IBC this year was interesting for me from the perspective that it was a show with only limited ‘new things’. This was an evolutionary IBC not a revolutionary one. HD is bedded in, IPTV is mainstream, OTT Video is a developing situation and the next new thing development is up for grabs.
I did not see that new thing in my view, although 3D TV and widgets were making their play.
Now widgets are interesting but I am very unsure about whether the sit-back experience is really the place to have a mini screen real-estate grabbing application that interacts with the viewer, mainly because I believe the screen is for video and that is the important thing for me and everything else is a distraction. The other aspect is the TV is still a one to many experience, and widgets are one to one in my opinion. So I am a neutral on Widgets and really require further persuasion.
I am not so neutral when it comes to 3D. I am not a believer. 3D is being pushed by content owners, hardware and software providers and even by some operators. However the issue I have is that 3D is not mass market in my view and it has never been more than a novelty since the initial excitement with 3D Cinema in the 50s. So why do I say that it is not mass market? This is because of the two primary types of 3D ( with glasses and without glasses ), there are human factor issues with both.
Having to wear glasses feels dumb, a proportion of viewers do not get the 3D view without headache inducing concentration, and those who already have prescription glasses either have both sets on at the same time or have quality issues with what they see on screen.
The non-glasses version has positional issues in its current form, pretty much the same focus issues for those with prescription glasses, and the 3D effect does not always work with every person.
Then also both types of 3D have motion sickness issues especially with current cinematic techniques, something that gets me personally as I am in that 5% of people who suffer the motion sickness effect after only a short period of watching.
All this is without discussing the technical and cost engineering, and content issues that need to be resolved before this really could attempt to be mainstream.
So there you go, 3D is the modern New Clothes for the Emperor of TV and I feel like that little boy pointing it out. It will only be a novelty for animation and Computer Gaming for me. Am I right? Am I wrong? What do you think?
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