Skip to main content

BBC suspends all 3D content production due to low demand

sony-active-3d-glasses
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Covered by BBC News today, the head of BBC 3D, Kim Shillinglaw, has announced that production of all 3D television content will halt after the November 2013 airing of the 50th anniversary episode of Doctor Who. According to Shillinglaw, BBC will take a three year break from producing 3D television shows in order to see if the technology gains greater acceptance among the UK viewing public. The BBC began a trial of 3D programming during early 2011 and broadcast 3D content such as 2012’s Olympic Games and the Wimbledon finals as well as a celebrity dancing show called Strictly Come Dancing and documentary Walking with Dinosaurs

BBCWhen asked about the performance of 3D content among viewers in an interview with Radio Times, Shillinglaw said “I have never seen a very big appetite for 3D television in the UK. Watching 3D is quite a hassly experience in the home. You have got to find your glasses before switching on the TV. I think when people watch TV they concentrate in a different way. When people go to the cinema they go and are used to doing one thing – I think that’s one of the reasons that take up of 3D TV has been disappointing.”

Recommended Videos

While half of an estimated 1.5 million 3DTV households in the UK watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympic games in 3D, the performance of other 3D content has been minuscule by comparison. Regarding starting 3D production again, Shillinglaw went on to say “We will see what happens when the recession ends and there may be more take up of sets, but I think the BBC will be having a wait and see.

Just last month, ESPN announced a more definitive demise for the ESPN 3D channel. At the end of 2013, ESPN 3D will stop broadcasting due to low demand among U.S. consumers. According to a study cited by BBC News, there’s no more than 120,000 U.S. consumers watching 3D content at any given time. 

Mike Flacy
By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…
Audible’s audiobooks are now included with Amazon Music Unlimited
An iPhone with Bose headphones showing the Amazon Music app with a promotional message for Audible audiobooks.

Starting today, Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers in the U.S., UK, and Canada can access Audible's entire catalog of audiobooks from within the Amazon Music app. They can also listen to one audiobook a month as part of their existing subscription.

"The combination of Amazon Music and Audible, two pioneers in audio streaming, brings an unmatched selection of audio entertainment to customers,” said Steve Boom, Amazon's vice president of Audio, Twitch, and Games in a press release. “Amazon Music redefined audio streaming through the magic of Alexa, and with the introduction of high-definition and spatial music. Today, Amazon Music introduces the audiobook category to a brand-new audience by making Audible’s industry-leading catalog of audiobooks available to Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers.”

Read more
This cool retro Lego record player can be yours for free this weekend
The Lego Retro Record Player on a table.

It’s tiny, has a stylus made of plastic, and its wow and flutter is probably off the charts, but if you’re a vinyl nerd or a turntable nut like we are, then you’re going to want this cool retro Lego record player set that the brick masters are offering as a gift this weekend as part of its Insiders Weekend.

As part of Lego’s popular gift event that takes place November 23 and 24, members of the company’s Insiders club can get access to several “gift-with-purchase” sets, including the Retro Record Player, that can be had for free if you spend $250 or more.

Read more
Bose buys McIntosh, Sonus faber as it eyes expansion of in-car audio
A McIntosh integrated amp.

Bose has acquired McIntosh Group, the company that owns McIntosh, Sonus faber, Sumiko Phono Cartridges, and several other brands in the audio space. Bose describes the acquisition as a strategic move that will "infuse its industry-leading audio research and technology into the high-performance and luxury space," according to a press release. The details of the transaction were not included.

The joining of these two U.S.-based corporations appears to be aimed at expanding their reach into the automotive world, at least initially. Bose says it intends to leverage its 40-plus years of experience in automotive audio along with McIntosh’s performance and design to engineer "authentic in-car experiences that redefine automotive sound."

Read more