The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) today announced its plans for incorporating 3D into the Blu-ray Disc format. Meanwhile, Sony seems to be ready to launch the first 3D TVs and Blu-ray players next year.

"The BDA intends to take full advantage of the format's high bandwidth and capacity to achieve the very highest possible quality 3D experience," said Victor Matsuda, Blu-ray Disc Association Global Promotions Committee Chair. "Just as Blu-ray Disc has paved the way for next generation, high definition home entertainment, it will also set the standard for 3D home viewing in the future."

The BDA, comprised of major motion picture studio, IT and consumer electronics companies, is working on a uniform specification to ensure consistent delivery of 3D content across the Blu-ray Disc Platform. The Association is examining a number of criteria and at a minimum, the specification will require delivery of 1080p resolution to each eye and backward compatibility for both discs and players, meaning that 3D discs will also include a 2D version of the film that can be viewed on existing 2D players and 3D players will enable consumers to playback their existing libraries of 2D content.

"Consumer adoption of Blu-ray continues to grow at a very steady pace," said Bob Chapek, President, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. "The 3D theatrical market has been very successful this year. We are just now seeing all of the true capabilities of 3D and with Blu-ray Disc?s superior technical characteristics, as well as the broad industry support of the format, it makes it the ideal packaged media platform for 3D home entertainment."

The current BDA efforts provide individual companies with the technical information and guidelines necessary to develop and announce products pursuant to their own internal planning cycles and timetables.

The BDA said in May it was forming a taskforce to probe the problem - five months after Panasonic called for the prompt creation of a Full HD 3D TV version of standard.

Sony's 3D TVs next year

Sony is also planning to launch 3D TVs next year in a move to spur sales amid slowing growth in flat TV demand, according to a Financial Times report. The company is expected to announce the 3D TV launch as well as plans to make its Vaio PCs, PlayStation 3 game machines and Blu-ray players compatible with the technology at the IFA electronics trade show in Berlin on Wednesday.

According to the report, Sony will start selling 3D televisions globally by the end of 2010.

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. Cinema 3D uses "polarisation" technology with simpler glasses. However, this only works when viewers are at a certain angle to the screen, making it less suited to home viewing.