Will HDTV still be around for many more years before it becomes obsolete, given the dawn of 3D Television?
I just read today that electronics technology manufacturers are getting ready to unveil 3D television this year, and that some cable networks, like ESPN, are already planning to launch 3D cable channels this year. I’ve just replaced two of the three televisions in my house, that were old-fashioned analog televisions , with new high definition televisions. I think it’s just now happening that people are beginning, en masse, to get rid of their old analog televisions in favor of new HDTVs. Is this going to be another situation like what Alvin Toffler described in "Future Shock", where a new technology becomes obsolete almost as soon as it is created. Or will plain old non-3D high definition televisions still be around for many more years to come?
Your question kind of makes the assumption that HDTV and 3D are two different things and they are not. 3D TVs that are coming out are full HD TVs, they have a pixel count that’s the same and whether they are plasma, LCD or LCD/LED they work the same. They will show double images switching back and forth quickly between the two, with active shutter glasses that are synced to the TVs.
It’s going to be years, maybe 10 before you will see a situation where 3D will be the majority, and old 2D HD is the minority. But even then it will be backward compatible since any non 3D TV can simply show the left or right frame at all times and everything will work normally. If 3D TV were some entirely new standard, then your question might make more sense.