Sony Shows Off 3D Tech

Firmware update due "July"
Published 09/02/2010 at 11:30 by nofi
Related stories (more)
PS3 3D Confirmed For June [40]
TC’s Massive Poll: Week 2 Results [18]
Ubisoft Want To Combine Natal & 3D [10]

Canadian?  No, me neither, but if you were (or, indeed, you simply lived there) you could just nip along to your local mall this month and see Sony’s new 3D tech for yourselves.

It’s not just the televisions, either – some of the locations carry 3D-equipped PS3s running Motorstorm, WipEout and Super Stardust HD so the public can demo the amazing technology for themselves.

Here’s where to go:

Feb 2 – 28
Toronto Eaton Centre (Toronto, Ontario)
Pacific Mall (Vancouver, BC)

Feb 4 – 28
Montreal Eaton Centre (Montreal, QC)

Feb 10 – 28
Yorkdale Shopping Centre (Toronto, Ontario)
Markville Shopping Centre (Markham, Ontario)
Rideau Centre (Ottawa, Ontario)
Richmond Centre (Richmond, BC)
Chinook Centre (Calgary, Alberta)
West Edmonton Mall (Edmonton, Alberta)

Word on the street is that a Firmware update to enable the new HDMI protocols so that all PS3s to run 3D games (and movies) will come this July, too.

We’ll got more news on the PS3’s Firmware later this week.

Comments

Please note that all comments are the opinion of the individual author and not TheSixthAxis.


  1. When did Canada become part of Europe? :)


    • Well Ukraine and other Baltic states want to be part of Europe so why not Canada.


  2. I don’t believe Sky isn’t launching their 3D till the autumn which is when most of the 3D HDTVs will be appearing on stores shelves (in a high enough volume to be competitively priced anyway), so in the UK the PlayStation 3D launch will be a bit of a damp squib with hardly any TVs available for launch.

    The problem being most of the rest of the world will be receiving 3D TV in time for the world cup, but because Sky aren’t allowed to bid for the World Cup so its its free to air on BBC, and worryingly ITV, our 3D schedule has slipped. I also think the BBC are waiting until the 2012 Olympics to launch BBCHD as a 3D channel, so it may not be until then that the competitiveness comes in to the TV pricing.


    • Sky was meant to launch in the Spring according to their original announcement – I haven’t seen anything saying thats moved.

      As for the World Cup Sony have the rights to 3D can do pretty much what they like with it – its only 25 games and its going to cinemas around the world. As far as I’m aware its not being broadcast into homes anywhere.

      BBC were started showing 3D sports event in selected cinemas a couple of years ago. They won’t broadcast in 3D until a decent percentage of households have 3D sets as they won’t be able to justify the license fee being used for such a small percentage of the license fee payers.


      • Sky’s is down for an Autumn launch it was announced in their financials at the end of Jan

        Sony film the World Cup in 3D… but the world cup, like the Grand National, Wimbledon, Six Nations and a few other sporting events are excluded from appearing on a pay TV platform in the UK… They are part of the sporting ‘crown jewels’ that the government have locked them out of the bidding process so as they are always shown on free to air TV.

        ESPN are launching a 3D sports channel in the states in time for the World Cup, so its being broadcast there as well as other countries where ESPN have broadcast rights.

        Incidentally football is one of the worst sports to show off the capabilities of 3D

        And like I say… BBC HD will be 3D in 2012, for the Olympics and 3D programming will be more widespread by then as well… who knows, they’re probably filming a Planet Earth style program in 3D now


      • Personally I think tennis and snooker would be the worst sports to show in 3D.

        BBC had said they wanted to Film Olympics in 3D for its archive but had no plans to broadcast it yet.

        Sky could show the world cup like they do the FA Cup final as the ‘crown jewels’ rules only prevent them having exclusive rights.

        There are still news reports out this week claiming Sky will launch their 3D channel in April (including the Sky Sports website).


      • …and yet Formula One will still not even be shown in HD until 2011, what a joke.


      • Man United’s 3-1 win at Arsenal was shown in 3D in 9 pubs across the UK, live, a few weeks ago. so i don’t see why they wouldn’t show it in house holds at some point this year…..


      • “Personally I think tennis and snooker would be the worst sports to show in 3D.”

        Wouldn’t darts be the worst sport to be shown in 3D? I think it would be damn right scary ;)

        Anyway I’m not too bothered about the world cup not being shown in 3D as next to no-one and no pubs are going to have the TVs to able to show it, and when the olympics come it will be a great promotional tool for getting 3D into alot of peoples houses.


  3. Ok. Just a few tidbits. LG launch there 47 inch polarized passive 3d set in April. The same time sky launch there 3d sports channel. Sony and panasonics models which are full 3d using shutter glasses will launch in June with sonys lx and nx series televisions releasing on June 10th, so expect a firmware update beginning of June or end of may so that Sony centres across the globe can show if the new tech.

    Also, those who were wondering. Skys broadcast of the united v arsenal game the other day was shown in 1080i sqwishing 2 images together and the results were superb. Anyone worried that the ps3s hdmi 1.3 spec isn’t going to get you a quality 3d image us off there rocker.


  4. all this 3D stuff is getting on my nerves. It doesn’t even look that impressive on films so why will it on games?


    • Because gaming is the perfect medium for it


      • WipeoutHD in 3D could be all kinds of awesome – even to the level where I’d actually sit in my living room wearing those stupid glasses. 3D also makes a lot of sense in LBP – using 3D to separate the 3 depth levels would make it much easier to navigate.


      • Yep; and by all accounts 3D works better on a TV than at the cinema as you sit too far away at a cinema and can give you headaches etc… after a hour or two. You don’t have the same issue with 3D on TVs.

        Evolution Studios did a really good interview about 3D recently.


      • Sorry I just can’t see it to be honest.


  5. The SONY store in Heathrow T5 departures has a 52″ active set with demo’s for Motorstorm, Stardust etc and it looks really amazing! The staff know nothing about it though :(


  6. Any prices for 40″-52″ TV?


    • A 3D TV is supposed to be around £250 more then its standard HD counterpart, that gap is expected to narrow over the coming year or two as 3D TVs are produced in a higher and higher volume, because whatever is produced in the highest volume becomes the cheapest… ‘economies of scale’ and all that


  7. July?…. so it’s unlikely the browser will receive an update before then:(


  8. When’s the next plane to Canada? ;)


  9. I just got a new TV not that long ago, I dont wanna upgrade again, likes. I will see what effect it has on the industry before deciding on a new TV.