The Official AVS 3D Blu-ray Release Schedule - Page 4

Originally Posted by deArgila

I guess that depends on your definition of a "release date."

To me, Q4 (A Christmas Carol) is a release date, as is June 2010 (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs). In a way, even knowing Avatar 3D won't happen in 2010 is sort of a "release date."

At the very least, it's "release information."

Anyway, I did start a thread that has the information Lee has provided. It's titled "3D Bluray Release Information." I guess we'll see whether or not that proves to be useful - but it's there.

As the GMT turns, Sony's divisions are revealing their 3D plans for the rest of the year and the latest is its UK branch. The HX803 3D-ready model is first out the door in June, with LX903 and HX903 models arriving shortly afterward packing specs identical to their US cousins,

Movie heads get Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Deep Sea Blu-ray 3D discs bundled with unspecified "selected products," with the former going on sale by itself June 14. Check out all the details in the press release below or just refresh the Sony UK store until that preorder button shows up and we find out just how many pounds are needed to bring one home.

Okay now, this is just getting ridiculous -- we just can't figure out what the studios are doing, and if they do have a plan it is about time they share it, but just like when Blu-ray first came out, the latest new format isn't getting releases day and date with other formats.

DreamWorks Animation CEO, Jeffrey Katzenberg, announced during this weeks NAB Show in Las Vegas that the studio plans to convert the first three installments of its Shrek franchise into a 3D Blu-ray release.

The CEO said that, "our movies exist in digital files to begin with. To go back and rebuild to a quality 3D experience is not inexpensive, but we are about to achieve a pretty high quality result.” According to reports, it could cost DreamWorks around $20 million per film to convert into 3D and will take around 18 months for the original trilogy to be fully converted and available in Blu-ray 3D.

Sony recently revealed its initial line-up of 3D games that will be available to gamers on the Playstation 3 this June, when the games console receives its 3D firmware update. The confirmed 3D PS3 games are; Wipeout HD, PAIN, Super Stardust HD and Motorstorm Pacific Rift. The listed games are all reported to be released through the Playstation Network the same day that the Sony Bravia LED LCD HX803 range hits the consumer market.

According to reports, the firmware update which will bring 3D gaming to the popular games console will not update the technology enough to offer 3D Blu-ray support. However another firmware update can be expected later this year, that will bring 3D Blu-ray to the Playstation 3.

Originally Posted by stinster

I believe what we're seeing here, specifically in reference to 3D Bluray releases, is a direct result of the movie studio/publishers not wanting to outlay cash that will, in all likelyhood, not be recooped in the next 12-24 months.

Per Lee's excerpt: "According to reports, it could cost DreamWorks around $20 million per film to convert into 3D and will take around 18 months for the original trilogy to be fully converted and available in Blu-ray 3D."

So, at 20 Mil per film, even if the movies are sold for 50 dollars each (which I wouldn't pay...), it would require 400,000 copies of the 3D bluray to be shifted to break even on the venture. This speaks nothing of the cost of stamping discs, packaging, distribution and advertising. How many 3D TVs will be in the homes of consumers this year? What do you think the attachment rate will be for 3D blurays? What decision would you make as a movie studio exec?

I would think that the studios would push to first release these films to theaters to recoop some of their costs. This would further delay a release of converted 3D films to bluray, beyond the stated 18 months time it takes to covert it in the first place.

I think we all need to keep in mind that the world is (hopefully) recovering from a MAJOR economic downturn. Movie studios and publishers are in business to make money and, like many other businesses right now, are probably more conservative than they've been in recent memory. That means that emerging markets like 3D bluray will be slow to receive funding. Specifically, SLOWER than what we saw with the adoption of HD, during the 2003-2007 timeframe, when banks weren't failing left and right and investment portfolios were at all-time highs.

I believe that we'll see more content during the Holiday season and into 2011, but even then it will come slower than we all hope for. Until then, expect your 3D television to be screening WAY more 2D content than 3D.

By the way, I TOTALLY want a Panny 65" VT25 and am excited about the technology and content as many of you are! I just thought I'd play contrarian to liven up the discussion.

Originally Posted by bdraw

So someone told me (who said not to mention them by name) that the hold up is in authoring. Evidently there are only a few people and tools to author a 3D Blu-ray and there is simply a bottle neck. I'm told everyone is excited about 3D Blu-ray, but there isn't any way to make it to market as fast as they'd want to.

What was also interesting is that since digital cinema uses color space CIE XYZ and HD is ITU 709, the studios are re-rendering the animated features for 3D Blu-ray.