3D TV – The Next Big Thing in HDTV
May 24th, 2010 by Rachel Plut
Are you ready for the next big thing in entertainment? 3D TV is here and we can expect this technology to grow in 2010—changing the way we watch TV forever. 3D TV is a set that uses a three-dimensional presentation and a 3D display which is a device that projects a television program into a realistic three-dimensional field.
3D imaging dates back to the beginning of photography in 1844. In the 1950s, TV boomed in the US and 3D movies were produced. Recently, television stations started airing 3D content. 3D-ready TV sets are built to operate in 3D but can also display normal TV as well. Special 3D glasses may be sold separately. Mitsubishi ,Toshiba, Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, and LG all plan on introducing 3D TVs available in most of their higher-end models sometime in 2010.
Some places have already tested this technology such as SKY 3D, which is broadcasting in Korea. This channel uses a resolution of 1920x1080i to produce 3D content. Starting in June, 2010 ESPN will launch a channel that will broadcast 3D sports and 85 live events a year. Also, the world will see the 2010 World Cup broadcast in this technology letting the fans become a part of the game. A 24/7 channel was announced to be released in 2010 as a combined effort from IMAX, Sony, and the Discovery channel.
So what will it cost you to impress and be impressed by this technology? The 40-inch models are sold for about $2000 with the cost of 3D glasses said to be around $100. For 3D without glasses needed, a Chinese manufacturer called TCL has developed a 42-inch LCD 3D TV called “TD-42F” which is only available in China. It currently sells for $20,000.
June 30th, 2010 at 7:45 am
I am really pleasedto see that you are putting so much of effort for encouraging the readers , Ohhh what do you all think about 3d tv?
June 30th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
Having seen most of the tech demos, I can certainly see the potential of the technology. The larger the size of set the greater the effect of depth. Also the faster the display, the smoother and more realistic it seems. I was really impressed by two showings, primarily Panasonic’s VT25 series and Mitsubishi’s 3D Home Theater TVs. With both, the feeling of depth and the ability to see the objects flowing in and out of the frame is impressive.
The Panasonic demo was using their new 3D Bluray player and an actual demo disc that they had brought with them. Any material that was truly shot with a 3D camera, really stood out. You could tell that objects had shape, and it almost didn’t feel like I was wearing anything other than my normal glasses. I would have to say that the effect is more like looking into a window, rather than things coming out of a screen.
The Mitsubishi Demo was a little different. I had attended the PAX gaming convention in Seattle. Mitsubishi and NVidia were there demoing different games in full 3D on a 65 in set. The most impressive of which was the Resident Evil 5 demo. Zombies attacking you on a 65 inch screen was a little disturbing, but also one of those moments where technology makes you giggle and utter the word “cool”.
Just my two pence of thoughts, and I can’t wait to see more demos and even more material to see it with.
July 5th, 2010 at 10:39 am
I have only seen the Panasonic TCP50VT25 50 inch plasma and it looked fantastic with a 3D demo DVD video so I am sure it was well optimized. The images really popped off the screen. There was a scene of an aquarium that was very impressive, almost hypnotic. Another scene with some Spanish dancers that really looked like three dimensions, it almost looked like you could get up and walk behind the people. I did find the glasses have limited wireless range so when you get to far away they lose signal. Even with a regular 2D image the picture was amazing.