Blu-ray Goes 3D

One of the reasons why consumers buy HDTVs is because they want to enjoy the stunning video quality of Blu-ray movies to the fullest, and now, they have another reason as the specifications for 3D Blu-ray have been finalized, meaning it won’t be long until viewers get to put on their 3D glasses at home while enjoying the amazing visuals that made Blu-ray win over HD DVD.

Just this week, the Blu-ray Association released the codec for 3D Blu-ray - Multiview Video Coding or MVC that will present individual high-resolution images for each eye while taking up only half the disc space. The actual format will be demonstrated by AMD in January for the 2010 CES (Consumer Electronics Show) and according to Nvidia, 3D Blu-ray movies may start hitting the shelves as early as next summer.

The 3D Blu-ray discs can be played by current Blu-ray players but to get the full 3D effect, consumers will need to upgrade their player or get a Sony PlayStation 3, which has enough horsepower to play full 3D content. Dedicated 3D Blu-ray players are also being developed for a 2010 release.

Also, only a handful of HDTVs are 3D compatible, but that may change soon with Sony entering into a partnership with RealD to create full 3D consumer electronics for 2010.