Sony to give old movies 3D treatment on Blu-ray

TOKYO - Sony may start selling Blu-ray discs showing 3D versions of its archive of movies and videos within about a year.

"We'll probably be able to start next fiscal year, if we can convert them into 3D with good effects," Joe Nakata, a deputy general manager for Sony's 3D strategy unit, said yesterday in Tokyo.

"Companies specialising in conversion processes are starting up in India and the infrastructure is getting prepared."

The producer of 2012 and Michael Jackson's This Is It, aimed to take advantage of its archived video content to trigger an expansion of the 3D technology from cinemas to households.

The company planned to start selling nine models of 3D Bravia televisions and a Blu-ray disc player this summer, when it would also enable PlayStation 3 machines to run games in 3D by updating programs.

Tokyo-based Sony, which projects sales from 3D products without content will reach 1 trillion ($15.5 billion) in the year to March 2013, was in talks with television stations and game software makers to add a variety of 3D content, Nakata said.

He declined to comment on Sony's projection for sales of 3D content.

The company said last month it would team with Discovery Communications and Imax to start a 3D dedicated television network in 2011.

Rivals such as Samsung Electronics, the world's biggest television maker, LG Electronics and Panasonic also plan to begin selling 3D televisions this year.

- BLOOMBERG