3D content

Samsung has launched a new free application for their Internet @ TV (accessible from their 3D TVs). It's called "Explore 3D" and it allows you to stream 3D videos. It currently offers only three trailers (Shrek Forever After, Megamind, and How to Train Your Dragon).

The application will also offer video clips and premium video in the future. This is great news for Samsung 3D TV owners who can now view 3D directly from the TV, without a 3D Blu-ray player (or a PS3 or a 3D set-top box).

Holmes has released a new 3D Sterescope viewer, for $79.95. The device, made of wood and leather allows you to view stereocards, which you can make if you have a 3D camera (or 3D lens attachment). This is similar to sterescopes, used back in the 19th century.

Buy the Holmes Stereoscope now for $79.95!

ESPN has officially launched ESPN 3D.They will broadcast 25 games from the 2010 FIFA world cup in 3D. The team from Engadget were present at the launch event - and were quite happy with the 3D displays on hand...

Danielle Nagler, BBC's head of HD says that the BBC is cautious about 3D TV, and they fear that it might be a fleeting fad and that its current popularity could be detrimental to HD. She explained that the BBC's current focus was explaining and demonstrating HD technology to their audiences and that throwing 3D in to the mix would be distracting all round. Plans for a dedicated 3D channel are not even remotely on the horizon, rather they would show a variety of 3D content over the next few years to see what the response is like.

"We are not clear on what makes good 3D and are certainly not clear on what makes good 3D television. The trials we are doing are a bit like early color – it looks interesting but there is a long way to go."

via Projector-Point

Sony are running an international competition to find the World's greatest 3D film makers to showcase their work on every 3D TV they sell. Sony are on the lookout for some stereoscopic clips, which will be shown on demo 3D TV's in stores. If you are capable of creating a 5-10 min clip that can be played on active shutter TV's, then it would be worth entering... And entrants could also win a 3D TV!

What to enter

Sony is looking for stereoscopic 3D shorts made to work with active shutter technology (ie NOT red-blue anaglyph). Each video sequence should, preferable, be around 5-10 minutes in length. However, if you have a shorter sequence (that’s suitably impressive) Sony will still be willing to consider it for inclusion.

In terms of content, Sony doesn’t mind if it’s character animation, a VFX sequence, motion graphics or a particularly cool arch-viz flythrough. The key factors are that it’s of a professional standard, has good quality stereo 3D, and is suitable for family viewing!

PassmoreLab (a 3D production studio) has signed a $200 million agreement to convert 500 of Grizzly Adams' movies to 3D. This will create the largest 3D library in the entertainment industry. Grizzly Adams Productions is a producer of family friendly and faith-based independent movies, documentaries, television specials and series.

China's CHDIA (China High-definition Disc Industry Promotion Association) which works on China's home-grown blue-laser standard (CBHD) is working on adding 3D support for the standard, and they expect 3D-CBHD players by the end of 2010.

Via digitimes