18 Questions for the next 18 Months

1. What is the difference between 3D now and the 3D people watched 20 years ago?

Digital 3D is a huge advancement over the 3D of yesteryear.  Many consumers are familiar with anaglyph technology that used two-color (red/blue or red/green) glasses to deliver the images to both eyes.  New digital 3D technologies are able to deliver clear, full color images to each eye.  In addition, advances in digital production technologies have improved how 3D movies and programs are created and aligned on the screen.  All of these factors combined provide a much richer and more comfortable experience than was available in past decades.

2. How does 3D TV work?

A major reason you see 3D in the real world is that your two eyes are a few inches apart, so they see from slightly different angles.  3DTV attempts to mimic that effect by displaying two slightly different pictures on the screen —one for each eye. The special 3D glasses let your left eye see only the view that your left eye should see, and the right eye see only the view that your right eye should see. Your brain fuses these slightly different images and generates a sense of depth.

3.  Can I use my current TV to watch 3D programming?

No. High-definition 3DTV requires video processing capabilities not found in 2D sets. Legacy 2D Plasma and/or LCD TVs — even the latest 120Hz displays — can’t accept the 3D signal and there is no infrared or Bluetooth signal to synch the required active shutter 3D glasses.

4. Can I watch things that aren’t in 3D on my 3DTV?

Absolutely!  A 3DTV is a high-quality HDTV with additional capabilities.  It shows 2D content perfectly well when it is not showing 3D.

5.  What do I need to watch today’s high-definition 3DTV?

You will need a 3DTV, corresponding 3DTV glasses, an infrared emitter/receiver (often built into the set), a 3D video source (a blu-ray player or supported cable/satellite box) and 3D video content.

6: Why do I need to pay $150 for glasses when I get them for free in the theatre?

There are currently two different eyewear technologies used to view 3D – Polarized and Active Shutter.  Many theaters in the US use polarized systems, but 3DTVs use active shutter glasses. These glasses are substantially more sophisticated and expensive than the passive-polarized counterparts used in theaters.

7. How do active shutter glasses work?

Active shutter glasses use shutters to switch between the left and right eye to give you full color resolution in both eyes. The isolation between the left and right eye information is very high, so you shouldn’t see any distracting ghost images (crosstalk) as you might with polarized glasses or anaglyph (blue/red filters) glasses.  This technology makes the glasses more expensive, but the benefit is that active shutter glasses systems can deliver the highest resolution image on today’s TVs.

8. Are active shutter glasses compatible with all 3DTVs? Are they interchangeable between different 3DTV brands?

No.  At present, each brand’s glasses will work only with their 3DTVs, but they should work on any 3DTV produced by that manufacture.

9.  I wear prescription glasses and contacts. How can I watch 3D?

Active shutter 3D glasses are large enough to ‘wrap around’ your regular glasses and allow you to enjoy 3D video and movies.

10. How soon will there be TVs available where I don’t have to wear glasses?

3DTVs that do not require glasses are available today.  You may see them used in special venues or for advertising.  These televisions have low effective resolution and require the viewer to find the “sweet spot” and remain in it in order to see a distortion free image.  In addition, there are other major technical problems to solve before they will be a consumer product.  Glasses-free television will probably not be available for the mass market for at least another decade.

11. Do my Blu-ray player and 3D television have to be the same brand in order to work with each other?

No.  In order to play 3D Blu-ray discs, your player will need to be a 3D compatible Blu-ray player.  But your 3D Blu-ray player should play with any of the new full-resolution 3DTVs.

12. If I buy a 3D Blu-ray movie, can I play it on my older non-3D player?

Yes, but you will see a 2D movie.  There are exceptions.  Some Blu-ray players, primarily those in the Sony PS3, can be upgraded with a firmware download so that they can output the full-resolution 3D signal.

13. Are there 3D videogames?  Can I play them on this screen?

There are several 3D videogames, and many more in development for both PCs and consoles, especially PS3.  If you have a newer PC with a compatible graphics card, it can potentially turn many existing games into 3D to work with your new 3DTV. You may have to use adapters or install additional hardware or software, depending on your specific setup.

14. Can I watch 3DTV while lying on my side?

No.  The 3D effect is created by placing the pictures for your left and right eye horizontally next to each other.  The effect works best when your head is upright.  The more you lean over, the less 3D you will see.

15.  I have heard that I need to buy HDMI 1.4 cables.  Is this true?

No. There is no such thing as an HDMI 1.4 cable.  You’ll need to use High Speed HDMI cable. High Speed HDMI cables (10.2 Gbps or higher) come in two versions; one that supports Ethernet pass through, designated High Speed HDMI cable with Ethernet (aka, HDMI spec version 1.4), and one that does not (simply called High Speed HDMI or version 1.3.) Only newer receivers with HDMI 1.4 ports can pass through all of the 3D video formats including Full HD (1080p) 3D signals.

16.  What 3D content is available?

The major 3D content will be movies, sports/live events, television, and games.  The movie studios are beginning to release their 3D movies on Blu-ray 3D.  Several companies, including ESPN, have announced the production and distribution of sports and live events over DIRECTV and various cable providers.  Discovery has announced a 3D channel for television content.  Many PC games are automatically enabled when combined with special adapters, with 3D console games coming as well.  New announcements are coming all the time – check back with etcenter.org/3d for the most recent list.

17.  Is 3DTV safe?
3DTVs are safe. Like many other consumer products 3DTVs may carry a consumer advisory to equip customers with information necessary to enjoy these products responsibly. When used properly and instructions and advisories are followed, 3D functions should not pose adverse health or safety risks.

18. Can everyone see 3DTV?

According to the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (ww.covd.org) nearly one million people in the US suffer from stereo blindness which prevents them from perceiving the intended depth of 3D entertainment.  Also, some people who watch 3D programming may experience initial feelings of motion sickness as they adjust to the picture. Others may experience headaches, eye fatigue or continued motion sickness.  Like a roller coaster, the experience is not for everyone.