Guide to 3D |
In this guide we'll take an overall look at 3D TV and help you get to grips with how it works and find out the facts before you buy.
How does it work?
Currently the methods used to display 3D in the cinema differ from what you're most likely to purchase for your lounge but they both work in a similar way in that they essentially trick our brains into misinterpreting how far away the image that we're viewing is.
When you focus on an object our brains are determining how close it is to us by how much our eyes have to converge to view it, if we take the example of being cross-eyed you know the object is very close indeed. The further away the object gets the less cross-eyed we are and your brain uses this to estimate how close something is.
3D movies trick us by showing each eye a different image, thereby altering how much they converge and our brains interpreting it as being closer than it really is. The old red and green glasses method blocked red light from entering one eye and only allowed red light into the other meaning your eyes saw different parts of the image. This was called the anaglyph method and unfortunately this wasn't brilliant quality and meant that 3D moves couldn't be in full colour.
Currently the two most popular systems are polarising and active shutter, with the polarised method being most commonly found in the cinema and active shutter generally being used at home. The active shutter name refers to the glasses which feature an electronic shutter which opens and closes each lens. This is done in sequence left eye closed, right eye open, left eye open, right eye closed etc and synchronised with the display using wireless or IR technology. These differing images sent displayed to each eye happens many times a second so as not to be noticeable.
What can I watch?
There is a steadily growing amount of content in the form of movies, games and even sports on TV. Films you can currently pick up on Blu Ray 3D include Avatar 3D, Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland 3D, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 3D, Monster House 3D, and Piranha. You can expect to see releases of 3D movies currently at the pictures hitting the shelves too. There are several PS3 3D games on the market: Call of Duty Black Ops (also on Xbox 360), Gran Turismo 5, Prince of Persia The Sands of Time, Avatar: The Game, Killzone 3, Super Stardust HD, WipEout HD, MotorStorm 3D Rift, Tron: Evolution and PAIN.
When it comes to TV both Sky and Virgin have their offerings. Virgin's comes in the form of 3D movies available on demand for customers with a V HD or V+ HD box. Sky carries sports such as Premier League football, rugby league and darts along with some entertainment programming and movies like Avatar, Toy Story and My Bloody Valentine.
What do I watch it on?
In terms of display devices you have the usual choices of LCD, LED, plasma or projector. For the proper big-screen experience we of course recommend a projector, but all the major panel manufacturers have 3D capable screens on the market.
If you happen to already own a compatible projector it's possible to upgrade with the Optoma 3D XL unit which adds 3D capability to some existing projector models. The 3D XL can also be purchased as a bundle with the fantastic little HD67N, capable of projecting a 100” picture for less than the cost of most 42” flat panel screens!
If high-end home theatre is your thing then take a look at the Sony VPL-VW90ES which provides 3D capability along side stunning 2D performance. Currently available for viewing in our demo room, we think you'll be seriously impressed at the clarity of the images which VW90ES is able to dispense.
What do I need?
As well as a 3D capable display you'll need a few other bits and pieces. Bear in mind whilst most screens & projectors are provided with a couple of pairs of glasses, if you want the friends and the whole family to enjoy the 3D experience you'll need to purchase some extra sets of glasses.
For 3D TV you'll need either Sky or Virgin and for movies you'll require a 3D compatible Blu-Ray player. A firmware update for PS3 games consoles has enabled 3D games and blu-ray so if you have one connected to the Internet then you're ready to go already. Nvidia Vision is also available on some PCs.
If you're needing to purchase a new HDMI interconnect then to guarantee compatibility go with any cable which is certified as “High Speed”, this will ensure it's capable of transmitting the high data rates required.
Another point of note is that if you pass your HDMI signal through an AV receiver, not simply direct from source to display device then the AV receiver will need to be able to pass the 3D signal. Any receiver which specifies that it is HDMI v1.4 compliant will work just fine and this includes the currently ranges from Onkyo, Yamaha and Denon.
The Future
The need to wear glasses is one of the main issues which companies involved in producing 3D displays are looking to solve at the moment. January's Consumer Electronics Show was packed with prototypes and demonstrations of this technology, most of which is not yet available. One example which you can currently purchase is the 3DS from Nintendo. Expect to see glasses-free 3D cropping up on laptops, smart phones, GPS systems, digital signs, TVs and projectors over the coming years as the technology evolves.
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