Sony Bravia 3D TV: first impressions

Sony announced today at IFA 2009 it is to bring out a 3D series of its Bravia TVs in 2010, marking the first time the company has brought 3D technology to its TV range.

While the company was remaining tight-lipped about specifics and about just how the 3D tech would work on a Bravia LCD TV, it did show off some demos of the technology. And TechRadar was lucky enough to be among the first bunch of journalists in the world to try out the televisions.

What is the verdict on the future of TV technology? Read on to find out!

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Using Real D active shutter glasses, we were first told we had to 'activate' the glasses by pointing at a sensor the was situated above the TV. Once done, the glasses were turned on.

First impressions of the 3D technology from Sony is really immediately about how impressive it all looks. Unlike the demo we were shown in the press conference using normal stereoscopic glasses, the active shutter tech means the images are crisp and clear and the images jump right out at you.

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We were shown demos of Killzone 2 in 3D (awesome) and even managed to have a play with Gran Turismo in another dimension.

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This is definitely technology which will boost the playability of the PS3 for some years to come.

Yes, there is no word how much the LCD 3D TVs will be, but with Sony at the helm, it does mean that you will, very soon (should you have the 'readies') be able to watch movies and play PS3 games in 3D. Which is, of course, ace.

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Other demos we were given were of Pixar's UP, which looked stunning, and an (unnamed) baseball game shot in 3D.

While 3D may not be the future for home entertainment, as of yet, Sony's announcement today does herald something of a tipping point for the technology. Now all the company has to do is persuade the Blu-ray Disc Association to pick a 3D BD format that's friendly to Sony's TV technology and we could see 3D finally take off in the living room.

More pictures below:

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Marc Chacksfield

Marc Chacksfield is the Editor In Chief, Shortlist.com at DC Thomson. He started out life as a movie writer for numerous (now defunct) magazines and soon found himself online - editing a gaggle of gadget sites, including TechRadar, Digital Camera World and Tom's Guide UK. At Shortlist you'll find him mostly writing about movies and tech, so no change there then.