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New Momentum for 3D Cinema Technology

It's predicted that 2009 is set to be the year for 3D, a reality that was apparent across the breadth of the recent Consumer Electronics Show, with many key players in the industry ready to showcase their capabilities.

With a myriad of competing technologies and 3D concepts out there, Futuresource Consulting announced the launch of a new market study outlining opportunities and challenges for 3D in cinema, broadcasting, TV display equipment, gaming, video content delivery and the outdoor advertising and digital signage industries.

Hollywood's ultimate goal is to bring 3D Cinema into people's homes to fully maximize this revenue stream, as only 25-30 percent of the revenues a studio earns from a blockbuster film come from the box office.

"Crucially, much of the backbone technology has arrived and is already in many people's homes, without them even realizing it," says Sarah Carroll, Director Strategy Consulting & Continuous Services, Futuresource Consulting.

Within the next five to ten years we're going to see 3D prevalent across the home entertainment industry, with 3D technologies increasingly installed in households.

Consumer 3D TV displays are available to view with and without glasses -- however, issues still remain regarding quality of image, viewing experience when wearing glasses -- though many 2D displays currently installed in consumer homes are already capable of displaying 3D content if connected to a suitable 3D video feed.

Despite the technical and standards issues that still need to be resolved, there is a lot of excitement regarding the potential for 3D from the broadcast industry, consumer and professional electronics sectors, gaming and advertising industries, optical disc replicators and the retail trade, as well as Hollywood.

Carroll adds "Here at Futuresource we're taking a holistic approach, examining the global opportunities and also putting them within the context of the prevailing economic downturn. In particular, research has shown that unfavorable market conditions are more likely to influence consumers to retreat into their living rooms."

With a roadmap stretching out over the next ten to fifteen years, the report from Futuresource will examine current usage of 3D technology in consumer applications, assess the technologies and standards that are being developed and quantify the market potential for the hardware, software and service industries, both now and as this technology penetrates the living room.

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