High Tech Household

Anyone who has been to the movies in the last year has noticed the latest trends of releasing movies in 3D.  Movies ranging from films such as Pixar’s Up to James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar have made heavy use of 3D technology in a way that hasn’t been tried since the failed 3D movie craze of the 1960s.  The conversion from analog to digital has made 3D much more workable and less gimmicky, so motion picture studios are scheduling even more 3D films.

The emergence of 3D is also set to impact homes.  With HD becoming far more mainstream, the latest trend among TV manufacturers is the 3D television experience.  At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) earlier this month, home-3D was the largest new innovation, with all of the major TV manufacturers unveiling HD 3D offerings.  While pricey at the moment, technology prices typically fall as demand increases, so look for affordable 3D-HD TVs in a few years time.

Besides movies and TV shows, video games are the next logical step.  As the big three (Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo) fight over the next round of video game and console wars, will 3D enter the picture?  Some say yes, especially for the hard-core gamers.

3D also has its detractors.  There are many who say that the glasses are uncomfortable, and that the forced perspective that 3D creates can take away from appreciating a film and cinematography in general.  3D also can cause eye strain, nausea, and motion sickness.  So while 3D is an interesting new technology, and is all the rave this year, it remains to be seen if it is simply a fad or is here to stay.  The emergence of digital certainly improves the 3D experience, but as the failed experiments of the 1960s and 1980s show, just because the content creators want to make it, it doesn’t mean that people will want to buy it.  We shall see.

A new technical standard, WHDI has been developed that promises wireless 1080p HD resolution at distances of up to 100 feet.  The standard utilizes the same bandwidth area as the newest WiFi protocol, 802.11n.  Gone will be the days of endless cables, and forcing all devices to be in proximity to your television.  Think of the possibilities:

• A computer across the room that uses WHDI to stream Hulu or YouTube to your TV
• A smaller, portable television for your kitchen that simply receives its signal from the wired cablebox
• A home media server stored in a closet used to archive movies and recorded television without taking up precious space on your TV cabinet or living room.

Upon first release, WHDI devices will likely be fairly expensive, but over time will come down in price.  The move to WHDI will likely have a similar effect on homes that WiFi has had, making it easier for people to create complex media ecosystems without complex wiring schemes.