Three years until 3D TV penetration

Analyst predicts gamers will drive 3D television take up in the home.

Media analysts are prediciting that ten per cent of home entertainment screens will be capable of displaying three dimensional images by 2011.

A report published by Screen Digest says that autostereoscopic technology will eventually become the industry standard as it has one major advantage: no glasses.

Subscription providers will lead the way because terrestrial broadcasters don't have the bandwidth, or production cash, to cope with the new technology.

But it won't be movie fans who drive the new technology forward, it will be gamers, who are much more likely to be early adopters.

And with most emerging technologies, content will be king. Marie Bloomfield, Analyst at Screen Digest says: "What 3D offers the studios and pay TV operators is an opportunity to charge a premium for content - perhaps even more so than high definition. But as it is emerging in the middle of a recession, the home 3D market is in a Catch 22 situation. Consumers will not be persuaded to invest in new equipment to experience 3D until there is enough content, and content production will not ramp up until there is a significant audience."