Sky are very close to rolling out 3D services via existing Sky HD boxes and have already demonstrated 3D sports transmissions in adverts and in selected venues - Technica had a tour of a 3D-ready OB van, courtesy of long-time client Telegenic.
With news that 3D TV sets are likely to land on shelves this summer at estimated start prices around £2,000, the prediction was that 3D would hit the ground running.
Not all is rosy however. Current generation AV receivers switch video source via the extremely convenient HDMI cable. Connect the amp to your TV via one HDMI cable, connect Blu-Ray, Sky HD, PS3 and XBox 360 similarly to the amp and you can switch between sources with the amp's remote. However, to provide 3D you will need an HDMI 1.4-equipped amplifier, and most of the new features introduced in HDMI 1.4 will require a new HDMI chip and will be beyond any firmware upgrade. Recent adopters of HDMI AV amps will have to replace their fairly new kit with the latest 1.4 versions in order to pass signals between source and TV. Naturally if you're going straight from source to TV without amp you won't have an issue - if the TV can show 3D it will be equipped with HDMI 1.4 anyway, and we know the Sky HD boxes will be fine - just be sure to buy an HDMI 1.4 cable, avoiding the earlier 1.3 and below cables and now the Micro HDMI plug (soon to appear on mobiles and cameras) and even the automotive application plug.
HDMI 1.4 does more than just 3D of course. There's an integrated ethernet channel (saving using a hub to link your source devices together, though that was unlikely to phase too many), and a number of 3D formats have been defined and catered for. There's also support for a massive 4,096 x 2,160 pixel resolution at 24Hz, so the future of 'Super HD' begins to roll before vanilla HD is out of diapers. There's also support for an audio return channel, so data from the target (TV) can also be sent back to the amp (for TV's with built-in tuners for example) and extended support for larger colour spaces which should help colour reproduction when viewing your PC or PS3 slideshows on the TV.
So the good news: If you've not taken the plunge and bought an HD TV or HDMI amp yet, well done you. There will be some cracking kit out soon.
If you've bought either, well, it probably wasn't the first time and most likely won't be the last we get stung by technology improving radically in double quick time. 3D amp, Super HD TV and a stack of HDMI 1.4 cables are on the wish list.
David Izen: Partner, systems, quality, procedures, ER-6n, MP33, 1dIII, philadelphia cream cheese, beardies, 1990C4Cab, rhythm-free zone, ribena
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