Where are all the true 3D Blu-rays?

“Nice tech – but no-one needs it” ???

I don’t need a house; but I live in one.

I don’t need cushions; but I have some on my sofa.

I don’t understand the past tense of your post chris. Blu-ray was indeed a Sony idea…but it is successful. It’s nothing like Betamax – Betamax lost the format war against VHS. But Blu-ray won against Toshiba’s HD-DVD. Blu-ray is now growing faster than DVD did in its beginning, and with the falling cost of HDTVs everyone will want Blu-ray. In fact, anyone buying an HDTV and not buying content for it…well that’s just pointless.

Blu-ray discs are getting cheaper to make – and they have so many advantages over and above HD pictures. They can fit much better software on them, meaning that using a Blu-ray is better than DVDs. You don’t need to go back to the menu screen to turn on subtitles or put on the commentary for example. And then there’s the internet capability of them, and their ability to store 3D films. They’re also almost unscratchable – so much more durable to DVDs due to a patented protective plastic. That means no skipping discs.

Blu-rays are already a success and they’ll just naturally replace DVDs without you even noticing. Studios won’t be supporting selling their films for £2 much longer.

Hi Charlie Bucket,

3D TVs do indeed show regular 2D content too, but you can watch this just as you would a regular telly (ie. without the 3D specs). You only need to wear the 3D glasses when watching the 3D Blu-ray discs or when watching a 3D channel.

Sky is launching a 3D channel in October, and others may follow but none have yet been announced. You will need to be a Sky customer to receive this channel.

Modern 3D glasses are quite different to the red/blue 3D glasses in more traditional 3D cinema. The new glasses aren’t coloured (although they are slightly tinted like sunglasses). They’re quite expensive, and as they contain electronic components they can get a little uncomfortable after a couple of hours of use. After sitting through a feature length 3D film or a 90minute 3D football match you may be quite glad to remove them. I’m sure they’ll become more comfortable in time though.

The 3D glasses are paired with the 3D TV, so if you look at your laptop screen when wearing them, then it’ll just be like looking at the screen through a pair of sunglasses – so no 3D on your laptop yet.

We have quite a useful guide here that explains how the new 3D TVs and the 3D glasses work.

http://www.which.co.uk/advice/3d-tv-essential-guide/index.jsp

I hope you find it interesting.

Avatar is being re-released in 3D for a 2 week period starting this Friday, you should go and see that for an example of proper 3D content filmed in true stereoscopic 3D.

The only difference is that cinemas use cheap, disposable glasses, but the effect is the same as the new active shutter glasses that come with 3D-TVs.