3-D HDTVs coming next year

The Next Big Thing after HDTV: 3-D HDTV [NYT Bits Blog]

With just over half of all U.S. households now watching television from a high def TV, next year promises to bring the next big development in home video - three-dimensional high definition televisions. This article fro the Bits blog indicates that the convergence of Hollywood studios releasing more 3-D features and television manufacturers perfecting new 3-D HD technology with a commitment to release 3-D capable televisions next year means that consumers will soon be able to enjoy television in three dimensions.

A new Blu-ray 3-D standard has also been adopted that will allow viewers wearing special 3-D glasses - permanent glasses, not those disposable blue and red 3-D glasses from the theater - can watch 3-D Blu-ray movies in full 1080p. The technology this standard uses is called active shutter, which synchronizes each video frame with either the left or right eye using the 3-D glasses that will likely be packaged with each 3-D television.

Research firm DisplaySearch projects that when 3-D televisions are introduced next year, consumers will snap up 120,000 of the new sets. In 2011, DisplaySearch predicts 11 million 3-D HDTVs will be sold.