Philips closes 3D TV division
Philips is ceasing its research into 3D TV technologies - including its innovative WOWvx system - at least until the economy picks up.
According to an article over on Electronista, the company is shutting up its 3D Solutions division completely and ceasing all activity into 3D imaging technology and research – including its WOWvx technology.
The WOWvx system invented by Philips allows for the simulation of three dimensional imagery on a compatible LCD display without the need to wear polarised lenses or shutter glasses. The technology, although in its infancy, had proven popular with advertising types who deployed WOWvx displays as in-store eye-grabbers. As well as freely available compositing software – and a 3ds Max plugin for the professional – Philips had already produced a commercial implementation of the technology in its 42” 42-3D6W02 3D display, which will now be discontinued.
In a post on the company's blog, the team behind Philips' WOWvx technology confirmed the closure and stated that the website would “be closing its doors and [going] offline at the close of business on June 30th, 2009.” Describing the company's decision to cease development of 3D TV technologies – which Philips blames on the slowing global economy – as “a difficult time for many of us” the team promised to “keep the forums open and most of the site fully functional until the end of June” in order to give users “enough time to have a conversation with the other community members and find creative ways to move forward.”
With Philips dropping out of the race, it looks like 3D TV could still be a good few years away – unless you're willing to put up with rather clunkier solutions.
Do you think that 3D TV is the future, or is Philips right to concentrate its efforts elsewhere – at least until the economy picks up? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
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8 Comments
Discuss in the forums ReplyThen perhaps Sony could buy it and price those 10 times its worth so we could again only dream of having one in the near future...
But again, to my understanding, Philips is more of a developer than a seller.
This kind of statement never ceases to amaze me. If 3d is such a gimmick, why do humans have 3d vision?
If you use your brain for it's intended purpose, you could quite easily work out that 3d display devices are a NATURAL TECHNOLOGICAL EVOLUTION.
Except every 3D system ive used has given me a headache and i tried them all at the gadget show, does that mean im broken?
No, it means it isn't good enough yet. TV was pretty cack when it first started; we'll get there eventually, we just aren't there yet...
Wow, back from the dead.
I wasn't saying that 3d tech would always be gimmicky, just that it is now. The current technology has the novelty factor, but is for the most part a step backwards in picture quality. There are exceptions, such as Pandora or pixar films in a 3d imax theater(rendered or shot in actual 3d), but most "3d" films have a horrid attempt at 3d added in post, which is entirely unrealistic, must be watched through little frames in front of your face, and is quite dark. It completely takes you out of the experience.
Look, the article was about a tech company closing its current 3d tv department(had to re-read since this is a few months old), so I was saying that right now there isn't much of a market besides as a gimmick. With very little content available, and no set standard how are current 3d tv offerings anything but a gimmick?
In the future I too hope for realistic 3d without needing glasses, but that day has not yet come.
-Joe-