AfterDawn: Tech news

BBC shuts down future plans for 3D

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 07 Jul 2013 10:40 User comments (4)

BBC shuts down future plans for 3D

The BBC has announced it will be ending all 3D plans, at least until 2016.
The popular broadcaster has been trialing films and some sporting events in 3D for the last year, but has now decided the investment is not viable. A Doctor Who 50th anniversary special in November will be the last of the 3D broadcasts.

It is becoming increasingly clear that companies that tried to jump on the 3D bandwagon over the last two years have been severely disappointed by the results.

Just last month, ESPN announced it would be shutting down its 3D broadcasts by the end of the year, citing lack of adoption.

Kim Shillinglaw, the BBC's head of 3D, had easily the best explanation for why the general public doesn't care about 3D, saying it is "quite hassly" to get it to work. It should have been confirmed years ago, but it is now clear that nobody wants to put on glasses to watch TV and get a headache.

Tags: 3D BBC
Previous Next  

4 user comments

17.7.2013 12:32

it is wrong to assume "everybody" would
# like 3D concept. like for some: 3D? so what?
# pay premium for it.
# agree to go through the hassle to ensure 3D playback. 3D playback is NOT no-brainer unlike 2D playback; remember, when blu-ray came in, it was NOT no-brainer unlike DVD.
# be okay with the glasses. i think this is not the main reason as to why people don't like 3D although it is shown to be the main reason almost always. i don't agree because i can see people going to 3D theaters, and they need to use glasses there as well.
# tolerate lies, lies and lies about real 3D. 1st came anaglyph, then 2D to 3D conversion (which is BS in most cases). a few movies are real 3Ds only.

well, i am impressed with the real 3D movies (and, i am okay with the negatives of it; every technology has negatives, anyway), and i wish it continues despite resistance from general public.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 07 Jul 2013 @ 12:36

27.7.2013 13:46

just like espn

38.7.2013 15:15

Yeah it is just not 3d's time. Any money spent on it is wasted. I spose research to find a decent way to do it without glasses but not there yet.


48.7.2013 23:46

Originally posted by dEwMe:
Yeah it is just not 3d's time. Any money spent on it is wasted. I spose research to find a decent way to do it without glasses but not there yet.


Agreed. Until the glasses (and the headaches) go away, 3D in the home is just a fad that is already circling the drain.

Comments have been disabled for this article.

Latest news

VLC hits milestone: over 5 billion downloads VLC hits milestone: over 5 billion downloads (16 Mar 2024 4:31)
VLC Media Player, the versatile video-software powerhouse, has achieved a remarkable feat: it has been downloaded over 5 billion times.
2 user comments
Sideloading apps to Android gets easier, as Google settles its lawsuit Sideloading apps to Android gets easier, as Google settles its lawsuit (19 Dec 2023 11:09)
Google settled its lawsuit in September 2023, and one of the settlement terms was that the way applications are installed on Android from outside the Google Play Store must become simpler. In the future, installing APK files will be easier.
8 user comments
Roomba Combo j7+ review - Clever trick allows robot vacuum finally to tackle home with rugs and carpets Roomba Combo j7+ review - Clever trick allows robot vacuum finally to tackle home with rugs and carpets (06 Jun 2023 9:19)
Roomba Combo j7+ is the very first Roomba model to combine robot vacuum with mopping features. And Roomba Combo j7+ does all that with a very clever trick, which tackles the problem with mopping and carpets. But is it any good? We found out.
Neato, the robot vacuum company, ends its operations Neato, the robot vacuum company, ends its operations (02 May 2023 3:38)
Neato Robotics has ceased its operations. American robot vacuum pioneer founded in 2005 has finally called it quits and company will cease its operations and sales. Only a skeleton crew will remain who will keep the servers running until 2028.
5 user comments
How to Send Messages to Yourself on WhatsApp How to Send Messages to Yourself on WhatsApp (20 Mar 2023 1:25)
The world's most popular messaging platform, Meta-owned WhatsApp has enabled sending messages to yourself. While at first, this might seem like an odd feature, it can be very useful in a lot of situations. ....
18 user comments

News archive