Disney signs 3D Video on Demand agreement

Soon, you’ll be able to experience the thrill of muted colors, problematic technology, and headache complaints in the privacy of your own home, thanks to the recent license agreement Sensio Technologies signed with The Walt Disney Company for its video on demand content. The deal plans to make the studio’s 3D movies available for video on demand streaming via Sensio’s 3DGo! service.

Nicholas Routhier, Sensio’s president and CEO, said that the company was “very excited with [Monday’s] announcement with The Walt Disney Studios,” adding that the partnership “heralds a new era for 3D movie watching at home.” More than 20 Disney titles will be made available for 3D streaming in the U.S. when the partnership officially launches later this month, including Disney/Pixar’s Brave and the Tim Burton-produced Frankenweenie. Titles will not be available in perpetuity, however; the Sensio announcement clearly notes “specific availability windows” for streamed content, suggesting that the much-derided “Disney Vault” concept will be used for 3D VOD content in addition to DVD and Blu-ray releases.

“The Disney 3D library is without contest one of the best out there and we are thrilled to add an incredible selection of titles from a true legendary studio and 3D pioneer,” Routhier said. “From day one, we’ve set out to bring the best of 3D entertainment to our clients and today’s announcement is the concrete proof of the seriousness of our commitment. We are more determined than ever to realize our promise to address the lack of 3D content to the home and to support our SensioHi-Fi 3D customers with the best library of 3D content in the market.”

Sensio first announced its 3DGo! service – which offers VOD 3D content to televisions in the U.S. capable of playing them via proprietary technology – in January 2012, with the service launching later that year. Initially, the amount of material available to stream was limited due to the basic fact that not a lot of 3D content had reached that point in the distribution cycle. Arguably, 3D only started becoming a going concern for moviemakers in 2010 or so, meaning that there wasn’t really an appreciable amount of 3D movies available to stream until recently.

In that regard, the Disney deal could be seen as marking a turning point for Sensio and the 3DGo program; with such a big name content provider on board, Routhier hopes that other studios will follow suit, projecting somewhere in the region of 200 titles available for subscribers to choose from by the end of 2013. Now, all we need is for more people to buy 3D-ready televisions. Do you own one, or plan to get one at all?

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