The crucial point here is that this passive set is much more cost-effective for group viewing.
One other detail worth mentioning is that some 3D TVs can also perform a kind of ‘3D upscaling’ that attempts to convert a conventional 2D image into 3D. We’ve seen this demonstrated on some of Samsung’s 3D TVs and the effect is a little odd – more like two-and-a-half D than 3D – but it’s worth bearing in mind if you think EastEnders might be even more exciting in 3D.
Passive 3D glasses are as cheap as chips
A better solution, of course, would be ‘auto-stereoscopic’ 3D televisions that don’t require any glasses at all. However, the consensus of opinion in the industry seems to be that we’re at least five years away from cracking that particular chestnut, at least in a commercially viable form.
With that in mind, you can buy one of these 3D TVs for now and then start saving up for your Star Trek Hologram TV™ in about five years time. How’s that for an upgrade cycle?
Winter of Disc Content
Upcoming 3D BD releases
Monsters Vs Aliens – Exclusive Samsung Bundle
Shrek Collection – Exclusive Samsung Bundle
Coraline – Panasonic Bundle/Full Release September 2010
Ice Age 3D – Panasonic Bundle/Full release March 2011
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs – 14 June
Toy Story 3 – November 2010
Christmas Carol (Jim Carey version) – November 2010
Open Season – Q4 2010
Resident Evil: Afterlife – Q4 2010
Alice in Wonderland – Q4 2010 (TBC)
Next: LG 47LD950
Buyer's Guide: 3D TVs
COMMENTS
tried the samsung in john lewis
blu-ray looked pretty good but it all comes back to the same 2 points:
- is the whole family going to sit there with jarvis cocker style specs on to watch eastenders in 3d?
- ah yes eastenders. content is king, so 90% of the stuff on tv is not better in 3d anyway. so 3d in the cinema is great but still doesn't work for the living room...
Total Fad
I don't even have Blu-Ray or a HDTV. I simply don't see the point (no one has been able to show me an HDTV and standard TV, of comparable size and show me any difference). On the HDTVs my friends have, I can't see any difference between a DVD or a Blu-Ray. So I don't see the point in wasting money on them until kit needs replaced.
Sound is the important thing. That is what will immerse you into the story. Black-and-white movies are still captivating because of the sound and, well, the story. Laural&Hardy are still funny because of the jokes. 3D adds nada.
Actually I take that back. 3D might give a good movie something extra, but a bad 3D movie is just going to be a bad movie in 3D.
From what I understand, the brain only uses stereoscopic depth perception for the first 10m or so, after that it's brute logic and other tricks (Anyone know for sure?). So what is the point in 3D when vast swathes of the scene don't need to be 3D at all?
More anti-piracy bullcrap is my guess. Bullcrap that *would not be needed* if the RIAA and MPAA simply got with the feckin' program!
Stereoscopic
Good clear introduction.
Misses some points:
1) While implied, the article doesn't explicitly state that it's not 3D at all. Only Stereoscopic. Like Viewmaster or Victorian novelties.
2) Maybe 20% of people who DO see real 3D, don't get ANY depth illusion from Stereoscopic video.
3) The Active shutter glasses may work for some people with one eye slightly weaker where the passive glasses don't..
4) Prolonged Stereoscopic video viewing will cause headache and eye strain. In reality unlike real life or real 3D displays(there are some not holographic), the image distance is actually always on the screen. The eye unconsciously tries to focus on apparently closer or further objects based on the parallax illusion. This is what causes the headaches or even nausea. The definition of "prolonged" is going to vary per person.
Not so standard after all.
Interestingly I went to IMAX in London with a pair of the decent quality Real3D glasses a friend had bough to go to his local cinema with.
When the 3D stuff started I just got a blurred image. No matter which way I turned the glass around. I was popular getting up to go and get a pair of IMAX specs that day!
Oh hum.
Are the companies having a laugh?
First there is far too little content around to justify buying a 3D TV.
Especially since Microsoft announced last week a 3D imaging technique that needs no glasses.
So surely any sensible IT bod will wait a year or two.
But in the mean time, have a laugh and ask Currys for a demo.
I went into Currys for a 3D TV demo and was told that the TV did 'upscaling' to 3D. I asked them to explain this and I had to try hard to reframe from laughing.
They seem to actually think that the TV can turn _any_ 2D programme currently on Freeview into a simulated 3D show in real-time no less and they tried to show me a '2D->3D' 1 min demo from a USB stick.
This 2D-3D demo was less effective than real 3D TV but it did have a 3D effect.
I tried to explain that they had the wrong end of the stick about up-scaling and what they had tried to show me was pre-rendered 2D to 3Dvideo and I had to leave before I started choking with laughter.
Oddly the '2D -3D' or 3D demos they had on their £2200 TV were obvious at the wrong data-rate or just plain broken as they kept on stuttering and pausing. No reason from the staff as to why these were the only 2 demos available (no 3D Bu-ray was available and no they didn't have it connected up to Freeview!) Dude - If I'm shelling out £2500 I want to see it working!
Last thing.
I spoke to a recent Currys 3D TV customer and he was asked to shell out a further £50 for a HDMI 1.4 cable as one wasn't included (choke) with his £2500 TV.
He went home and tried a HDMI 1.3b and guess what, it worked just fine.....
Nice one Curry. Don't think you'll get many sales...
