TCAT: 3-D needs standards

27 February 2011 By Rick Stanford, Columnist No Comments

3-D could very well be a new way to experience entertainment, but only if it’s done right. James Cameron succeeded by basing his entire movie off of the idea that it should be done in 3-D. Nintendo has the chance to do it right with the 3DS at the end of March.

Everything else seems like it’s more of a gimmick to secure viewership. 3-D can not truly be done and affect the mainstream market until we hit the point that it’s glasses-less. As long as people have to deal with the, shudder, 3-D glasses, they are not going to want to spend money on a 3-D setup.

A lot of film directors are trying to jump on the bandwagon and on the money 3-D films could make.

But what most of them don’t realize is if you shoot the movie in 2-D, then try to convert it to 3-D, the movie usually does not end up looking good.

I’m tired of all these movies trying to be in 3-D and inserting scenes that would be “perfect” for 3-D (The pointing of objects to the camera scenes). The perfect example would be “The Green Hornet.” That movie did not need to have a 3-D version, the value of the film did not benefit from it at all.

Not to mention the countless other movies that throw 3-D in to make more money, like “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.” Great idea, but pointless to see in 3-D.

Phones are even trying to get the 3-D upgrade. The LG Optimus 3-D will be one of the first phones in America with glasses-free 3-D.

Personally, I think the phone is going to fail. Nobody wants to use 3-D on his or her phone, as it would only be a distraction.

The amount of power that is needed to keep the phone on while using 3-D would drain the battery quickly, then the user is stuck without a phone.

On the gaming front, the 3DS is trying to make an impact on the 3-D world with its glasses-free screen.

I’m still skeptical about how 3-D gaming will impact the future, but from what I have read on the Internet, the 3DS gives a decent experience and it’s longevity will all depend on what the games bring to the table. Sony is also trying to make their move in 3-D gaming, but without the glasses-free 3-D screen.

Only time will tell if 3-D becomes a new standard for entertainment. But in this tech junkie’s opinion, 3-D does not really belong anywhere but the theater, and that should only be for the movies that actually take advantage of the technology, like “Avatar.”

Once consumers can buy a 3-D TV that does not require glasses and has a wide enough viewing angle, that’s when more people will actually start to care about 3-D entertainment.

Source: http://www.thetowerlight.com