# 3DTV on its way out



## Brian G Turner (Jan 29, 2017)

Even though I was never into it myself, I'm still surprised that the big TV manufacturers have dropped support for it:

Shambling corpse of 3D TV finally falls down dead


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## Vladd67 (Jan 29, 2017)

Until they can get rid of the glasses it's a dead duck.


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## HareBrain (Jan 29, 2017)

Knew it! And widescreen LCD TVs will be next, mark my words. I knew I hung onto my 4x3 CRT box for a good reason.


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## Venusian Broon (Jan 29, 2017)

HareBrain said:


> Knew it! And widescreen LCD TVs will be next, mark my words. I knew I hung onto my 4x3 CRT box for a good reason.



Given the hassle I had just trying to _move_ the last 35 inch flat screen CRT I had, I am not surprised at all you've still 'hung onto it'


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## BAYLOR (Jan 29, 2017)

In a few years , they're going to try to reintroduce it again.


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## Overread (Jan 29, 2017)

3D TV has the main problem that it's not actually any different an experience. It's still a 2D program in a 2D display that has some niftyness to it but otherwise doesn't actually change the experience. So for many its a lot of money for something that only has a handful of programs which support it which in turn has little actual visual impact in most scenes and situations.

It was supposed to be the next big thing; but no matter how they tried to market it; people were just not biting.


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## HanaBi (Jan 29, 2017)

The 3DTV fan has a regular popularity cycle of around 10-15 years. But it never fully captures the public imagination once the novelty has worn off, coupled with a myriad of limitations.


Personally I think the cycle is now at an end and the manufacturers are already investing heavily into VR  - which has also had its own cycle these past 30 years. But I think VR will actually become reality (ha!), now that we have fairly basic units available to the consumer. VRTV is the next obvious step up.

3DTV is dead and buried, and long may it remain so.


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## Overread (Jan 29, 2017)

VR has the power in that its a totally different user experience and interaction; in fact we've had some basic VR stuff going on for a while now starting with the hand held controllers that the Wii promoted and were quickly adapted by other console developers.

VR in the past was always unaffordable for the average person; plus because it was so niche and high tech what was out there for it was rather simplistic and limited. So it was generally not enough to get it into mass production to push the costs down. That is the big change with this new wave of VR units and games - Steam already has several games and there are also developers making games which work with both VR and regular computer interfaces. 

As a result VR is getting the strongest foothold its ever had. It's still expensive; but its far more within the affordable bracket than ever before. It's got great potential right now and even if it doesn't become mainstream soon I suspect that its gained enough of a foothold to not go away now. 


That said whilst games and VR are likely to be on the rise I think a TV VR experience is a long way off yet. I think also the 3D environment kind of requires the user to interact with the environment; even if its just to move through it to explore. That kind of environment can be made within a game; but would be near impossible to capture in real life with cameras (without a huge amount of CGI Being thrown in on top). So VR TV shows might never become a think; but I suspect in games we will see VR interactive games. 

We might also see new types of product as the technology matures and becomes more mass-market.


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## Edward M. Grant (Feb 10, 2017)

I just want to be able to play my 3D Blurays in my VR headset. 3D movies work much better there than they ever did on TV.

But, yeah, I'm glad we got a 3D TV before the manufacturers stopped making them. Given how little the tech costs to build into a TV (it basically seems to be a Bluetooth chip and some software), I'm surprised they didn't just make it a standard feature of their chipset.


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## Foxbat (Feb 27, 2017)

I've said it so many times before and I'll say it again 3D TV never existed and neither does 3D cinema. It's anaglyph or stereoscopic effects that are used. If it were true 3D you'd be able to walk around the picture and view it from any angle. This has always been a huge con-trick to get people to part with more cash and I'm glad to see it go.


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## HanaBi (Feb 27, 2017)

In the words of the Terminator: "I'll Be Back!!!!"



(..In a few years time. Maybe)


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