James Cameron to promote Panasonic 3-D HDTVs around release of "Avatar." Now are you interested?

Sci-fi fans already know that director James Cameron's long-awaited follow-up to Titanic is Avatar, the biggest release so far that makes use of the latest 3-D film technologies. No doubt calculating future home-video revenues, Cameron is now teaming up with Panasonic to promote the company's 3-D HDTVs, which are slated for 2010 release.

The coolest aspect of this effort is a truck tour Panasonic will be sending out across the country this fall, using the same 103-inch plasma TV and Blu-ray player (both 3-D equipped) that the company demoed at CES back in January. It'll be interesting to see what people's opinion of the 3-D TV setup will be, as I felt pretty noncommittal after viewing the demo in Las Vegas. On the one hand, there were some segments—particularly sports scenes—that benefited from the added depth; on the other hand, some footage looks too gimmicky. And you still have to wear those plastic glasses while you're sitting on the couch.

Momentum is gathering for 3-D hitting the living room, as a dedicated 3-D channel could be launched in the U.S. in the next couple of years. But momentum won't account for much if people aren't convinced that the technology (and content like Avatar) is worth the extra expense—or having to wear those glasses on a regular basis.