Major electronics makers are stepping up efforts to develop monitors and other products that can show 3-D movies and programs as Hollywood increasingly turns to the technology to churn out big hits.
TVs and Blu-ray DVD players that can show 3-D movies and programs are expected to hit stores next year. Fuji Film Corp. is the first to come out with digital cameras that can show pictures and video images in 3-D.
These products are expected to attract attention at the CEATEC electronics fair slated for October, observers say.
Till now, poor quality has hampered the development of 3-D, with viewers having to rely on red-and-blue tinted eyewear. The rapid development of digital technology, however, has led to a drastic improvement in 3-D images.
Hollywood movies using 3-D technology, including "Journey to the Center of the Earth" and "Bolt," have become big hits, leading officials at the electronics makers to conclude the trend is here to stay.
They may be right.
Two major U.S. theater networks have agreed to purchase high-definition digital projectors from Sony Corp. as they gear up to convert to 3-D-capable more than 10,000 of their screens in the next three to five years.
Electronics makers and movie production companies are also discussing ways to come up with a standardized format for Blu-ray DVD players that can show 3-D DVDs by the end of the year.
Panasonic Corp. is developing plasma TVs and Blu-ray DVD players that can show 3-D movies and programs. The products are expected to hit the shelves next spring at the earliest so that Panasonic can get a head start in this area.
