Sony to start selling 3D HDTVs by end of 2010

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Golly, Mr. Portnoy...

...might I offer my complaints about your article? It's obvious you have little knowledge of 3D technology.

I'm old enough to have seen '50s 3D movies, to remember my dad bringing home the first 3D comic book, and the original "parallax panoramagram" (trademarked "Xograph") in LOOK magazine. (Wish I'd saved it.)

Contrary to what you state, Sharp has shown 3D displays using the same ribbed parallax screen used in NimsLo photos and 3D postcards. It's intended for notebook (and possibly desktop) use. It probably wouldn't work for large-screen sets, as you wouldn't be sitting close enough to get sufficient parallax. (Not to mention the problems of off-axis viewing for other viewers.)

It's theoretically possible to cover the screen with stripes of polarizing material of alternating "polarity", and view the image through conventional polarized glasses. I believe work has been done on this. It has obvious practical problems, and it's unlikely it will ever be commercialized.

The most common approach for video displays -- including computer monitors -- has been a field- or frame-sequential system, with synchronized LCD shutters. (I have one for my nVidia card.) There is even at least one cordless version, which automatically syncs to the IR reference signal. (I have a set, and it works.)

Contrary to what you state, opening and closing the shutters in and of itself does not produce an "illusion" of 3D, or all 2D movies would be viewable in 3D simply by wearing the shutter glasses. Two images, taken with physically or optically separated cameras, are required. Your brain then fuses them into a real 3D image.

The problem with HD 3D is coming up with a compatible system. It appears the Matsushita system records the left image normally, with the right image on an equal-resolution video commentary track. This would permit single-inventory disks at (we hope) no increase in price.

There is also the question of whether existing displays could be retrofitted for 3D simply by updating their firmware. It isn't clear.

This post is dedicated to the late J Gordon Holt, founder of "The Stereophile", who died several weeks ago. He loved 3D photography.

Posted by: GrizzledGeezer   Posted on: 09/08/09 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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