Mark Daniels: Sky high on 3D

The next stage in how we watch TV is about to launch: 3D. Three Dimensional TV.

Whenever I think about it, I get a tingle of excitement ... and then I remember Jaws 3D.

Of course, the technology behind such viewing has come a long way since Joe Alves' shark gave us a new dimension in terror and when I took my wife to see Alice in Wonderland recently the three dimensional trailer for the new series of Doctor Who was far more impressive than Tim Burton's latest creation, but I still find it difficult to get my head around a family of four sitting at home watching TV through a pair of spectacles.

As a goggle-wearer myself, much as I'm impressed by the new crop of 3D special effects, I always find myself with a headache at the end of the movie as the glasses seem to distort my prescription.

But nobody can deny Sky a slap on the back for being at the forefront of bringing the 3D revolution to our homes. After trials of their new service were successful in public houses recently, 1000 pubs have apparently already signed up to the new service, which launches on April 3rd with a football game.

Sky themselves have also said all along that they want to use pubs to launch their 3D platform, too. Like they did with HD and sporting broadcasts. Pubs, they said as they started to push the 3D story, were the backbone to their success.

So why, then, are we going to have to pay for it? If we're the establishments that are giving them the platform to launch the service, how come we aren't going to get it for free?

To get Sky 3D you'll need an HD box, which can already transmit the required signal, and a 3D compatible television. And some 3D glasses, either active or passive. Active are apparently better, but also apparently a lot more expensive. And if we've got to give them out to each and every customer, that's quite a lot of money for an item that can get broken reasonably easily.

And then, after all that investment and as public houses, we'll have to pay for the subscription. While the residential customers, according to Sky's website, won't...

Come on Sky. If you want public houses to help catapult your new service to consumers why do we have to pay for it? Surely it should be the other way round?

Christmas Party Shenanigans...

My wife and I took our staff out for an evening on Saturday after the pub had closed. It was, as we comically called it, our Christmas Party 2008 (it's been a while since we've been able to do it). And it was great fun.

Of course, the staff ultimately wanted to end up in a night club and that came as a bit of a shock to me. The last time I was in a night club you had to wear smart shoes and trousers but now you can get in wearing jeans and trainers.

Unless you are a girl, when apparently you can get in wearing absolutely nothing at all...