CableLabs 3D Specs Paves One More Lane on the Road to Mass Adoption

Multichannel video providers have been dabbling in 3D programming for the past few months in order to prove the technology, test the waters with their consumers and enhance the perception that they are keeping up with new technologies. All of the 3D programming aired to date has been event driven content. With the adoption of 3D specs, CableLabs has taken the first step in paving the way for mass adoption of 3DTV.

In a way, as with HDTV 3D is a “chicken and egg” proposition. Is it that readily available 3D content will drive purchases of sets, or will content providers wait until there is a “critical mass” of 3D sets in homes before making the content available? ESPN and Discovery (who were both early movers in the HD) have already made their bets. As with any new technology, multiple specs lead to consumer confusion, which results in the delaying of a purchasing decision. Now that CableLabs has written 3DTV specs, it seems that there is one more lane of certainty on the road to mass adoption of 3DTV.

As is always the case on cable systems, it comes down to bandwidth. Fortunately, the move to all digital, switched digital, and ultimately IPTV systems will alleviate bandwidth problems for cable operators. The other pieces that still need to be understood are consumer appetite and elasticity of demand, programmer willingness to create content, the carriage/distribution deal and how operators will charge to recover the costs of 3DTV programming. Hey, we’re just getting started, folks!