Sony to Sell 3-D Versions of Archived Movies as Early as 2010

http://today3d.blogspot.com/2010/02/sony-to-sell-3-d-versions-of-archived.html

Sony Corp. may start selling Blu-ray discs showing 3-D versions of its archive of movies and videos as early as the 12 months starting April 1.

"We'll probably be able to start next fiscal year, if we can convert them into 3-D with good effects," Joe Nakata, a deputy general manager for Sony's 3-D strategy unit, said in an interview yesterday in Tokyo. "Companies specializing in conversion processes are starting up in India and the infrastructure is getting prepared."

The producer of "2012" and "Michael Jackson's This Is It," aims to take advantage of its archived video content to trigger an expansion of the 3-D technology from cinemas to households. The company plans to start selling 9 models of 3-D Bravia televisions and a Blu-Ray disc player this summer, when it will also enable PlayStation 3 machines to run games in 3-D by updating programs.

Tokyo-based Sony, which projects sales from 3-D products without content will reach 1 trillion yen ($11 billion) in the year to March 2013, is in talks with TV stations and game software makers to add a variety of 3-D content, Nakata said. He declined to comment on Sony's projection for sales of 3-D content.

The company said last month it will team with Discovery Communications Inc. and Imax Corp. to start a 3-D dedicated TV network in 2011.

Rivals such as Samsung Electronics Co., the world's biggest TV maker, LG Electronics Inc. and Panasonic Corp. also plan to begin selling 3-D TVs this year.