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  • Are consumers really ready to pay for 3D at home? Survey says ‘no’

    Are consumers really ready to pay for 3D at home? Survey says ‘no’

    Posted on June 24, 2010 | 1 Comment
    Oh, sure -- the results found here aren't exactly what one would call "scientific," but coupled with our own reaction gathering, we're confident that the conclusions drawn are far from inaccurate. The gang over at Technologizer gathered a group with varied demographics in New York in order to sit a spell and give their opinions on 3D content; everything from 3D "American Idol" to World Cup matches were shown, and even a few kiddo programs were ran for the youngsters. All told, most everyone was at least impressed with the 3D sports coverage, and the majority agreed that not everything benefited from being in 3D. But were they so impressed that they'd go shell out for a new TV, 3D equipment and a 3D pay-TV package? Hardly. In fact, it was tough to find a single viewer who was eager and willing to drop a wad of cash to get three-dee into their abode. Go on and give that source link a visit if you don't believe us -- no matter how you slice it, we'd say that in-home 3D has a far harder road to mainstream than HD ever did.

    Are consumers really ready to pay for 3D at home? Survey says 'no' originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Interview: Chuck Pagano talks ESPN 3D, mobile streaming

    Interview: Chuck Pagano talks ESPN 3D, mobile streaming

    Posted on June 12, 2010 | No Comments
    During our time at ESPN's headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut this past week, we were able to peek inside every nook and cranny of the company's technological side. We discovered some pretty remarkable things about the culture and attitude toward innovation, and while the bulk of that discovery will be seen in a forthcoming Engadget Show segment, we couldn't help but share some insight from a kind fellow who has been deeply involved in the blinking lights portion of ESPN from day one. We sat down for a brief one-on-one interview with Chuck Pagano -- ESPN's executive vice president of technology -- following the outfit's 3D launch, and while we were both bitter over the 1-1 result in the South Africa vs. Mexico match, he was understandably excited about the future of his firm's latest channel. For Chuck's take on 3D, the move to HD and the impending arrival of ESPN streams on your phone, be sure to grab your best reading glasses and click on through.

    Continue reading Interview: Chuck Pagano talks ESPN 3D, mobile streaming

    Interview: Chuck Pagano talks ESPN 3D, mobile streaming originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Jun 2010 21:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Exclusive: a look around ESPN’s 3D Master Control room

    Exclusive: a look around ESPN’s 3D Master Control room

    Posted on June 11, 2010 | No Comments
    Not sure if you knew, but today marks the launch of ESPN's first dedicated 3D channel, predictably titled ESPN 3D. For now, the channel will only be active whenever 3D sporting events are being aired, starting with a full 25 FIFA World Cup matches from the Republic of South Africa. It's a pretty monumental launch for the world leader in broadcast sports, and it's obviously taking a pretty big leap with only a smattering of 3D sets available and an obviously limited amount of content at its disposal. That said, there's hardly a better way to enjoy 3D content than to see sports in the third dimension, which makes the appeal of this new station that much stronger. We're here live at the company's kickoff event in Bristol, Connecticut, and we'll be bringing you lots of coverage from behind the scenes.

    One important piece that has yet to be revealed to the public is exactly how this material is getting from the field to the consumer, with Comcast, DirecTV and AT&T (U-verse) signed on from day one. During our shooting for The Engadget Show (don't worry -- we'll be cutting it up and getting it live as soon as possible!) we were able to stop by ESPN's 3D Master Control room, a box no larger than the average American kitchen but infinitely important in the grand scheme of things. Amazingly enough, the room pictured in the gallery below didn't exist six weeks ago, and in an insanely short period of time ESPN has managed to create a control room that sucks feeds in from all over the world, adds graphics (along with a specialized ESPN 3D "bug"), ensures that everything is aligned properly and then pipes it out to the aforesaid carriers.

    Gallery: A look inside ESPN's 3D Master Control room

    Continue reading Exclusive: a look around ESPN's 3D Master Control room

    Exclusive: a look around ESPN's 3D Master Control room originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • ESPN 3D officially launches with FIFA World Cup coverage: live from Bristol

    ESPN 3D officially launches with FIFA World Cup coverage: live from Bristol

    Posted on June 11, 2010 | No Comments
    It's official, one of the most popular networks in the US (if not the world) kicked off its 3D branch in style today, and we made the trek to ESPN's campus in Bristol, Connecticut to experience it first hand. Put simply, the campus is any gadget or sports nerd's paradise; technology is oozing from every corner of every building, including the one we gathered with other press today in order to witness the start of a monumental three-dee journey. At the front of the large conference room was a 72-inch Samsung DLP, which was delivering the 2010 FIFA World Cup kickoff in 3D from Johannesburg, South Africa. It should be noted that none of the 25 World Cup matches that'll be delivered in 3D are being shot by ESPN; instead, FIFA has contracted HDS to shoot and distribute a "world feed." We didn't notice too many glitches during the opening match, but ESPN assures us that native transfers will look even better once they kick things off here in the homeland with the MLB Home Run Derby from Anaheim on July 12th. As for the tech side of things, ESPN was taking in the 1080i50 side by side 3D signal and converting it to the US-friendly 720p 60 side by side, and since DLP sets expect the checkerboard 3D format, a RealD POD was used to make the link between the cable set-top-box and the TV. The glasses were supplied by XpanD, but not the same universal shutter glasses that we expect to be available at retail soon.

    Afer we took in the setup, we sat down to enjoy the match, which was opened with a handful of pristinely shot 3D commercials -- of course. A Sony spot kicked off with a soccer team practicing, and naturally ended with a goal exploding in slow motion; without a doubt, this was one of the more spectacular uses of 3D that we've seen, though we're guessing that the budget for the ad was somewhere near the stratosphere. The other commercials weren't any less impressive, with another trio concerning a Gillette razor, Toy Story 3, and a downright comical 'This is SportsCenter' ad where Niel Everett gets a little too close to a pricey 3D camera with his trusty Louisville Slugger. We'll be bringing you more coverage from here in Bristol as the day continues, with the grand finale coming in a special Engadget Show segment that should go up next week. For now, head on past the break for a few impressions from the 1-1 draw.

    Gallery: ESPN 3D launch: live from Bistol, CT

    Continue reading ESPN 3D officially launches with FIFA World Cup coverage: live from Bristol

    ESPN 3D officially launches with FIFA World Cup coverage: live from Bristol originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Boxee for iPhone, iPad and Android all but confirmed in Vindicia payment processing deal

    Boxee for iPhone, iPad and Android all but confirmed in Vindicia payment processing deal

    Posted on May 11, 2010 | No Comments
    Oh sure, having Boxee nailed down to the desktop of your PC is fine and dandy, and that Boxee Box will ensure that the same experience is enjoyed by all who plant their fundament in front of your HDTV. But we all know what you're after -- lemon drops. And a mobile version of Boxee. In a post today by the company, it expressed outright joy in inking a deal with Vindicia in order to bring a payment processing solution to the platform; slated for implementation "by the end of the summer," this CashBox add-in would enable users to purchase "premium content" from Boxee's programming partners via credit card, gift card or PayPal. It's a vital step in Boxee finally finding a revenue stream (something it confessed to needing on a previous episode of The Engadget Show), and better still, "Vindicia's flexibility makes it possible for [Boxee] to enable payments on its website and across mobile platforms like the iPhone, Android and iPad." Yeah, those are the company's own words right there, and in case you still aren't believing your eyes, chew on one final quote:
    "Boxee's eventual expansion to these platforms will pave the way for universally accessible content no matter where a user is (we love this idea!)."
    Huzzah!

    Boxee for iPhone, iPad and Android all but confirmed in Vindicia payment processing deal originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 May 2010 20:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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