The Blu-ray disc association (BDA), the organization that oversees the development of Blu-ray disc (BD) format, said that it was developing its position regarding the 3D stereo video on Blu-ray. Various implementations will require different approaches from software and hardware manufacturers and may even force BDA to create a new specification for BD.

“There are discussions going on right now, and we are putting together a public statement,” said Andy Parsons, chairman of the association’s marketing group, reports EETimes web-site.

Stereoscopic 3D is not something completely new: various ways of adding more immerse to the end-user experience have been introduced: certain DVDs come with red-blue glasses, certain types of post-processing allow to watch 3D images on special screens and so on. However, with no clear standard, the stereo 3D movies will hardly become popular in the foreseeable future.

“We all generally see 3D as the next big thing in television, not higher resolutions or laser projection, but a really good 3D experience,” Richard Doherty, principal of consulting firm Envisioneering, is reported to have said.

Hypothetically, the BDA could take one of two general approaches to stereo 3D, said Mr. Parsons. For example, it could choose to just pass through to HDMI ports any 3D data on a disc letting the TV to display or post-process it (if necessary), or it could render the 3D information locally on the player which would require a significant addition to the Blu-ray specification and new hardware for consumers.

“The first real stereo 3D for the home will be via Blu-ray and for that you need a standard format. If everything goes perfectly this could happen in 2010 or 2011, but it never goes like that. Hopefully there will not be a format war,” a senior executive at one large consumer electronics company who asked not to be named is quoted as saying.

No matter what, but movie studios would greatly appreciate another way of improving customer experience, as this not only guarantees boosted sales of movies on discs, but also allows movie companies to sell previously released titles again.