Viewing the World In a New Dimension

For years, we have been accustomed to the 2-D culture when it comes to digital media. From movies, computer games and plain old television. But the age of 3-D has come. Or has it? With the explosive hit of the movie “Avatar”, many consumer electronic companies have rushed to meet the rising demand and hope for a 3-D television outside of the theaters to recreate the “Avatar” experience. Indeed when the3-D t.v. was first introduced, it immediately sold out at many retailers.

However, sales quickly declined later this year. This is due to the lack of 3-D contents offered and the incompleteness of the technology. The first point is straight forward, there is not enough 3-D content offered because broadcasting companies don’t see the merit in creating special programs to satisfy such a small portion of the viewer statistic. Secondly, the 3-D technology is clearly not perfected. Due to the fact that 3-D media uses frame sequential technology a viewer is forced to wear a bulky pair of expensive glasses just to convert the blur on t.v. into a “3-D” image. These glasses are inconvenient for consumers already with glasses and also makes the t.v. experience more tiring than the regular 2-D method.

I think it may have been too early for the 3-D phenomenon to leave the theaters to jump into the households. The 3-D t.v. seems to be an example of when a new technological advancement will not always create a beneficial and sustainable profit.

Besides, wouldn’t it be scary walking into your living room full of people with 3-D shades muttering. “Wow…. dolphins flying through the living room.”