One of the great things about recent improvements in the quality (and size) of televisions is that now even relatively cheap TVs from the likes of Currys can let you enjoy the full cinematic experience at home. After so much invention and investment in televisual technology over the next decade, what will we be watching in another ten years?

Super HD

High definition was the first of the wave of new televisions to come along, supported by the switch from analogue television signals to digital (which is just about coming to a close in some of the final parts of the country). HD is a wonderful improvement, but according to experts it’s only the start of the high definition progress. Cameras are now capable of shooting over 1000 frames a minute, whilst LCD technology is also improving.

Then there’s the fact that even the best televisions only use a certain percentage of the amount of colours that the human eye can pick up. Next generation screens are getting up towards the 50% mark, but there’s a lot further to go.

3D

After the success of 3D films like Avatar, a lot of people predicted that the future was in 3D, despite the fact that film-makers have been playing around with different 3D technology for the better part of fifty years.

So far, 3D television has failed to take off, the prospect of wearing glasses to watch television in your own home, the fact that it’s not always easy for people who are long or short sighted in one eye to watch 3D and a relative dearth of material all goes together in making 3D a less than convincing option.

However, that’s not to say that it will always be that way. Glasses-less 3D is on the way, and although the viewing angle is rather small, for certain types of activities (games, computer screens) it could soon be normal to have 3D screens. Some experts say 3D will transform the world, other says that it’s almost dead. In any case, now is not the time to splash the cash on a 3D television.


Sport 3D: Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

OLED and Holographs

Really, OLED should come under the super HD section, but it’s so mind-blowingly brilliant it deserves a sub category. Incredibly energy efficient, as thin as a couple of sheets of paper and lighter than just about any other screen in the world, OLED has the potential to really make a huge difference to how we live, particularly if the technology is ever refined to the point where it’s like carrying paper around.

Then, of course, there’s the far future and holographic images, work is ongoing on holographs but it’s looking promising. In twenty years, we genuinely could all be watching holographic images projected from screens, the true 3D experience.