How does Sky's 3D system work?
Aping human vision, two Sky cameras on the same rig film side-by-side, capturing slightly different left and right images in 1080i resolution to create two 540 pixel images.
Together they create a 1920x1080 image that – in quality terms – is a quarter as good as the Full HD 1080p pictures found on a Blu-ray disc.
Each feed, which represents a slightly different perspective, is split by polarised glasses and received exclusively by each eye. Your brain then processes them separately and stitches them together, as we normally do every time we open our eyes, thereby creating a field of vision that has depth. This is stereoscopic 3D, and it's set dominate.
The other form of 3D is autostereoscopic (sometimes called 'true 3D'), which doesn't require glasses. Instead, a lens is placed over the TV screen, which does a similar job by sending a different point of view to each eye. Unfortunately, the lens lessens the perceived resolution and the effects aren't anywhere near high definition.
TRUE 3D:Philips' 3D systems have so far concentrated on low-resolution autostereoscopic displays for the commercial sector
If autostereoscopic 3D TVs ever take-off – and they will, purely because of the lack of glasses – it could take a decade. There's even talk that we'll have to wait for so-called 4k2k or Super Hi-Vision technology to appear in the mass market (TVs sporting resolutions of at least 4,000x2,000 pixels) before we can axe the specs.
"In the long term we'll see the industry shift to autostereoscopic (no glasses) displays," says Jim Bottoms from market analysts Futuresource.
IN DEEP:Although this picture of the 3D-ready ViewSonic Fuzion VX2265 monitor shows effects jumping from the screen, it's depth that's really noticeable with 3D
What will Sky be showing in 3D?
At first, not much. The broadcaster has concentrated its experiments so far on football, rugby, live music and boxing – the latter getting such rave reviews that 3D could conceivably give the sport a new lease of life.
Sky's launch of 3D is also timed well in terms of Hollywood's recent penchant for shooting animated films in 3D, so expect to see the likes of Monsters Vs Aliens, Hannah Montana and Bolt on the new channel.
3D TOONS:Animated films like Bolt are rendered on a computer, making it much easier to create in 3D than a live action movie [image credit: ©Disney Enterprises]
Can old films be converted to 3D, just as they have been for high definition?
They can – and will – be, but 3D is a different medium that doesn't suit everything. 3D is all about the audience appreciating the depth of field in a shot, so it would be time-consuming – and possibly pointless – to add another dimension to fast action close-up style films, such as the work of directors like Paul Greengrass (United 93, The Bourne Trilogy).
3D is best suited to slow panoramic landscape shots of something like Planet Earth. Any wide, static shot, like football – and sport in general – is perfect for 3D; a clip of the opening ceremony at the Beijing Olympics, shown recently at trade shows, looked sublime.
"If you jump from where you focus and suddenly jump to something else it's hard on the viewer," says Brian Lenz, Sky's Head of Product Design and Innovation. "In 3D it's best to linger longer and not do a lot of cuts where you're changing the depth of focus. Otherwise it starts to look surreal."
But with 2009 seeing 3D movies such as Disney/Pixar's Up, 20th Century Fox's Ice Age: Dawn of Dinosaurs and the upcoming Disney G-Force movie, directors are definitely starting to think in 3D.
Bottoms predicts that, from 2011, "we'll see new 3D movie releases on Blu-ray, remasters of classic blockbusters like Star Wars, The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings, a wider range of 3D TV content for sports, wildlife documentaries and concerts, and studios introducing selective production of 3D TV shows and series. By 2012, more than 10 per cent of US and Japanese homes will be '3D enabled', and Western Europe won't be too far behind."
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