[科技前沿]索尼計劃明年在全球推出3D電視

Sony set to launch era of 3D TVs next year

3D technology looks set to hit the home consumer market next year, with Sony today announcing plans to sell 3D televisions globally by the end of 2010.

Sony's decision to throw its weight behind the technology will be an important boost for the 3D industry, which has so far focused mainly on cinemas. British Sky Broadcasting has said it would introduce a 3D satellite channel in the UK next year, but it had been unclear whether there would be equipment available to view it on.

Speaking at the IFA technology trade show in Berlin, Sir Howard Stringer, Sony chief executive, will announce plans not only to sell 3D Bravia television sets, but to make Sony's Vaio laptop computers, PlayStation3 games consoles and Blu-Ray disc players compatible with the technology.

Mr Stringer is expected to tell the audience: “Today, 3D is clearly on its way to the mass market through technology, distribution and content.

“As with high definition a few years back, there are a variety of issues yet to be addressed. But the 3D train is on the track, and we at Sony are ready to drive it home.”

The consumer electronics industry has yet to agree on a single 3D standard, posing the risk of a format war akin to that between VHS and Betamax or the Blu-Ray and HD-DVD standards.

There are several types of 3D technology. Sony has opted for “active shutter” technology, using electronic glasses containing tiny shutters that open and close rapidly in synch with the television image to create a 3D impression.

索尼(Sony)今日將宣佈，計劃在2010年底之前面向全球推出3D電視。這使得3D有望在明年進入家庭消費市場。

索尼決定全力支持3D技術，將對迄今主要應用於電影業的3D行業產生重要的推動作用。英國天空廣播公司(Sky Broadcasting)已表示，明年將在英國推出一個3D衛視頻道，但尚不清楚屆時是否有相應電視機來收看。

在德國柏林國際電子消費品展覽會(IFA)上發表演講時，索尼公司首席執行官霍華德·斯丁格爵士(Howard Stringer)不僅將宣佈推出3D Bravia電視機的計劃，還將宣佈，該公司將使其Vaio筆記本電腦、PlayStation3遊戲機和藍光影碟機與3D技術兼容。

預計斯丁格將告訴聽衆：“如今，3D顯然正通過技術、分銷和內容走向大衆市場。”

“與幾年前推出高清技術時一樣，3D的應用也有許多問題需要解決。但3D列車已經駛入軌道，我們索尼已做好準備，將其開進千家萬戶。”

消費電子產業尚未就統一的3D技術標準達成共識，因此，今後可能出現類似VHS與Betamax的錄像機標準、或藍光與HD-DVD標準那樣的格式之爭。

3D技術有好幾種類型。索尼公司選擇的是“主動快門”技術(active shutter)，即利用電子玻璃鏡片中微小快門與電視圖像的同步快速開合，創造出3D效果。