Watch: THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG Extended Edition Scene Disc Preview

Tim here, and in case you forgot about The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition, we've got a preview of a scene from it here! I know, how can there be more goodness from the second Hobbit movie? Well there is and I'm pretty excited about it. With any luck we'll get a special The Hobbit Extended Edition Marathon in 3D in theaters leading up to the release of The Battle of the Five Armies. 

The scene showcases Bilbo's climbing skills after the company reaches a swamp, which they've been warned by Gandalf holds some dark enchantments. That doesn't appear to stop the dwarves though, who encourage Bilbo to cross as he's the lightest. 

Check out the scene below:

There will be a total of 25-minutes of additional and extended scenes for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition. It's going to show some intriguing new moments from Bilbo's journey. 

You can grab a copy of the The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition on November 3^rd on 3D Blu-Ray (and it's native 3D of course - shot on 3ality Technica rigs), 2D Blu-Ray, and DVD, a month before The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies hits theaters on December 17^th, 2014 in IMAX 3D, RealD 3D, HFR 3D, and regular flavor 2D.

...AND Just Like, That Sony Announces Playstation 4 3D Blu-ray Support !

BOOM. Just as Microsoft announces its first ever support of 3D Blu-ray discs in the XBOX One, Sony has stepped up to the plate and stated that its PlayStation 4 will also get 3D Blu-ray disc support with its next software update (v1.75) coming next week!

For all of you PS4 owners, there was no mention of other home theater features in the mix yet, like Bluetooth remote, MP3 playback or DLNA but really, that has to be coming soon too. For those of you in the UK, you now have support for Sky's NOW TV app (XBOX One version coming soon) which gives you subscription based on-demand movies (£8.99 monthly), TV shows (£4.99) and sports (£9.99).

I'm still using my PS3 for 3D Blu-ray playback and it remains my hub of entertainment.

Thanks for the heads up Johnno!

Source: PlayStation Twitter

Finally! XBOX ONE Gets 3D Blu-ray Support

Yes! Finally Microsoft will be implementing 3D Blu-ray support for it's XBOX ONE console with a new software update coming in August. This marks the first time the XBOX platform will offer the cool feature.

This is HUGE news in the platform gaming and entertainment field. 3D support adds the immersion that is expected with console owners as anyone with a PS3 and 3D TV will attest to.

Some other improvements coming with the update:

• Activity feed updates, and expanded friend area on Home screen: you'll be able to see what your friends are doing, and be more aware of it right from the Xbox One dashboard. And it'll show how long a friend's been away from his or her console.
• Mobile purchases: You can buy games or other content from the SmartGlass app or from Xbox.com, and have it download right to your Xbox One remotely.
• Low battery notification: You can already peek at your controller's battery level, but a pop-up warning now lets you know when it needs a recharge.
• Disable notifications during video: It's amazing this wasn't available before.
• OneGuide in Brazil, Mexico, Austria and Ireland: Four more countries can try connecting their Xbox One to their TV and browse TV listings.

Those with early preview access could get these updates as soon as this week.

Sony's Playstation 4 still hasn't updated with 3D support as of yet, but it is expected as they did with the Playstation 3 support for 3D Blu-rays (that I am still enjoying tremendously).

Now I'm considering an XBOX ONE purchase whereas I've always been a Sony guy. Congratulations on the 3D support Microsoft! Thanks for the heads up Tobias!

Source: XBOX Wire

Baz Luhrmann Wants To Convert Moulin Rouge! To 3D !

After the great success of The Great Gatsby in 3D Baz Luhrmann says he wants to convert his 2001 film Moulin Rouge! to 3D!

In an interview last week on Entertainment Weekly Radio, director Baz Luhrmann says that Moulin Rouge! 3D might be in the works soon, "Because conversion is getting better and better, I'm going to ask the guys at Fox… maybe can we convert Moulin Rouge! to 3-D," says Luhrmann, who shot The Great Gatsby (released on Blu-Ray Aug. 27) natively in 3-D. "Because I think in a strange way I was trying to make a 3-D movie."

Be sure to go to stores and buy the 3D Blu-Ray of The Great Gatsby if you didn't get a chance to see it in theaters. And if you did get a chance buy it anyways because the 3D was great! And keep an eye out for Moulin Rouge! in 3D whenever it arrives.

HOBBIT UPDATE: More AUJ Extended Edition Details + Clip

"Rembember, remember the fifth of November." Tim here with some new details on the The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition that's coming out this fall. In all the Extended Edition will contain 13-minutes of additional footage and nine hours of bonus content.

First the Extended Edition will be hitting the Digital Download scene on October 22^nd and will be followed by 3D Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, and DVD release on November 5^th. The five-disc Blu-ray 3D set will retail for $54.98, while the three-disc Blu-ray will be priced at $35.99; and a five-disc DVD at $34.99. Bonus features include audio commentary with Peter Jackson and co-producer-screenwriter Philippa Boyens; along with "The Appendices," a multi-part documentary focusing on various aspects of the film and the trilogy. All will have UltraViolet, and Digital Download will most likely see a select number of bonus items as iTunes Extras for the digital iTunes release.

"I'm thrilled that the extended edition will give fans the opportunity to experience certain key scenes in the film as they were originally shot, as well as an abundance of special features," Jackson said in a statement. "It's exciting to present this expanded and enriched version of 'An Unexpected Journey' to allow fans to fully immerse themselves in the movie, before seeing the second part of the trilogy."

They also included a clip in the report. You can check out the clip below:

WRITER'S NOTE: Personally I'm not a big fan of the box art. I loved the LOTR Extended Edition box art and wish this was consistent with those, but understand that due to declining home market sales of physical copies of movies the studio needs to do everything they can to make the art recognizable with the movie. It needs to sell. I'm on the Digital Download side, and only buy movies now in that format. If only they'd release a 3D version in Digital Download. Technically they can do this (I've tested iTunes format SBS 3D through AppleTV on to 3DTV), but it has yet to happen.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition hits shelves Novermber 5^th. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug hits IMAX 3D and RealD 3D theaters December 13^th, 2013, and The Hobbit: There and Back Again hits IMAX 3D and RealD 3D theaters December 17^th, 2014.

Expect Extended Edition 3D Blu-Rays Of THE HOBBIT

Tim here with a "I could have told you this was coming." Reported out of theonering.net it turns out that three movies aren't enough to satisfy all the footage for The Hobbit. We're looking at Extended Editions of each as well, just as it was with The Lord of the Rings. No complaints because Extended Editions means more enjoyment for fans... and a push for 3DTV's and the 3D Blu-Rays!

Just like the LOTR DVDs the theatrical cuts will hit the DVD, Blu-Ray, and Digital Copy market first, followed by the Extended Editions a few months later. Expect the 3D Blu-Ray to also have the Extended Scenes in 3D. This will give more people incentive to purchase a 3DTV so that they can enjoy the Extended Editions as they were meant to be seen. However, will the digital copies also be 3D? It's not a hard leap for the iTunes digital copies to be available in 3D as through an AppleTV one can easily play a side-by-side squeeze on a 3DTV and have it interpreted as 3D. All Apple has to do is enable 3D in the iTunes Store. That's wishful thinking at this time. The Blu-Rays are guaranteed to be 3D at least.

Here's the storyline for THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY:
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever… Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities… A simple, goldring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hits theaters on December 14^th worldwide. 

Rumor Confirmed! 10 Disc AVENGERS ASSEMBLED Blu-ray Collectors Set Being Prepped!

Remember that rumor about a 10 disc blu-ray collection for THE AVENGERS that was being bounced around a couple of weeks ago? DONE DEAL.

According to Amazon, the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One - Avengers Assembled (10-Disc Limited Edition Six-Movie Collector's Set) will have the most recent 6 movies from Marvel and 3 of those movies will also have the 3D discs for those of you with 3D TVs at home. Namely, THOR, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER and THE AVENGERS.

Here's what's included in the limited edition collection:


• Marvel’s The Avengers (Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray)
• Thor (Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray)
• Iron Man 2 (Blu-ray)
• The Incredible Hulk (Blu-ray)
• Iron Man (Blu-ray)
• Bonus Disc - “The Phase One Archives” (Blu-ray)
• Collectible packaging with exclusive memorabilia from the Marvel Cinematic Universe

The AVENGERS ASSEMBLED 10 disc set does not have pricing yet, but I will let you know when that drops on July 15.

via /Film

UPDATED: EXCLUSIVE: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND 3D Blu-Ray Trailer!?

**UPDATE, March 12 - Apparently this is a fake. I am truly disappointed. Whoever made this thing could have taken pride in it and posted it as fan tribute - but instead takes the low road. This was debunked by someone in the know and should know.

Guys - if this thing is true I am totally amped about getting this 3D blu-ray! One of my readers has sent me a link to his/her uploaded bootleg trailer of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND 3D that is meant to promote the 3D blu-ray for the classic sci-fi movie!

Not only that but my source says:
"I can't tell you any details but as a fan of marketsaw I want to give you and your readers an exclusive look. Prepare for more. It's the first of a 3D collection."

The FIRST of a 3D collection!! Oh YEAH. Classic sci-fi perhaps? A 3D Spielberg collection perhaps? What's your speculation guys?

Check it out while you can! This may get pulled VERY soon:



I sincerely hope this is on the up and up. The trailer says December 2012 - obviously aiming for the holiday season. It certainly rings true as I know Spielberg has certainly considered converting some of his library to 3D - like JURASSIC PARK. I can't contain my giddiness about this - I'm beside myself!! :-)

More info when I get it! And hopefully it's a confirmation...

"Hugo" & Scorsese Win Big at International 3D Society Awards

Tim here. Martin Scorsese walked away with the Harold Lloyd Filmmaker Award when the International 3D Society honored him and his 3D masterpiece Hugo at the 3D Creative Arts Awards held at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Hugo received three awards, Best Live Action 3D Feature, Best Stereography (Live Action), and Best 3D Moment of the Year. Scorsese also spoke about the restoration of classic 3D movies for Blu-Ray, which was met with thunderous applause.

"My favorites are the old ones," Scorsese said. "There are so many. To see the films at home (on 3D Blu-ray) is going to be really remarkable. And to see them in their original form … seeing Dial M for Murder in 3D, in particular, is an entirely different experience."

Animation also was huge at the awards ceremony as The Adventures of Tintin and Puss in Boots walked away with Best Animated 3D Feature and Best Stereography (Animated) respectively. Chris Miller, director of Puss in Boots said, "(3D) is on the verge of being recognized as a great contributor to cinematic storytelling — and that is what it is. When we added it into any sequence in the film, it was about ‘how can we best (use 3D) to tell the story."

Wim Wenders' Pina received the Jury Prize for Excellence from the Society, and additional Lumiere statuettes were awarded to The Lion King for Best 2D-to-3D Conversion, and Cave of Forgotten Dreams for Best 3D Documentary.

Winners in television include 3net’s Fields of Valor: Civil War, for entertainment programming; Sony Japan’s Ayumi Hamasaki: Arena Tour, for a live event; and BSkyB’s Champions League Final, in live sports.

Sony Corporation of America was honored with the Sir Charles Wheatstone Award for education at its Sony 3D Technology Center in Culver City.

Additional Award winners included:
3D Short Motion Picture/Narrative: "The Foundling" (RSA Films)
Electronic Broadcast Media (Television) – Ad/Commercial: "Best Buy 3D"
Electronic Broadcast Media (Television) – Short: "Foster the People - Don’t Stop" (Digital Revolution Studios)
Special Attraction – "King Kong 360 3D" (Universal Studios Hollywood)
3D Videogame – Portable: "Street Fighter IV" (Capcom)
3D Videogame – Console: "Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception" (Naughty Dog-Sony Computer Electronics)
3D Videogame – PC: "Batman: Arkham City" (Warner Brothers)

International "Jury Prizes" were presented to:
Beijing Film Academy (China) – "The Light of Shanghai Expo"
KT Skylife (Korea) – "3D Microspace"
NHK (Japan) – "The Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami"
Nippon Television (Japan) – "3D Baseball Live"
Sony (Japan) – "Final Fantasy"
Bandai (Japan) – "Hipura"
Fuji Television (Japan) – "Tokyo Control"

The Society’s television partner, 3net, plans to air a one-hour special, "Your World in 3D,” highlighting nominated works and red carpet interviews from the ceremony.

Congratulations to all involved!

MUST WATCH: Cameron And Landau Talk At Length About The AVATAR Extended Collector's Edition!!

**UPDATE Nov 6: AVATAR official site has new footage! Thanks Nick!

Guys - this is thrilling footage, shot by our friend Steve over at Collider (one of my favorite movie sites) - it is definitely worth investing the time to view these two clips. Steve recorded the ENTIRE HOUR that director James Cameron and producer Jon Landau spoke to the audience at BLU-CON 2010.

Here's what they discussed:
- Why they love the Blu-ray format & the technical benefits associated with the format.
- How AVATAR SPECIAL EDITION will have 3 different versions on the same disc.
- Why Fox gave them the $1 million / minute needed to finish those extra 16 minutes of deleted scenes.
- Why if you buy this special edition disc, there will NOT be another one coming out later to soak you again.
- Those same 16 minutes of deleted scenes were completed in 3D so when it comes time for the 3D disc release it is all set to launch.
- Much, MUCH more. Riveting details...

Here are the clips! ENJOY:





Awesome or what? And these guys are getting set to weave their magic again and AGAIN with AVATAR 2 & 3! More when I get it... GREAT JOB Steve!

More Details On The AVATAR Collector's Edition Blu-ray!

Super update on the upcoming AVATAR Collector's Edition Blu-ray for you! It is not just the extended AVATAR movie you will be buying, but a heckuva lot more.

Bleedingcool (original source BBFC) has outlined the following disc details:

- Deleted Scenes - Never Before Seen: Wow - a astonishing 68 minutes and 4 seconds!
- User's Guide For Viewing Unfinished Shots: 3 minutes, 10 seconds.
- "The Night Before AVATAR": 4 minutes, 46 seconds.
- Production Shorts 1: Sculpting AVATAR, The AMP Suit, Na'vi Costumes, Speaking Na'vi and Pandora Flora. Total featurette time is ~27 minutes.
- Test Footage From BROTHER TERMITE: James Cameron was going to adapt this novel into a movie! An alien invasion story. Cameron used some performance capture in this footage and it never did get made. 2 minutes of this test footage is included.

Look for the DVD and Blu-ray AVATAR Collector's Edition to be launched November 16. The 3D Blu-ray will apparently be bundled with new Panasonic 3DTV purchases exclusively for the short term.

New And Existing Playstation 3's Will Have 3D Blu-ray Support In September

Sony is raising the 3D bar once again! As you know, the Playstation 3 has 3D support for gaming through a firmware update that has already been made. That update did NOT have support for 3D movies on its blu-ray player however.

That is set to change in September. Sony will be releasing the next 3D update for Playstations and it will include support for playing 3D movies. Word is that 3D photo support is coming in a future release too. Sony is activating 3D across their product line and the new Cybershot DSC-TX9 will be able to grab those stereoscopic 3D photos for you.

Here is what Mick Hocking, Sony's worldwide 3D studio boss had to say:
"If you have a PlayStation 3 and you buy a 3DTV, you simply connect via your HDMI cable and your PlayStation 3 will automatically recognise that you've got a 3D display attached. It knows the size of the screen as well, which is very important for actually rendering 3D correctly and giving you the right sense of depth. And in our games you'll see the menu to play the game in 3D automatically. You don't have to press any buttons or go through any menus - it's all completely automatic and seamless, which is jolly good. We've launched four titles in June to support the 3D ready PS3 - and these are also bundled with our 3D Bravia TVs for free. If you've already purchased them [in 2D] from our PSN store, they're also free to download - or you can go along and buy them if you don't have them yet. There's Wipeout, Motorstorm, Super Stardust and PAIN - which involves throwing a character into scenery and hurting them as much as possible. All these are full games except for Motorstorm, which is a demo. In September this year, we're launching another Firmware upgrade - and this one is going to upgrade the PS3 to support Blu-ray movies in 3D. Again, you won't have to do anything - just connect your PS3. For the film market that's a very significant event. Then later in the year - we're not going to date it yet - the PS3 is going to support 3D photos. Of course the popularity of 3D isn't just going to come from movies and games. There's 3D cameras on the market, there's 3D camcorders coming on the market in the next 12 months as well, and 3D broadcasts. Crucially for us, PlayStation 3 will be able to store all types of 3D content. And we can do this through properly upgrading the Firmware on the platform. So you'll see 3D games in the next 12 months, you'll see Blu-ray movies in 3D, and as soon as the broadcasts start through our PlayTV services, you're going to watch 3D content [via that]. YouTube will be supporting 3D content over the next 12 months as well - and you'll be able to watch that on the PlayStation 3. And as you start taking 3D pictures of your family or 3D camcorder movies, you can play those back on PS3, too. It's a great purchase proposition and future proof."

Bring it on Sony. Bring it on!

Samsung To Offer 3D Blu-rays of Shrek, Monsters Vs. Aliens; Plus More 3DTV News

Michael here. According to Reuters, Samsung has announced that anyone who buys one of its 2010 3D TVs - which are coming out this month - along with their 3D Blu-ray player will get a kit that includes viewing glasses and a 3D version of Monsters vs. Aliens.

They also stated that the Shrek series will be available in 3D in the second half of 2010.

Meanwhile, Sony announced that they will begin selling 3DTV's in Japan on June 10, and internationally soon after. Sony expects its 46-inch model, which includes two pairs of 3D glasses, to sell for 350,000 yen ($3,875). According to Reuters this is 52 percent more than its latest regular LCD TV with a comparable screen size.

Oh, and Panasonic will officially launch sales of its 50 inch 3DTV tomorrow at a Best Buy store in Manhattan. Whether it will be available at other stores tomorrow is unclear.

Every significant TV manufacturer will be bringing out their 3D TV's within the next few months. Now the question is when those 3D Blu-rays will arrive. Hopefully we hear announcements of titles like Beowulf, Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, Ice Age 3, Coraline, Journey 3D, Up and of course Avatar soon. It would be a shame to have those TVs out there without a good number of 3D Blu-rays. We know the technology is ready...now we just need to wait for the studios to make their moves.

No Worries! AVATAR S3DHD Blu-ray Out In November!!

Jim here. Rest easy AVATAR fans! James Cameron himself put to bed any notion of the 3D Blu-ray for the movie taking years to get to us. In a recent interview, he said the time frame for 3D on Blu-ray is November of THIS year.

From WSJ: “It’s all right on schedule,” said Cameron. “We’ll do the Blu-ray and the standard def DVD April 22nd, that’s our plan as of right now, and that’ll be pretty much bare bones. And then we’ll do a value-added DVD and a 3-D Blu-ray in I think November sometime.”

Also here is a clip from MTV:

All of this makes total sense. I was dumbfounded when I heard that the 3D release would be delayed. I NEVER thought it would be years as other sites conjectured - I don't know where that came from! This timing is perfect if you ask me: S3DHD televisions will be flowing in and out of CE stores starting next month and ramping up through summer / fall, and AVATAR hits just before the holidays!

Can you feel it? AVATAR in your home in stunning S3DHD by Christmas!! Potentially your home at least :-)

EXCLUSIVE: What To Expect From AVATAR's Blu-ray *AND* Can TRON LEGACY Blow AVATAR's 3D Out Of The Theater??

**UPDATE: Jan 15 - To clear up a question on timing, it looks like it is going to be standard protocol for release. I heard back from my source and as far as he knows, first up will indeed be the theatrical version with the potential for some added extensions (perhaps as standalone components). And YES there will be a "director's cut" or extended cut and this is probably coming later if they don't release up front. This was never in doubt. Don't forget that there is tons of room on a Blu-ray!

Jim here. I just got a rather cool inside update from the very same source who gave me the video clip of AVATAR's footage from Comic Con 2009. Time to mull over some rumors and clarifications direct from one of my top, top sources!

- AVATAR 2 will definitely be helmed by James Cameron and no one else, contrary to rumors saying otherwise. The story arcs that are being developed for potential sequels are EPIC. More info coming soon!

- What's on AVATAR's Blu-ray disc? It will obviously be SPECTACULAR! The best of its kind with in depth features, extended and deleted scenes - the movie will be much longer because of it. We know he left a lot of scenes off the theatrical cut to make length commitments. Further, most of these additional scenes will be in the first half of the movie, for example future Earth. Finally it will also clear up a few plot holes like how Tsu'tey got his headset towards the end of the movie, etc.

- What about 2010? What S3D movie should pique our interest the most? Two words: TRON LEGACY - Believe it or not, and I find it hard to believe, but internal word is that TRON LEGACY's 3D will blow AVATAR away. Those were his words. This coming from a guy who is connected and knows a great deal from the inside out about AVATAR. I am struggling with trying to figure out just how TRON plans on topping AVATAR in 3D. The concept art for TRON 2 is incredible apparently. Expect it in our theaters December 17.

Because of what he is saying about TRON LEGACY, I am placing the Disney movie at the top of my MUST SEE 3D 2010 movies guide - look for this soon!

You know I have the best sources on the planet for AVATAR - therefore, through transitivity, I have the best sources for the sequels :-) And believe me, the exclusives will be coming soon enough. Think I am kidding? Lightstorm will be hard at work soon for AVATAR 2 as the potential turnaround is only 2 years! Much of the pioneering work has been done with the original movie and the sequels will enjoy the fruits of their labor. I don't have to say it, but - STAY TUNED. :-)

Disney Releasing A CHRISTMAS CAROL on S3DHD Blu-ray In Q4 This Year

Jim here. Disney is releasing A CHRISTMAS CAROL on Blu-ray in the fourth quarter of 2010 along with a special 3D Showcase Disc. And yes, it will be aligned closely with the launch of the S3DHD TVs from various manufacturers.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL is pegged to be their first S3DHD Blu-ray disc ever.

The Showcase Disc includes upcoming promotional items for Disney 3D Home Videos - like trailers and clips. Likely to be highlighted will be ALICE IN WONDERLAND, TOY STORY 3 and some original content exclusively for this disc. The disc is actually available right now for manufacturers to include with their new S3DHD TV offerings.

Finally we are getting 3D home videos that are NOT anaglyph (blue & red glasses)! Can't wait. I have not decided on equipment for myself yet, but I will keep you informed as to what I decide upon.

New S3D Test Lab Opens For Blu-ray Quality Assurance

Jim here. Set to launch in the first quarter of 2010, Testronic Laboratories, a quality assurance and testing service provider to the Blu-ray and Broadcast industries, has announced the opening of its new 3D Test Lab, which will be housed in the company’s 1st Street Facility in Burbank, CA.

The 3D Test Lab will thoroughly test Blu-Ray discs for the entire 3D and 2D viewing experience and ensure quality for the consumer. With the cooperation of the company’s 3D supply chain partners, the equipment at the new Testronic 3D Test Lab will include pre-release 3D players and monitors.

Says Adam Lesh, CTO of Testronic Labs: "Testronic Labs has been on the forefront of every technology shift in home entertainment from the day that these new things called DVDs were unloaded off the truck, to the launch of BD-Live. In that sense, 3D is no different. We will continue to lead the industry in safeguarding the consumer experience for our clients."

Good to see them up and running! S3D in the home is almost upon us guys :-) Love it!!

About Testronic Labs
Testronic Laboratories, established in 1998, is the worldwide leading Quality Assurance provider of choice for the software, hardware, digital media and entertainment industries. Services cover DVD, Blu-ray and video game QA, along with a range of services for telecommunications, e-learning, interactive software and hardware products, as well as a suite of certification standards.

Testronic Labs' skilled team provides testing of any content across any medium to any end device. Based in Burbank, CA; Pinewood Studios and Central London, UK; Diepenbeek, Belgium; and Warsaw, Poland; Testronic Labs is the only global Quality Assurance company operating across the entire digital media industry.

S3D Blu-ray Standard Is COMPLETE! CES Will Explode With 3D Home Entertainment!!

Jim here. I don't mean to bump Michael's blue carpet talk with Cameron but this can't wait!

The Blu-ray Disc Association is DONE with its task of standardizing stereoscopic 3D Blu-ray content!!

1080p will still be the top resolution, however there are many changes:

1. ANY type of S3D technology can be used with it (active shutter, polarized, etc).
2. It will be backwards compatible with existing 2D content: Existing Blu-ray players will be able to the new S3D content and display it on their 2D setups in 2D (in 2D of course). This allows for the distribution on only one format of disc for ALL audiences.
3. The Sony PS3 console will be able to play Blu-ray S3D content in 3D.

The specification enforces the use of a Multiview Video Coding (MVC) codec (coder-decoder) which is an extension to the H.264 Advanced Video Coding (AVC) codec currently supported in Blu-ray players today.

Further, the spec allows for the integration of 3D menu systems and subtitles.

The final spec will be published very soon and should make for a VERY interesting Consumer Electronics Show in January! I can't wait to see what is in store for 2010 - S3D is taking off baby!!

Source: RegHardware

Final Spec for 3D Blu-Ray by End of 2009

Michael here. Thanks to Fuad Zain for pointing me to this article from Bill Hunt of The Digital Bits, which has an update on 3D Blu-Ray from Blu-Con 2.0, which was held this past week in Los Angeles.

Read an excerpt from Hunt's report below (emphasis mine):

According to the Blu-ray Disc Association, the final spec for 3D Blu-ray (possibly called 3D-BD or something like it) will be announced by the end of the year, likely in December. The spec WILL REQUIRE that all 3D capable displays (regardless of how they process the 3D-BD signal) will use the same signal. The spec will be DISPLAY FORMAT AGNOSTIC, meaning whether the display is Plasma or LCD based (or whether it uses active or passive glasses) won't matter. So if you buy a 3D-BD player, it will work will all properly marked 3D display technologies. What's more, all 3D-BD discs will be backwards compatible with current Blu-ray players, so the disc will include both a 3D version in the new spec AND a standard 2D version for current players - all in full 1080p. The 3D-BD spec will require full 1080p signal delivery for each eye - left and right. The intent is that there's only one shot to get it right, so make sure it's a standard that will work for a long time to come.

An important point to make: THERE IS NO 3D-BD spec format war. Every company in the industry is cooperating on the final spec. The only difference is that the DISPLAY technology each company uses may be different, but the 3D-BD spec will be used by ALL of them.

Manufacturers will introduce a variety of 3D signal processing technologies, some based on plasma and some on LCD. Some will use active shutter glasses and some will use passive or polarized glasses. These technologies will be on display at CES in January and the first gear (and 3D-BD movie titles) will start arriving by mid-2010. Some product announcements MAY be made at CES. The glasses needed will be sold with the DISPLAYS, not the players, because the type of glasses needed will be dependent on the display.

All of the CE manufacturers stressed that 3D display is here to stay. It's not just about Blu-ray - you'll see cable and satellite offerings, live sports broadcasts and even gaming in 3D. The next round of gaming consoles are likely to support 3D gaming.

There WILL be a premium for the 3D capability in terms of display/player pricing, but as with all new technologies, this will drop over time.

This is particularly interesting: Multiple sources at the event - including one Sony source - informed me that there's a possibility that the PS3 can be firmware-updated to make full 3D gaming and (possibly even) 3D Blu-ray playback possible. All you'd need to do is to buy the glasses as an accessory. This may be possible because of the power of the PS3's Cell processor.

I am very excited for 3D Blu-Ray and am very happy that the powers that be are working towards a standard that provides the best possible 3D experience.