Sky's 3D television channel is to launch on 1 October with a mix of sport and movies, the broadcaster has said.

The station's debut will coincide with golf's Ryder Cup championship, while hit 3D movies including Monsters vs Aliens will be screened.

Sky's 3D service trialled in pubs from April, and is now available in more than 1,500 locations.

Sky+HD viewers with a 3D ready TV will be able to access the service, which requires 3D glasses to be worn.

It will be compatible with a number of 3D enabled sets from manufacturers including Sony, Samsung, LG and Panasonic.

Other 3D Hollywood films will be screened in the run-up to Christmas, including Alice in Wonderland and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Sky has said that, alongside a range of sporting events, including the Premier League, a range of 3D arts and entertainments shows would be announced closer to the launch date.

Meanwhile, Sky has struck an agreement with US cable channel HBO to broadcast its programmes in the UK.

Dramas including Luck, starring Dustin Hoffman, will be aired on Sky in the coming months.

The broadcaster has also secured the rights to HBO's back catalogue, which will be accessible on their on-demand services.

The programme-maker's past shows include The Sopranos and Six Feet Under.
Sophie Turner Laing, Sky's director of entertainment and news, said: "We are delighted to have partnered with one of the most renowned names in television."

Source : BBC News - Sky set for 3D television launch

How many people here have seen 3D TV so far and do you think it's really going to catch on, or will it prove to be a rather expensive flash in the pan that people will soon get fed up with? I've only seen it briefly on a couple of occasions so far, and apart from the fact that watching it gave me a headache, having to wear glasses is a great inconvenience for many, and I think at the current state of development, the novelty of the 3D effect will soon wear off, especially if broadcasters overdo it. Certainly for home use, I'd far rather stick with the HD system I already have.

While what 3D I've seen was impressive, it is no doubt gimmicky. More troubling I supect is the design feature of the glasses, which have 'lockable' sides (arms? to glasses have arms? Whatever the bits that go behind your ears are called) to prevent them moving while you watch. This means that should kids (or clumsy adults) ever sit on them they'll just snap, and at something like £70 a pair I imagine that would be quite annoying.

In order for manufacturers to keep making money they need 'the latest innovation' for people to part with their money for. IMO 3D will go the same way as HD-DVD, MiniDisk, rear-projection TVs, laser-disc players, the Miscrosoft Zune and so on as a fad that died off almost as soon as it started.

The fact that it simply doesn't work for some people is a major sticking point too