let's drop the silliness and arm ALL new players with 3D compatibility.  There's plenty of money to be made on the discs themselves (and the televisions for that matter).

Lovingly Yours,

The Angry Rabbit.