ITU misses the 3D boat

[khurramdar]

ITU misses the 3D boat     
Written by Chris Forrester  
Thursday, 14 January 2010 18:01

The ITU has just issued what it described as its 3D ‘road map' for broadcasters. The problem is that the ITU is suggesting a somewhat long and drawn out process that they say might well take 15-20 years to achieve ‘true' 3D.

The suggestions from the ITU's Study Group 6 are that we will have 3 different and distinct stages for the development of 3D in the home.

Stage 1 covers ‘plano-stereoscopic' 3D which has two views delivered to a set, and with users wearing similar glasses to those sometimes used in cinemas.

Stage 2 extends the 3D system to a multiview profile, and where the user by moving his or her head can subtly alter the way the image is seen, and thus more closely mimic real life.

Stage 3 is the great leap forward, and takes home-viewing into object wave profiling of an image and where the amplitude, frequency and actual phase of light waves will faithfully echo the actual real-life image being captured. But here's the problem: The ITU says this stage will take 15-20 years to emerge.

Our advice? Buy a Blu-ray player with 3D functionality, plus a high-quality 3D-TV from the likes of Panasonic or Sony which is as ‘future-proof' as anything on the street, otherwise you'll be waiting for ever for the ITU to finalise its work. Their next committee meeting on 3D takes place in April.

(c) Rapid TV News 2009