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BT might struggle with the basics of its business, like connecting customers — and keeping them connected — and generally being able to answer the phone in a language approaching English, but it still wants in on 3D. But then, why wouldn’t it, every man and his ill-conceived mongrel seems to be in on this act.
BT says that movies like Step Up 3D and Street Dance 3D will be available very soon. Despicable Me — a movie Mark Kermode describes as “shockingly unoriginal” and says that the 3D adds “nothing at all” — will start in March 2011. Quite a wait before you’ll be getting any meaningful 3D from BT Vision.
Prices are £1 more than the HD version of the same film, so £5.99 in comparison to £4.99 for HD and £3.99 for SD. The company says it will announce prices for Despicable Me next year, but we can’t see it charging any more than that for a 24-hour rental. And, let us clear this up now, if you pay more than £5.99 for a 3D film rental, then you are a danger to yourself and others, and you need special help from a medical professional.
The pricing in particular interests us: why charge extra at all? As BT Vision HD is usually sent as 1080i, that means the version of 3D that BT is using is the side-by-side format. This means that you’re basically getting a much lower resolution version of the film. So you’re paying more for less definition, and one extra dimension. Is it worth it? That’s really up to you, but we can’t help feel everything about 3D is a bit of a con and just another way for our capitalist corporations to bleed us dry.
Unlike Sky 3D, it doesn’t seem like BT has an especially awe-inspiring selection of movies in the three-dimensional pipelines. There’s no sport announced, or any general entertainment. That said, if you have a 3D TV, we must grudgingly admit that there’s a chance you’ll see the movies on offer and opt to buy one. If you’re considering BT Vision 3D, then let us know below.
