Viewing another dimension

Here’s a new trend for India. Watching 3D images on TV in the comfort of one’s home. It can be simply amazing after years of seeing nothing but flat two-dimensional images. Hollywood movies such as “Avatar” and live 3D telecasts of IPL matches gave consumers a taste of the real thing and then came 3D TV.
It was launched in India in March. Today, every brand that sells televisions offers a 3D version.
Karan Sehgal, director at a fund equity firm in Mumbai, says that “Avatar” the film, was memorable because “the images were so real that when suddenly cobras and gunshots sprang out of the screen, most of us in the cinema hall tried to duck”.
A 3D film enhances the illusion of depth. A special camera system is used to record the images as seen from two perspectives and then special eyewear is used to provide that illusion.
The technology may have impressed many, not so the price. Not many people would willingly shell out anything between Rs 1.2 and Rs 4.5 lakh for a 3D TV. Sehgal says he likes the idea of 3D TV but not at the quoted price. “Even if I can afford it, I am in two minds about spending Rs 2 lakh to buy something which would be of limited use in the house. My children may be able to watch a film or two and I may enjoy 3D during cricket and soccer seasons, but that’s it. Plus, there’s the added expense of 3D glasses for the whole family.” Incidentally, while watching 3D TV, fluorescent lighting has to be turned off and direct sunlight blocked.
Industry experts say 3D TV has a very limited reach in India. It is particularly badly served by the lack of content, they say. “Whatever little content is available in the international market would appeal to a negligible section in India. Besides, there is hardly any 3D TV content being generated here as it’s very expensive,” explains Nitin Desai, who runs an electronic showroom in Noida. Desai’s sales figures say it all. Only one of the 10 TV sets he sells on average every day is 3D.
This is largely because of lack of content. Nikhil Alva, who heads Miditech, a production house, recently explained the way it works. “Manufacturers are always looking for new ways to sell more TVs to the same set of people. They might flood the market with the hardware but we still have a long way to go for genuine 3D content development in India.” He added that Indian TV channels still made no demands for such content.
The 3D TV industry is aware of the problem. But it insists that there is reason to be enthusiastic about 3D. Ravinder Zutshi, Samsung India’s deputy MD, says, “Producers and broadcasters are bringing out more content, more movie titles and more games in 3D. In fact, 20% of all movies by 2014 are expected to be in 3D format.”
Unsurprising then that Samsung has brought out a model that renders 2D content into 3D at the push of a button. Meanwhile, Sony Corporation itself plans to produce 3D content, reveals an official.
Add to this the fact that these TVs come with “health advisories”. Samsung has issued a list of precautions. Zutshi says, “Advisories regarding minors, pregnant women and alcohol consumption are common across a wide range of products. Those regarding flashing images and lights are standard for many visually-oriented forms of entertainment, such as games.”
None of this matters to 18-year-old gadget-crazy Mohit Saxena. He is a regular at gaming parlours and enjoys 3D games. He isn’t sure if he should ask his father to buy a 3D TV right now, reasoning that “prices will soon come down and technology will improve.”
Saxena says he’s also waiting for the day when he can “watch 3D TV without (special) glasses”. He may have to wait a long time. For now, manufacturers admit to no more than looking at “creating” a market for 3D with yet another dimension of functionality.