Q&A: DDD Group's Chris Yewdall

One of the key issues with the deployment of three-dimensional stereoscopic technologies in the home has been the lack of 3-D content that would drive consumers to buy 3-D-capable TVs and devices. The DDD Group hopes to help this emerging technology overcome that bottleneck by offering software and hardware that automatically converts 2-D video games, movies or television programming into 3-D content. DDD CEO Chris Yewdall talks about some of his company's work in the 3-D space and the likelihood that cable, satellite and IPTV providers will embrace 3-D services.

How do you see the immediate prospects for 3-D in the home?
Clearly, the catalyst for the interest in 3-D has been the success of 3-D movies in the digital cinema market. It's shown that if the quality of the content is good and the story is good, the consumer has no problem wearing glasses for a couple of hours for the 3-D experience. The other thing is that the digital display technology has reached a point where it is possible to deliver a very, very high-quality 3-D experience very cost-effectively. Our focus has been to make sure that the consumer who wants to buy that 3-D TV can see 3-D content. While the 3-D movies that have been released have been very successful, you can't buy any of those on DVD or Blu-ray.

Which platforms do you think will be the first to play an important role in popularizing 3-D in the home?
It is interesting, because the most widespread 3-D device delivered to the consumer market so far has been Sharp's 3-D mobile phones that have been sold in Japan. Between 2003 to 2005, they sold just under 3 million of them. I think that eclipses the installed base of DLP [3D-capable] televisions that Mitsubishi and Samsung shipped over the last couple of years. But we're now seeing a more-concerted effort to expand the technology. Sony, LG, Samsung, JVC, RCA, Hyundai, were all demonstrating 3-D TVs at the Consumer Electronics Show this year. The whole industry believes 3-D technology is at the right quality level where it can delivered to the home cost-effectively and that the consumer will buy it.

The content makers are creating some really good content. I think there are 40 3-D movies scheduled to be produced in the next year, and in early 2010 we will see a lot of those TVs making their way into consumer distribution channels.

Clearly the multichannel operators, companies like satellite-TV provider Sky, which has been producing 3-D content in the U.K., are interested. CableLabs has obviously been educating their members about the different options. There is a recognition by the cable, satellite and telecommunications operators that 3-D is going to be an enhancement to their business, and I don't think anyone of those wants to be left behind.

I think the jury is still out on which platform will be first, but it's important to remember that the TV experience is far different today than when we made the transition from black-and-white to color and that there are many more things that people enjoy on TV.

As you mentioned, satellite providers have already experimented with 3-D. As it moves into the multichannel landscape, do you think they'll offer it on a regular basis before cable or the IPTV providers?
I think there are already experiments happening on all three platforms. Some of them have been more highly publicized than others. You've seen what Sky announced and publicly demonstrated in the U.K. Obviously the largest U.K. cable operator Virgin just announced in that they will do some high speed broadband tests and that 3-D HD would be part of those experiments. Certainly, the broadcasters and programmers in the U.S. have bought 3-D TVs and are experimenting with them. Cable companies are experimenting with them, as are technology providers to the cable and satellite industry.

I think the Hyundai TVs are really a watershed product. It is the first product that people can simply plug into their existing infrastructure. With it, you can take content coming from either cable or satellite, through an existing MPEG delivery stream from the head end into the set-top box and into the TV and have it appear in full HD in 3-D with very comfortable glasses. It allows engineers to take this to their management team and say "look this is the sort of 3-D visual experience that is sitting just around the corner, for our consumers." It has gotten their management teams very excited. I think it really helps crystallize a lot of cable, satellite and IPTV operators' interest in taking a serious look at 3-D.

By George Winslow, Multichannel News