Digital TV Guides

3D TV channels - what can I watch in 3D?

By Becca Talbot - becca@consumerchoices.co.uk

Monday 13 December, 2010

Want to watch cinematic 3D blockbusters like Avatar and Alice In Wonderland in your living room? Get yourself a 3D TV and a subscription service like Sky or Virgin Media and you’ll have access to 3D TV channels.

If you’re after a viewing experience that’s so realistic that you’ll feel like you’re really there, then getting a 3D ready TV and a subscription to 3D channels could be the perfect option for you. A step-up from high-definition, watching a movie or documentary in 3D will put you in the midst of the action.

But what can you watch in 3D, and who offers 3D channels? We explore your 3D TV options below…

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Sky 3D TV channel

Sky (www.sky.co.uk) launched Europe’s first dedicated 3D TV channel in October 2010, making 3D films, sports coverage and documentaries available to its Sky World package subscribers. Whether you already have a subscription to Sky or are looking to join the satellite TV giant, Sky’s 3D channel will give you an array of 3D content.

• 3D TV for existing Sky customers - Existing customers with a Sky+HD box are already well on their way to getting 3D TV at home. Simply invest in a 3D ready TV and upgrade to the Sky World HD package (if you haven’t already got it), and you’ll be able to watch the 3D channel without any extra monthly costs

• 3D TV for new Sky customers - If you’re a new customer looking to join Sky to get the 3D channel, you’ll need to subscribe to the Sky World package, the Sky HD pack and opt for a Sky+HD set-top box when signing up. Sky World HD subscriptions start from £52 a month.

Sky’s 3D TV channel has everything, from top sporting events and blockbuster films to real-life documentaries and 3D concerts, making it the ideal choice for anyone looking for a comprehensive 3D TV package.

Virgin Media 3D TV channel

Virgin Media (www.virginmedia.com) has also jumped on the 3D TV bandwagon and now offers 3D films on-demand to all homes with a subscription to the TV XL package and a V+HD or V HD set-top box, as well as a 3D ready television.

• 3D TV for existing Virgin Media customers - If you already have a subscription to the XL TV package, and either a V+HD or the V HD set-top box, simply visit the FilmFlex menu from the Virgin Media electronic programme guide (EPG), and select the film you want to watch

• 3D TV for new Virgin Media customers - New customers looking to join Virgin Media for its 3D films need to subscribe to the XL TV package. This usually costs £23.50 a month when you take a Virgin Media cable phone line at £12.24 a month, though the provider often offers promotions to cut the cost. You’ll also need a Virgin Media high-definition set-top box and a 3D TV.

Once you have a V+HD or V HD set-top box, there’s no need to upgrade, and you don’t have to pay for any extra channels - just pay for the films that you watch, when you watch them. 3D movies cost from £4.75 to rent for 24 hours.

BT Vision 3D TV channel

Like Virgin Media, BT also now offers on-demand 3D films - though it doesn’t broadcast a dedicated 3D channel like Sky.

BT Vision (www.btvision.bt.com) has signed a deal with NBC Universal to show all of the 3D movies that the studio releases over the next 12 months, starting with Step Up 3D and Despicable Me.

Customers will also be able to watch StreetDance, the first British film to be shot in 3D, featuring Diversity, winners of Britain’s Got Talent 2009.

3D movies cost £5.99 to rent using BT Vision’s on-demand service, and the films are available to all customers with a Vision+ set-top box.

3D TVs and glasses

In order to watch 3D TV content from either Sky, Virgin Media or BT Vision, you will need a 3D ready TV. Manufacturers such as Sony, Panasonic and LG all offer 3D models, which range in price from about £800 to £6,000, and can now be purchased from retailers such as John Lewis, Comet, Argos and Currys.

You’ll also need to wear 3D glasses, though the type you should buy will depend on the format of TV you get.

Check out your options in store and speak to a sales rep about optimum viewing distances - you don’t want to buy a TV that is either too big or too small for your front room.

Should I get a 3D TV?

If you’re not ready to make the leap into 3D TV yet, you can still experience the wonder of 3D TV at around 1,500 pubs and clubs around the UK and Ireland, courtesy of Sky’s 3D TV channel.

You can find your nearest Sky 3D venue using the Sky pub finder - just visit www.sky.com. You can watch some amazing sporting action from the Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League and Euro 2012 qualifiers, as well as Heineken Cup rugby and Ryder Cup golf, all in 3D.

Keep checking back at www.sky.com site to find out about forthcoming fixtures, and make sure you ring your venue to check scheduling and reserve a seat if needed.