ESPN became the first network to announce plans for a 3D channel.  This news comes after DirecTV announced the launch of a high-definition 3D channel later this year.  Discovery Communications also announced an alliance with Sony and Imax for a 3D network to debut in 2011.

ESPN 3D will showcase a minimum of 85 live sporting events during its first year, beginning June 11 with the first 2010 FIFA World Cup match, featuring South Africa versus Mexico, ESPN and ABC Sports president George Bodenheimer announced.

Other events to be produced in 3-D include the 2011 BCS National Championship Game, college basketball and football contests, up to 25 World Cup matches and the Summer X Games. Additional events will be announced at a later date.

“ESPN’s commitment to 3-D is a win for fans and our business partners,” Bodenheimer said in a statement. “ESPN 3D marries great content with new technology to enhance the fan’s viewing experience and puts ESPN at the forefront of the next big advance for TV viewing.”

3D-TV is real.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) running from January 7-10 in Las Vegas is expected to showcase all kinds of new 3D TV technology.  Look for the following:

AMD announced it will demonstrate a Blu-ray stereoscopic 3D standard at the CES 2010 showcasing how consumers will soon get to enjoy HD 3D entertainment.

DirecTV will be launching their first US 3D HDTV channel early in 2010. The announcement will be made at the CES 2010, with the new channel expected to go live in March of 2010. More

NVIDIA will showcase 3D Blu-ray playback technologies at CES 2010. NVIDIA and movie playback software developers including Arcsoft (TotalMedia Theatre), Corel (WinDVD), Cyberlink (PowerDVD Ultra) and Sonic (Roxio CinePlayer BD) have been working together to develop programs that support 3D Blu-ray titles, which are limited to just a few as of today. Major titles in 3D Blu-ray will be hitting stores in 2010. We can expect to see many 3D Blu-ray titles at CES 2010 including ones that will work with NVIDIA’s 3D Vision. More

Swiss audio technology company, Sonic Emotion , will debut its 3D sound technologies on the US market at CES 2010.

Look for Sony, Samsung, Mitsubishi, LG and other manufacturers to showcase flashy 3D displays at CES.  Sony has recently announced a partnership with 3D tech firm RealD to bring 3D technology to Sony Bravia HDTVs and the Playstation 3 Blu-ray player.

While Avatar and its stunning 3D appeal is grabbing all the attention, could 3D TV really be a reality next year?

Avatar’s Catalytic Impact on Future 3D TV and Film:

"Avatar won’t be alone for long in pursuing next-level 3D. Tim Burton ’s Alice in Wonderland for television and Steven Spielberg ’s live-action Tintin for the big screen will be matched by major 3D video game efforts involving iPod, PS4, Xbox 720, 3D Blu-ray and 3D blockbuster video games. Greenfield says that by this time next year, 3D could be more of a presence on television, although it is expected to gradually grow only to about 30 percent penetration over time."

3DTV testing starts in Finland:

“Welho, the cable broadcaster based in Finland, has begun testing out 3D TV with customers located around the Helsinki area. The company is another broadcaster looking to offer a full 3D TV channel at some point during 2010.”

Avatar: Good News for 3D TV and Blu-ray?

"But will the 3D trend extend to home entertainment, too? In recent months, the consumer electronics industry has been working behind the scenes to build the framework for 3D in the home. The Blu-Ray Disc Association this week announced specifications for creating full 1080p 3D Blu-Ray content. The first 3D-enabled Blu-ray players will likely debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. Meanwhile, major TV manufacturers are hoping 3D TV becomes the next big thing. Sony , for instance, predicts that 3D sets will compose 30 to 50 percent of all the TVs it sells in its 2012 fiscal year."

Sony Corporation and RealD announced a technology partnership aiming to provide immersive 3D home entertainment to consumers beginning in 2010. The pact includes Sony licensing the stereoscopic RealD Format, know-how in producing active and passive 3D eyewear and other RealD technologies. Sony and RealD have been closely working together to create a better 3D experience at movie theaters for years. The parties will now join forces to deliver a similar premium 3D entertainment experience to the home.

“Sony has its proprietary LCD panel driving technology to reproduce full HD 3D images on the screen of new “BRAVIA” LCD TVs, which will work in sync with new 3D eyewear based on RealD’s technology. We are excited to work with RealD in bringing 3D to the home,” said Hiroshi Yoshioka, Executive Deputy President, Officer in charge of Consumer Products and Devices Group, Sony Corporation.

Read more here from the WSJ.

Expected to debut sometime in 2010, LG’s 23-inch HDTV will feature a 1920 X 1080 pixel resolution 3D display which purportedly offers image quality that’s almost twice as crisp as existing 3D monitors, thanks to LG’s proprietary “high performance 3D exclusive controller” and “copper bus line.”

The South Korean electronics manufacturer estimates that the 3D TV market will exceed 30 million units by 2012.  The Korea Communications Commission has set the 3D world abuzz with plans to start a 3D broadcast trial service in 2010 using its terrestrial networks.  Licensing begins in January and first broadcasts are expected sometime later that year.  Engadget is also reporting Korea’s PPV providers want a piece of the pie too, with CJ HelloVision set to offer 3D content through its video-on-demand offerings in late 2009.  CJ HelloVision will initially target about 300 households with plans to extend the service to 1,000 homes by 2012.

Electronics manufacturers are betting big that 3D TV will catch on with the public.  Sony has announced big plans and up to 25 of the 2010 FIFA World Cup matches in South Africa will be produced in 3D TV.

According to GigaOM Pro, a U.S. consumer technology research group, the 3D TV market will see shipments of nearly 50 million 3D televisions by the year 2013.  The firm is predicting the consumer demand will be so great that media and content providers will rush to reformat old material to make it 3D ready in order to satisfy the demand.

Rumor has it FIFA officials will soon announce the 2010 FIFA World Cup Tournament will feature 3D broadcasted matches.  Sony, a major FIFA sponsor, along with other manufacturers such as LG and Samsung, have all invested heavily in 3D technology in recent years.

Read more here