3D--How Does It Work?
3D is based on the principle of stereoscopy, which creates the illusion of depth in an image. The easiest way to enhance depth perception in the brain is to provide the eyes of the viewer with two different images, representing two perspectives of the same object, with a minor deviation exactly equal to the perspectives that both eyes naturally receive in binocular vision.There are currently three kinds of 3D technology on the market and each one works differently:
The first one, anaglyph technology
, is the most famous one (think red/blue paper glasses) but usually the 3D effects are not so great.The second one, polarized (or passive) technology
, is the technology you have been exposed to when watching a 3D movie in an IMAX theater (e.g. Avatar 3D, Alice in Wonderland 3D, etc.)The third one, active technology
, is the most recent one that is quickly becoming the standard in terms of 3D watching at home.Let’s learn more about each of these technologies....
Anaglyph Technology:
Is 3D new? Not at all.
For the longest time, mankind has been interested in creating a 3D effect on a 2D screen. Most painters created some effect of perspective in their paintings to simulate a 3D effect.
More recently, in 1853 Wilhelm Rollmann developed a technique to simulate 3D. He created anaglyph images using two color layers superimposed but offset with respect to each other to produce a depth effect. Usually the main subject remained centered while the foreground and background shifted laterally in opposite directions. When viewed with two-color glasses (the lenses are chromatically opposite in color usually red and cyan), these images produced a stereoscopic 3D effect (your brain is tricked into thinking that this picture is in 3D).
This technology has been used countless times in movie theaters, as the typical red and blue glasses are inexpensive. The movie Bwana Devil is regarded as the first of the commercial 3D movies in the 1950s. However, while the 3D effect were fun to watch, the pictures were of low quality and had strong shades of green and red.
Most DVD and Blu-ray Discs currently on the market use this technology.Polarized (or Passive) Technology:
This is where it gets interesting. Most of us have seen Avatar or other movies in IMAX 3D with polarized 3D glasses. These glasses create the illusion of three-dimensional images by restricting the light that reaches each eye, creating a stereoscopic, or 3D, effect.
To create that 3D effect, two images are projected onto the same screen through different polarizing filters. The viewer wears low-cost eyeglasses which also contain a pair of different polarizing filters. Through the filters, each eye sees a different picture (each filter allows the light which is similarly polarized and blocks the light polarized in the opposite direction). This is used to produce a three-dimensional effect by projecting the same scene into both eyes, but 
depicted from slightly different perspectives. The great thing about this technology is that the glasses you need to wear to enjoy 3D are really cheap (between $1 and $10 per pair); however, most believe that the 3D effects generated through this technology are not as sharp as the ones generated through a display with active technology.
Active Technology:
This technology has been adopted by most consumer electronics firms, including LG, Samsung, Panasonic, and more. With this technology, an HDTV will display one image to your left eye and one image to your right eye. Since the effective frame rate is halved, these HDTVs need to have double the refresh rate of HDTVs (60 Hz). This is why you will find that all 3D HDTVs have a minimum frame rate of 120 Hz (most have a frame rate around 240 Hz or even 480 Hz). 
Active liquid crystal shutter glasses are then worn by the viewer and quickly block each eye in sequence to ensure that each eye only sees the corresponding image being displayed on the 3D TV set. The active shutter glasses are kept in sync with the HDTV using Bluetooth, infrared, or radio technology. These special glasses usually contain liquid crystals that can be made opaque, thus acting as a shutter. These glasses are battery-operated (battery life estimated at around 80 hours or so). What is the Future of 3D?
3D is just coming on the market and the manufacturers are already thinking about its future. Most people enjoy 3D but are a bit put off by wearing glasses, as this makes watching a movie or sports events less social. Manufacturers have taken notice and the next wave of 3D will not require viewers to wear glasses to get a 3D effect. However, this new technology is not yet ready to be produced in mass quantity and at a price affordable enough for consumers.
Are You a Movie Buff?
Do you enjoy watching movies? Want to see the latest Hollywood blockbuster in a way that you never experienced? The latest in 3D technology is perfect for any movie buff. With images that seem to leap off the screen and straight into your living room, you'll feel like you're part of the action.
To get the full 3D-movie experience, you will need:
• A 3D-capable HDTV• A 3D-capable Blu-ray Disc player
• A pair of 3D active shutter glasses
• A Blu-ray 3D Disc
• An HDMI cable (v1.4 recommended)
We expect HDMI v1.4 cables to arrive within a few weeks
All products sold separately
Add one of each of the items mentioned above to your Shopping Cart to get started and get the best 3D-viewing experience in the comfort of your own home.
Are You a Sports Enthusiast?
Sports enthusiasts will truly enjoy watching their favorite games in 3D. ESPN will start broadcasting some sporting events in 3D starting on June 11, 2010--just in time for the World Cup. This channel will also broadcast many other sporting events. When watching sporting events in 3D, be prepared to see the ball leap off the screen!To get the full sports-enthusiast 3D experience, you will need:
• A 3D-capable HDTV
• A pair of 3D active shutter glasses
• An HDMI cable (v1.4 recommended)
We expect HDMI v1.4 cables to arrive within a few weeks
All products sold separately.
You will also need to purchase a cable subscription to a 3D channel (check with your local cable provider).
Add one of each of the items mentioned above to your Shopping Cart to get started and get the best 3D-viewing experience in the comfort of your own home.
Are You an Avid Gamer?
From the occasional player to the video game aficionado, 3D will add a new dimension to your gaming experience this summer. The PlayStation 3 will be enabled to read 3D video games and 3D movies through a firmware upgrade slated for this summer. Get immersed in the action in a way you never felt before.
To get the full 3D gaming experience, you will need:
• A 3D-capable HDTV• A 3D-capable PlayStation 3 (available this summer through firmware upgrade)
• A pair of 3D active shutter glasses
• A 3D video game (available later in the year)
• An HDMI cable (v1.4 recommended)
We expect HDMI v1.4 cables to arrive within a few weeks
All products sold separately.
Add one of each of the items mentioned above to your Shopping Cart to get started and get the best 3D-viewing experience in the comfort of your own home.
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