The popularity of 3D television just didn't hit the mark, in general at least, and that remains true in the world of sports. ESPN plans to discontinue it's 3D channel by the end of this year, an experiment they started in 2010.
With the 3D exit, ESPN has plans to jump past 1080p and and perhaps begin broadcasting in 4K UltraHD which offers 4x the resolution of 1080p. This change may seem like 3D is dying a slow death but the truth is that 3D has been around for a very long time and it looks as though it will be around a lot longer despite ESPN dropping the channel.
People Still Like 3D In Some Mediums
IMAX theaters and other cinema setups show movies in 3D to raving fans who pay more for the extra dimension, plus Blu-ray has a collection of 3D titles. And those that stream video from Netflix and are connected to participating Internet Service Providers that are part of the Netflix Content Delivery Network, will have access to some 3D titles. More that Netflix in the streaming world, Vudu has a 3D service too. Other industries including gaming take advantage of the technology as well. China and Europe show continuing growth in the world of 3D despite the slow growth in other parts of the world including the United States.
With ESPN dropping 3D in favor of 4K it still remains to be seen whether 4K is something consumers will latch on to. Some analysts suggest that 4K and 1080p will have only subtle differences to the human eye on most screens. The 4K TVs using the "passive glasses system" however show 3D video impressively because the horizontal line artifacts that are often seen on a 1080p are eliminated as a result of the increased detail.
With all that said, ESPN 3D, to many, is considered the largest and most important source of 3DTV content available. Some suggest the 3D technology as a whole can cease to exist because of this move.
Many suggest it is because people just don't want to strap on the glasses, which makes sense. However, there is technology that exists where the 3D glasses are part of the TV in a sense, preventing the viewer from having to wear them. I'd like to see that technology advance some more.
Sources for this article include:
gizmodo.com
hometheater.about.com
With the 3D exit, ESPN has plans to jump past 1080p and and perhaps begin broadcasting in 4K UltraHD which offers 4x the resolution of 1080p. This change may seem like 3D is dying a slow death but the truth is that 3D has been around for a very long time and it looks as though it will be around a lot longer despite ESPN dropping the channel.
People Still Like 3D In Some Mediums
IMAX theaters and other cinema setups show movies in 3D to raving fans who pay more for the extra dimension, plus Blu-ray has a collection of 3D titles. And those that stream video from Netflix and are connected to participating Internet Service Providers that are part of the Netflix Content Delivery Network, will have access to some 3D titles. More that Netflix in the streaming world, Vudu has a 3D service too. Other industries including gaming take advantage of the technology as well. China and Europe show continuing growth in the world of 3D despite the slow growth in other parts of the world including the United States.
With ESPN dropping 3D in favor of 4K it still remains to be seen whether 4K is something consumers will latch on to. Some analysts suggest that 4K and 1080p will have only subtle differences to the human eye on most screens. The 4K TVs using the "passive glasses system" however show 3D video impressively because the horizontal line artifacts that are often seen on a 1080p are eliminated as a result of the increased detail.
With all that said, ESPN 3D, to many, is considered the largest and most important source of 3DTV content available. Some suggest the 3D technology as a whole can cease to exist because of this move.
Many suggest it is because people just don't want to strap on the glasses, which makes sense. However, there is technology that exists where the 3D glasses are part of the TV in a sense, preventing the viewer from having to wear them. I'd like to see that technology advance some more.
Sources for this article include:
gizmodo.com
hometheater.about.com