Panasonic Begins Booking 3D Business (Takes orders for $21,000 camcorder,unveils 3D monitor)

Panasonic, which made a big splash at the Consumer Electronics Show last month by demonstrating a $21,000, dual-lens 3D camcorder alongside consumer 3D HD sets, announced Thursday (Feb. 11) that it is now ready to take orders.

Starting Thursday, interested buyers can place a non-refundable $1,000 deposit with Panasonic Broadcast to reserve one of the AG-3DA1 units, which begin shipping in September. The camera weighs less than 6.6 pounds and records the left- and right-eye images necessary for 3D on separate SDHC/SD solid-state memory cards using AVCHD compression. It also features dual HD-SDI uncompressed outputs, suitable for feeding into transmission equipment for live production. It also has a remote control that allows an operator to dynamically adjust the camera's "convergence point" and change the depth of field experienced in 3D images.

While Panasonic's higher-end VariCam units are already employed in specialized 3D camera rigs that use two cameras, the company decided to develop the integrated, dual-lens camcorder to "try to simplify 3D production and bring it more into the mainstream market," says Panasonic Broadcast VP of Marketing and Business Expansion Bob Harris. Harris says that Panasonic may eventually create a higher-end 3D HD camera for live production, but for now was getting a lot of interest in the affordable AG-3DA1.

"We've been getting lots of calls," says Harris. "People say they want to buy the camera now-it's amazing how much demand is out there."

In that vein, Panasonic has also introduced a professional 25.5-inch LCD production monitor, the BT-3DL2550, which is equipped with a polarizing film that allows 3D images to be viewed with simple passive glasses. The monitor, which features full 1920 x 1200 resolution, can also be used to display 2D left-and right-eye images in a side-by-side fashion. It will also ship in September at a suggested list price of $9,900. Panasonic has also developed two companion products for its popular P2 HD solid-state camcorders that are designed to make the field-production workflow easier. One, the AJ-PCD2, is a single-slot P2 solid-state memory card drive that can connect to a desktop or laptop computer via USB 2.0 cables to allow rapid file transfers from a P2 card for editing and storage. It will be available in April at a suggested list price of $350.

The other companion product is the AG-MSU10 portable P2 media storage unit, which is designed to facilitate the fast back-up of content from a P2 camcorder in the field without requiring a computer or other external device. The battery-operated MSU10 will have a slot for a P2 card and another for a large, removable 2.5" SATA solid-state drive (Panasonic is still deciding on the exact specifications), and can connect to PCs and laptops through USB 2.0 and eSATA connectors. It features a 3.2" LCD screen, to provide thumbnail display of P2 files, and supports master-quality 10 bit AVC-Intra (100/50) and DVCPRO HD, DVCPRO50, DVCPRO and DV recording formats. It will allow content to be transferred from a P2 card to the solid-state drive at four times real-time when recording in AVC-Intra 100 or DVCPRO HD. The MSU10 will be available in October at a suggested list price of $2500.

"It's a P2 card offload device, and it aggregates content from multiple cards," explains Joe Facchini, VP of sales and product management for Panasonic Broadcast. "If you're shooting documentary style, you tend to shoot a lot of content and you want to put it in one place. Right now, you're shipping it in a shoebox back to the office. This solves that."

While I enjoyed the 3D technology used in Avatar, like millions of other consumers in America and around the world who have spent BILLIONS UPON BILLIONS of dollars recently upgrading our entire HD A/V theater systems so that they now meet the 1080p/1.3HDMI HD standard, I refuse to trash-can my new ONKYO PR-SC5507p pre-pro or our SONY BDP S550 Blu-ray player or SONY VPL-VW60 projector so that "the powers that be" can sell me UNPROVEN, NO SINGLE STANDARD, 3D technology that will need an entirely new UNPROVEN 1.4 HDMI format in order to view 3D content rendering nearly everything we own that is 1.3 HDMI useless.

I will let the early adopter "suckers" spend THEIR money beta testing this 3D technology. I will let THEM throw THEIR money down the toilet on a supposedly "new and improved," NO SINGLE STANDARD 3D (shutter glasses, non shutter glasses, polarized glasses, non polarized glasses, red and green glasses, non red and green glasses) and UNPROOVEN 1.4 HDMI format.

The upcoming 3D format wars (with millions of "early adopter" casualties left in it's wake with billions of dollars worth of now worthless technology they can't even sell on Craigslist when everything finally shakes out a decade from now) are going to make HD/Bluray fiasco look like a walk in the park.

Remember: SONY, ONKYO, Denon, Yamaha, etc... haven't even worked out all of the 1.3 HDMI "bugs" yet on gear they have already sold and they expect us to throw it ALL AWAY for an entirely new and unproven 1.4 HDMI format that they themselves will no longer support as soon as the "new and improved", equally untested 1.5 HDMI format comes along.

As for "3DTV"; just look at the existing poor "quality" of HD programming we are being fed by the likes of Comcast, DISH and Direct TV, etc. Many of the HD NFL play off games just broadcast were not sharp or crisp/very poor and appeared to be 720p at best. People are not going to spend billions of dollars on new 3DTV's while HD broadcasters continually feed them lousy HD signals.

Is 3D cool? Yes, from a technological standpoint, Avatar in 3D is a game changer. However, ONCE A STANDARD IS FINALLY AGREED UPON (after this next bloody 3D "format war" is finally over which could take another decade), it will cost tens of thousands of dollars (if not more) to replace nearly all of a families existing AV equipment in order to even remotely begin to bring the quality of that 3D theater experience to the average persons home theater and unless people have their heads in the sand, we are in the midst of one of the severest economic downturns since the Great Depression.

As for me; someone feel free to contact me in about ten - fifteen years when the PROVEN, ONE-STANDARD, GLASS-LESS 3D is finally available at a reasonable price. Until then I will sit the 3D, 1.4abcd (1. whatever) HDMI format war out and be content and enjoy the incredible HD system I already have which is bought and paid for

I can wait 10 - 15 years for this whole 3D mess to finally shake out because I and multitudes of AVS members are tired of being used as beta testers for an industry that continues to treat us like we are nothing but walking dollar signs that can be manipulated into throwing away our gear every 2-3 years for their latest fad. And yes, at this point 3D is just a fad.

In regard to replacing existing A/V gear simply in order to accommodate 3D:

Will I replace my PJ within 5-10 years? Probably, IF the improvement is substantially better than what I have now, which it isn't (much higher lumens, much sharper picture, LED lit, etc..., otherwise what is the point?) and I do not have to mortgage my house to do it. But I refuse to be led around by the nose and manipulated into blowing out perfectly outstanding A/V gear and becoming their free 3D beta tester by the latest A/V 3D FAD to come along.

One more thing; if anyone here thinks they are going to even begin to have/reproduce the same 3D visual experience viewing AVATAR in your existing home theater that you had at the multi million dollar IMAX 3D theater in the near future or in the future without spending thousands, upon thousands of dollars, “upgrading” their equipment, there is a bridge in Brookline I can sell you real cheap.

As I said above: someone feel free to call me in 10 to 15 years when GLASSLESS 3D is fully developed and fully comes into it's own and those nasty "bugs" have been worked out and it is available at a reasonable price. Until then, have fun all you "early adopter, beta testing, Guinea Pigs". But before you take the 3d plunge, I would advise you to remember the lessons of the HD/Bluray format war when many of you lost small and large fortunes after the powers that be decided that HD was worthless and they pulled their entire support for the format in behalf of Bluray, after they had sold you all that stuff, leaving all of you suckers (in their eyes) holding the bag.

I can envision 3 to 8 years from now, the same thing taking place regarding 3D; many AVS members sitting around, like they did with their HD equipment and software, with utter dismay on their faces and anger, realizing they have been ”pawned once again” looking at all of their formerly “new and improved”, “latest 3D technology” equipment, and glasses that have suddenly been declared outdated and relegated to the dust bin by the electronics corporations who are ready to sell you on their latest fad.

They will have draws upon draws FULL of different kinds of 3D glasses: polarized, shutter, red, green, etc because there will not be just one way the “electronics powers that be” will decide upon for you to watch 3D… Why? “All the better to sell you stuff my dear.” There will be low end 3D glasses for the masses and then there will be high end, scam “videophile” 3D glasses that will cost you a fortune… this is already taking place with some 3D “super glasses” being marketed at $300! (Oh, joy, think MONSTER CABLES only for 3D glasses!). Most of this stuff purchased with your hard-earned money will end up in land fills or being blown out on Craigslist for pennies on the dollar because they will say: "Those things are useless and no longer needed because this is the new and improved way we are going to do 3D from now on."

As for me, and others here on Free Republic who have seen this script/scam/game before; no thanks, we will sit this 3D FAD out (like many of us wisely did during the HD/Bluray format mess.) and when the war is all over (contrary to popular opinion, there will be a 3D war… which system shutter glasses/non shutter glasses/polarized/non polarized… etc, because their are BILLIONS of dollars at stake.) and things finally shake out, then and only then will we bite the bullet and upgrade our A/V equipment to accommodate 3D.

Don't waste your money buying a new "3D" TV. First off; 3D is nothing but a FAD at this point, specifically designed to get warm bodies into theaters, which with the success of Avatar, has taken place. Secondly and this is VERY important, 3D technology for home use is in it's infancy, I dare say embryonic phase at this point.

The 3D sets/equipment that will be sold are technologically primitive at this point. The manufacturers will charge a very hefty premium for this new 3D equipment and will use the early adopter/3D suckers as their "beta testing" Guinea Pigs. Over TIME these folks will find a lot of the flaws and problems that exist with this infant 3D tech because it will not work as promised. They will complain as early adopters always do, the manufacturers will look at these complaints (along with those from the broadcasters who try to implement 3D for the masses) and make corrections. This process will repeat itself for around 5 to 15 years = 3 to 5 generations of 3D technology upgrades until the manufacturers finally get 3D working properly/to the satisfaction of the majority of people using it. Then (IF, and it is a huge "IF") 3D technology using GLASSES even takes off, a 3D quality "standard" will finally be established, the masses will buy into the system, prices will eventually come down BIG TIME! If you "MUST HAVE 3D", THAT IS THE TIME TO BUY... AFTER THE SUCKERS/Beta testers have spent their money working out ALL of the very real "kinks" inherent in 3D using glasses: I have already seen manufacturers trying to hawk phony "super deluxe" 3D glasses for $300!

Given all of the above factors, you are looking at 8 to 15 years before you should even begin to think about possibly jumping on the 3D band wagon. Why such a long, indefinite, indefinable time frame? Because no one has any idea what kind of problems are going present themselves, how quickly or slowly 3D will even develop, be adopted or if the whole 3D for home use format will be dead on arrival (a very real possibility given the fact that we are in a world-wide economic recession possibly bordering on a depression and people do not have money to waste on "new and improved" 3D equipment when they have perfectly fine and working 2D 1080p/ 1.3 HDMI high def equipment that they recently spent a fortune purchasing.

Forget about all of the ooh, aah 3D "hype" coming from the manufacturers! A person would have to be out of their mind to buy a 3D TV or 3D front projector this early in the game, and make no mistake it is a GAME designed by the manufacturers to get the consumer to look with disdain on what these same folks had sold them on being the epitome/end all/be all in HD less than a year ago so that they will throw it all away to buy 3D.

My advice: Save your money, think LONG-TERM (given the economy, you want it to last a good 5 to 8 years) spend a little extra money and buy a solid 50 - 52 inch 1080p (DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BUY A 720p or 1080i TV set), 120hz (or if you can afford it 240hz) 2D LCD TV that has a great picture. I would not buy ANYTHING smaller than a 50 - 52 inch set because, trust me bigger is better.

At this stage of the game stay; away from 3D for home use like the plague!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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