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3D Frustrating, pathetic lack of 3D software... (1 Viewer)

Jeffrey Nelson

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Now that I've taken the plunge and gotten a 55" Samsung 3D LCD and matching Blu-ray player, what I really wanna know is...where's the 3D software? Considering the current hype of 3D TV, I find it baffling that there is an absolute dearth of compatible software. All we've gotten is a measly pittance of computer-generated cartoons sold as pack-ins, and the one that came with my telly, MONSTERS VS. ALIENS, is a lousy transfer riddled with ghosting/crosstalk problems. However, I couldn't really care less about these computer-generated cartoons anyway; when the flipping hell are the studios going to give us the good stuff? I would certainly buy any and all of the following titles on Blu 3D:


HOUSE OF WAX

CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON

REVENGE OF THE CREATURE

IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE

THE MAD MAGICIAN

DIAL M FOR MURDER

THE MAZE

PARASITE

SPACEHUNTER: ADVENTURES IN THE FORBIDDEN ZONE

JAWS 3-D

AMITYVILLE 3-D

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 3 IN 3-D

FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN

TREASURE OF THE FOUR CROWNS
 

Robert Crawford

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Which is why I'm not in any hurry to upgrade my HT gear for 3D. Maybe, next year I'll do so if the studios give me enough software to justify the expense of doing so.







Crawdaddy
 

Richard--W

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Warner Brothers, Universal, Columbia, Disney, and even Imax are asleep at the wheel insofar as releasing back-catalogue titles on 3-D. But that's nothing new.


I believe Imax has released a few of large-format documentaries on 3-D Blu-ray.


Anyone else want to chime in on the call for more software?

I will include your comments in my next pitch to the investors to fund new stereoscopic indy films.
 

RobertR

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I've suspected for some time that this latest 3D craze won't sustain itself, and this is just an indication. It's interesting that the OP mentioned none of the current crop of 3D films.
 

Ronald Epstein

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I feel there are a few problems here...


First, 3D is basically still a new format both theatrically and

for the home market. For that reason there hasn't been a

lot of theatrical content produced over the past two years.

However, you can see how much that is changing. Every

movie billboard I see of upcoming holiday films is touting

the fact that it's being presented in 3D. So theatrically, it

seems there's a crapload of stuff coming out and all of that

will translate to the home market next year.


The second problem is exclusivity. I understand why
hardware manufacturers are locking content. Imagine how

many more Panasonic displays could be sold just so people

can get their hands on Avatar. Will that scheme work? Perhaps.

The problem is, the consumers end up getting hurt in the long

run because some of the "most wanted" releases are being tied

up for the next year or more. AVATAR probably will remain

exclusive for the next two years, I am guessing.


Yet another problem as to why the studios aren't flooding

the market with some of the titles listed in the original post

is because everyone is still at a "wait and see" period for the

format. I am certain the studios are gauging sales to make
sure that there are enough displays and titles being sold to

warrant the expense involved in bringing more titles to the
market. You don't just flood the market when there is still

a bit of uncertainty of how well the technology is going to

take off in the home.


...and I am guessing this, but I think I'm spot on here.



As far as content that is now available....


While I feel the home market is still lacking in titles, I think

there is a decent amount of software available already that

is great demo material. Certainly, most all the IMAX films

are tremendous (do not purchase WILD OCEAN by Image).

The 3D animated films I have seen so far look great as well.


Then there are the dish and cable companies that have been

promising content, but thus far I haven't seen any on Verizon

Fios. I believe DirecTV may have a sports channel up and
running, but sports can be the worst thing to watch on 3D with

all its fast-cutting camera angles. I would hope that what they

are televising is watchable.


From someone looking from the inside out, I can assure you

that 3D lives up to its hype. I have been on a 3D binge for the

past few days. I have contacted most every studio and asked

them to send me content, which they have done without hesitation.

Every morning after breakfast I slip in a 3D title to suddenly become
immersed in a highly enjoyable experience. It's so hard for me

to tell all of you how cool this technology is without you experiencing

it for yourself.

The only downside are the glasses. However, there are more
lightweight eyewear becoming available though they are expensive.

In another year or two you'll be buying them at bargain prices.


My message to all of you is not to let the lack of software deter

your upgrade plans. There is great stuff out there now and no doubt

we'll be buried in titles by the end of next year -- as long as the
manufacturers don't keep making these exclusive deals on the most

sought out titles.
 

Charles Smith

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I'm totally in it for the classics. (Though saying I'm "in it" is a bit of a stretch.) The ONLY reason I even have 3D now is that it was time for me to buy a Panasonic plasma and the deal at Best Buy resulted in the player and the glasses/discs kit being pretty much "free". But have I watched, even once through, my bundled copies of Ice Age and Coraline? Heck no. I have zero interest in the former and I only used it to make sure everything works, and someday I'll get around to watching the latter. But the manufacturers and stores are pushing 3D like crazy, so, uh, Where's the Beef?


(EDIT: Ron's post slipped in while I was - slowly - typing this while sipping my second cup of coffee.)
 

Ron-P

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New formats take a long time to go mainstream. Look at HD-DVD and Blu-ray, one never made it and the other is just recently getting into the average consumer's household. I cannot see 3D TVs going anywhere, more likely the way of HD-DVD. As long as it takes the average consumer to adopt a new format, which they are just starting to do with Blu-ray, no way are they going to jump into another this soon.


I made the mistake of being an early adopter of HD-DVD, and I learned my lesson the expensive way. Never again. I will not jump into a new format until it is somewhat soild. There are no benefits of being an early adopter in this hobby.
 

Ronald Epstein

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Ron,


I feel this is different than your experience with HD-DVD.

That was a format war with two different technologies

battling it out for supremacy.


However, I do understand your concern about where 3D

may be a year from now. Personally, I don't see there

any chance of failure. What is going to happen is that

3D capability is going to become more standard in lower

priced displays. This means that consumers who were

going to buy a new display anyway will have the capability

of 3D thrown into the mix.


Right now, the price of 3D plasmas, LED and LCDs are

plummeting. It doesn’t really cost much more to move up

to a 3D display.


But the advantages of waiting will mean better pricing and

a better amount of available software once you make that entry.
 

Scott Merryfield

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Originally Posted by Ron-P

New formats take a long time to go mainstream. Look at HD-DVD and Blu-ray, one never made it and the other is just recently getting into the average consumer's household. I cannot see 3D TVs going anywhere, more likely the way of HD-DVD. As long as it takes the average consumer to adopt a new format, which they are just starting to do with Blu-ray, no way are they going to jump into another this soon.


I made the mistake of being an early adopter of HD-DVD, and I learned my lesson the expensive way. Never again. I will not jump into a new format until it is somewhat soild. There are no benefits of being an early adopter in this hobby.

...and sometimes a technology completely fails due to a lack of consumer interest. High resolution music (SACD and DVD-Audio) is probably the best recent example. It ended up being a product that consumers just didn't care about, even though the formats were being integrated with new DVD and CD players. I think 3D will end up being the same thing in the home market.
 

bob kaplan

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i will probably purchase 3-D before Christmas...and i am hoping the "classics" make it out soon as well...but i realize that it is not an over 55 purchaser that is buying into the format...sporting events and gamers will probably drive the sales of the technology. So when something is released it's going to be something recent for younger audience. It would be so great to have Vincent's HOUSE OF WAX, IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE, DIAL M, CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON....but it ain't gonna happen soon (darn). i will stick with it....purchase interesting titles as they come along....and continue to complain about the lack of titles...for a long time.....oh!!....the exclusive thing of titles and manufactures....will not stop me from purchasing the SET UP that i want....ugh....bad idea on their part.....
 

Johnny Angell

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It would certainly raise my interest in 3D is these 5 were available. Of course it would lower my interest is they cost $35. Right now, BB wants $35 for the new Clash of the Titans, Cats and Dogs, Polar Express, Disney's a Christmas Carol, Imax (Space Station, Deep Sea, Under the Sea). They want $30 for Cloudy with Meatballs, Monster House, Open Season, The Last Airbender.


All these prices decrease my interest. I won't be buying them at those prices. I did however, use the the DR coupon to get the 3D blu of Disney's Christmas Carol. I can watch the 2D for now.

Originally Posted by Jeffrey Nelson

HOUSE OF WAX

CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON

REVENGE OF THE CREATURE

IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE

DIAL M FOR MURDER
 

Charles Smith

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Wow. Not one of those current titles interests me in the least, and those prices are ridiculous. Are these selling?
 

RobertR

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It’s true that the studios are trying to eke as much revenue as they can out of 3D, but I see evidence that interest is declining. I quote from a PC Magazine article on the subject of 3D movies:



As Slate notes, early 3D movies were seen as events, and viewers flocked to the relatively smaller number of screens showing movies like The Polar Express, which Slate found to have recorded $40,000 per screen for 3D viewings versus $6,000 for 2D or "flat" showings, a premium of 575 percent.


Then things changed.


"Flash-forward two more years, to Christmas 2009, and the undisputed king of 3-D movies, Avatar," Slate wrote. "As we've seen, the extra revenue from the sci-fi epic's 3-D screenings was 70 percent. When Alice in Wonderland came out three months later, the bonus had dropped to 53 percent. This past May, Shrek Forever After saw a boost of 48 percent. In July, The Last Airbender managed just 24 percent.


The capper? Toy Story 3, which actually pulled less money for showing it in 3D than 2D.


Some viewers (and Slate readers) continue to pin the blame on Hollywood storytellers, who, like Matthew Murray, wonder if the storytelling advantages that 3D offers are worth the investment by Hollywood and viewers alike. It's also true that there's a relative dearth of 3D entertainment, with shlock (My Bloody Valentine 3D, Piranha 3D) pushing the 3D angle.


So interest is fading, and there’s a surfeit of schlock with 3D. I see TV manufacturers trying to “force” 3D purchases by including all their top features (Internet apps, improved black levels, etc.) on only the 3D models as a way to mask the fact that interest in 3D isn't that great. I'd be willing to bet that if all the top features were offered on 2D TVs along with the associated price drop, the bottom would fall out of 3D sales.
 

Johnny Angell

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I really want 3D to succeed. I'd love to have some of those old movies (and new) in 3D. I'm just not going to mortgage the farm for it. I don't think a 3D blu-ray should cost more than $5 more than a standard blu. Is that economically viable for the studios? I don't know. I just know that's what works for me. Without the DR coupon, I would not have bought Christmas Carol.
 

Ronald Epstein

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I am frustrated by the pricing model on 3D as well. For

something the studios are trying to push they certainly

aren't giving potential customers any incentives.


The Warner Imax titles are about $45 MSRP and $35
discounted for programming under 45 minutes. That's

totally inane. I also feel Disney selling A Christmas

Carol at such a huge premium isn't helping either.


I suppose the studios feel that there will always be

hungry-starved early adopters willing to lay down that

kind of money and if and once the 3D market becomes

more dominant the prices will fall. I am not defending

the practice but it has been kind of the norm with every

new format that has come along.
 

Bradley-E

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I think this just shows how limited 3D is. You are only really going to get visual documentaries, animated and some action films. To me is is a useless format. Just give me a good film with yop notch writing, acting and direction. There was a time when films stood on thier own and did not relay on a gimick.
 

Eddie W.

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...and sometimes a technology completely fails due to a lack of consumer interest. High resolution music (SACD and DVD-Audio) is probably the best recent example. It ended up being a product that consumers just didn't care about, even though the formats were being integrated with new DVD and CD players. I think 3D will end up being the same thing in the home market.


I see this again as much of a content failure as lack of consumer interest. I eagerly bought into both formats, but there was just nothing to play on them once you got them home.


Same with 3D. If you don't make the software attractive, nobody needs/wants the hardware.
 

Douglas Monce

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I find the home version of 3d (at least those displayed in stores), to be very difficult to watch. I find my eyes shifting back and forth, and in just a short time feeling serious eye strain.


Frankly I suspect that 3D will fade out just as it did the last 2 times Hollywood tried to use it to boost dropping box office. Perhaps they should try making some good movies instead.


As for the titles listed in the original post, I would love to have them in 3D also, but we are talking about classic 1950's and 80's sci-fi films, on blu-ray, in 3D. A niche of a niche of a niche. I wouldn't hold my breath.


Doug
 

Zack Gibbs

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I was thinking about something the other day, and wondered if anyone else is even aware of just how difficult true 3D is for most movies.


"Most" meaning Live-Action, big-budget, SFX laden tent poles. That's Hollywood's specialty, and the majority of popular releases would fall into that category. If you'll think about it we haven't seen a single filmed 3D release of that kind yet, the closest probably being the last Resident Evil movie, which is still a pretty conservative release.


The difficulty, time, and ultimate costs of staging and executing 3D for the complex SFX you'd see in an Iron Man, Transformers, or Star Trek are just too much. It's easy to click the '3D' button on a computer rendered feature (including Avatar), and it's pretty easy to just film actors in front of nothing but a bluescreen (like SpyKids or Journey...Earth). But for a 'real' movie, studios would rather spend 20-30 million a picture converting it.


Meanwhile critics and audiences have made their opinions pretty clear, they don't like 3D conversions.


List of 2011 Live Action 'Blockbusters';


The Green Hornet... in (converted) 3D

Sucker Punch!... in (converted) 3D

Thor... in (converted) 3D

Pirates 4... in (converted) 3D

The Green Lantern... in (converted) 3D

Harry Potter 7 2... in (converted) 3D

Captain America... in (converted) 3D


As always it's new content that drives hardware adoption, which drives catalog releases. And there would seem to be a problem here. Perhaps in a few years we'll all think "those damn conversions killed 3D... again!"
 

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