Life in 3D The Third
Life in 3D The Third Dimension The twisting and turning evolution of 3D technologies … for TV – and beyond! by Richard Barnes In the world of 3D, we are at a stage similar to when HD was introduced to the marketplace — when a great deal of confusion existed among consumers about why they should buy an HD TV, and thus the market was slow to take off. Today, the same is true with 3D. It is estimated that anywhere between five and eight per cent of users complain of eye problems when watching 3D. Recent research by DisplaySearch in Germany found that less than one percent of interviewees listed 3D as a reason for their TV upgrade, while in Indonesia the figure was six per cent and in China, around five per cent. Companies such as LG are continuing to make great strides in the development of 3D technology But 3D video production techniques are improving fast and there is no doubt that 3D is here to stay. The creation of the International 3D Society, headed by former Emmys President Jim Chabin, underlines the importance given to developing 3D technologies in an intelligent manner, in keeping with the true wants and needs of consumers. In a recent interview, Chabin said: “Right now, in 2011, if you buy a flat screen and a Blu-ray Disc drive, you going to have lots of content to play on it in the next year or two as more and more of these sources of good 3D content come on board. We are believers that 3D is going to be everywhere. It is the future, just like High Definition was the future, or colour was the future. So it’s going to be an exciting time, and we’re all going to live in a 3D world.” There have been two notable advances this year: the onset of an increasing number of glasses-free devices and the arrival of LG’s FPR technology. The dream of many is simply to have glasses-free 3D across the board. Smaller glasses-free screens, such as 3D smart phones and laptops, have already been developed, while TVs are still in the experimental stage. At the moment, with most glasses-free TVs only one person can watch at a time — and the filters used to create the 3D effect are expensive. But the arrival “It is the future, just like High Definition was the future, or colour was the future” of LG Display’s FPR (Film Pattern Retarder) passive 3D technology has added a great deal of interest to the market. The polarised glasses that are used to create the 3D effect with this technology are much cheaper and lighter than the active shutter glasses used with the first generation of 3D TVs. But LG press conference an argument exists over whether or not the image produced is full HD, as the left and right images alternate from one pixel to the next (each polarised differently), meaning that in real terms, each eye only sees half of a full-HD image. LG and other companies employing the technology, however, claim that at the right viewing distance, the brain merges the images to create an image with similar or better quality than that produced with active shutter glasses. It remains to be seen how this may be proven scientifically. The best way to choose is, of course, through personal testing and preferences. IFA will give buyers and the public alike the platform to make a wise decision when it comes to technology choices. The future will, in any c a s e b e p a r t i c u l a r l y exciting, and the “push” effect continues, with the news, among other a n n o u n c e m e n t s , t h a t Panasonic will be ensuring live 3D coverage of the Summer Olympic Games in London in 2012. Watch out for the javelin! Hall 11.2 Stand 101 www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Saturday 3 rd & Sunday 4 th September 2011 27
