The
introduction of 3D to television has raised a lot of questions.
Here are the most frequently asked questions (and answers to
them):
- Can I
see 3D on my existing TV?
- I
heard that all I need for 3D is a 120Hz set.
- Does
adding 3D degrade Picture Quality?
- What about health & vision concerns?
- I
have some of those colored 3D glasses, can't I just use those?
- If I
purchase a new 3D set do I need to purchase a new 3D Blu-ray player to
see 3D Blu-ray disks in 3D?
- Can I use my existing HDMI cables?
- If
I purchase a 3D set, do I have wear the glasses all the time?
- I hear that 3D sets that don't use glasses are "just around the corner".
- What
about viewing regular (2D HD programming) on a 3D set?
- I
see that there are some 3D programs being offered on satellite and
cable. Do I need a new set top box to view these programs in
3D
on a new 3D set.
- Can the 3D glasses provided with
my Samsung 3D set be used at a friends house
with a Panasonic 3D set?
- If I purchase a 3D Blu-ray player can I see my present Blu-ray DVDs in real 3D?
- Can I see 3D on my existing TV?
No. However, both Samsung and Mitsubishi have produced some "3D ready" TVs in the past that could be upgraded to 3D with a suitable adapter. These sets used a 3D technology known as checkerboard and required that the 3D input be in that format. Samsung is no longer producing sets that use that technology and their current 3D sets are completely different. Mitsubishi has announced an 3D adapter for their "3D ready" sets. It is currently unknown if that adapter will work with the earlier Samsung "3D ready" sets.
- I heard that all I need for 3D is a
120Hz set.This is not an unusual misunderstanding. In order to show 3D images on the screen without introducing visible flicker, most displays need to refresh the screen at AT LEAST a 120 Hz rate (1/60th second per each eye). Higher rates are being used - such as 240Hz (though the 480Hz "rates" are a bit bogus). Sets still need to have the circuitry to accept the new 3D signals, display those signals properly on the screen and synchronize those images with the 3D glasses.
- Does
adding 3D degrade Picture Quality?
This is one of those "It depends" answers:
- The
new 3D sets essentially sacrifice nothing in picture quality in order
to show 3D. The 2D HD pictures that you get on these sets
should
be every bit as good as the pictures on the equivalent 2D models.
- 3D programs from Cable and Satellite will have half the normal HD resolution per eye. Some maintain that because one eye sees half the pixels and the other eye sees the other half that people still "see" full resolution (I am not in that camp - but I do agree that, because of the added impact of 3D, that we might not notice the resolution loss).
- 3D movies from 3D Blu-ray players will likely be at the same resolution as 2D movies. Adding the 3rd dimension theoretically reduces the maximum quality slightly, but few (2D) movies have used anywhere near this maximum quality level.
- What about health & vision concerns?Certain (if not most) 3D set manufacturers have been including warnings against viewing 3D under certain conditions (such as when drinking alcohol, if the viewer is pregnant, and so on). It is clear that the inclusion of these warnings is the work of the manufacturer's legal department, but there is legitimate concern that one may become somewhat disoriented after viewing 3D for a period and suddenly remove the glasses - resulting in the potential for a fall.
3D technology, whether in the theater or on TV in your home, is really a method to "trick" your brain into perceiving depth. Some brains (I've seen claims of 20%) aren't so easily tricked and get headaches or really can't perceive the depth. Spend some time viewing 3D movies in a theater before making an investment in 3D TV gear. - I have some of those colored 3D glasses, can't I just use those?
No. The new 3D systems
deliver a full color image to each eye. The old anaglyph
method which used colored glasses (Cyan/Red, Magenta/Green or
Amber/Blue) required color processing of the images and isn't being
used anymore (though a few old "3D" DVDs & Blu-ray discs were
made using this process and may be available).
- If I
purchase a new 3D set do I need to purchase a new 3D Blu-ray player to
see 3D Blu-ray disks in 3D?Yes (with one exception). The new 3D Blu-ray technology encodes difference (between left image and right image) in a separate video signal. Circuitry/firmware is needed to recover that signal, reconstruct the right image (the left image is recorded normally on the disk) and "pack" the left and right images in a single frame as the 3D HDMI signal. If you play a 3D Blu-ray disk on an older (2D) Blu-ray player and view that on a new 3D set, you will just get a 2D (usually left) image. However, many 3D sets do have a 3D simulation function, so 2D program material can have a "pseudo 3D" effect.
The single exception is that Sony has announced that they will have a 3D Blu-ray upgrade for the PS3 this summer. This will allow the new 3D Blu-ray discs to be played on a new 3D TV using an upgraded PS3. This is possible because the PS3 uses a powerful cell processor as opposed to dedicated chips. It is not likely that any traditional Blu-ray players will be able to be upgraded for 3D. - Can I use my existing HDMI cables?Yes, you probably can use your existing HDMI cables to connect a new 3D Blu-ray player to a new 3D television. HDMI cables that are version 1.3 (most of the cables produced in the last few years) or later will work just fine. If you are unsure, try your existing cable - if it works without any "sparkling" then you are fine.
For cable or satellite, your existing HDMI cables are just fine.
- If
I purchase a 3D set, do I have wear the glasses all the time?No, if you are going to view a 3D program or Blu-ray your 3D TV should have a control to shut off the 3D (in which case you will be seeing only the left eye view). This might be useful, for example, when you don't have enough glasses for all the people watching TV.
- It will be a VERY LONG WAIT! The technology (parallax barrier) does exist, BUT:
- These are very sensitive to viewing position - there are only a few "sweat spots" (usually just one) where one can see the proper 3D image (but the technology IS suitable for for single viewer applications - like an iPhone).
- Expensive: These have been made for special purpose applications - $10K for a 20 inch monitor
- What
about viewing regular (2D HD programming) on a 3D set?No problem, the 3D set will simply display the program in 2D (no glasses needed).
However, many 3D sets do offer a "pseudo 3D" mode that synthesizes 3D from 2D images (then glasses will be required). There are varying reports on how well this works - but you can always disable this mode if the results are not satisfactory. - I
see that there are some 3D programs being offered on satellite and
cable. Do I need a new set top box to view these programs in
3D
on a new 3D set.Perhaps. While the current methods of distributing 3D images via cable or satellite are compatible with existing set top boxes, there are apparently some issues with the older H20 and HD20 DirecTV receivers which must be replaced for 3D reception. If 3D really catches on, cable and/or satellite might come up with a higher resolution 3D system that will require a new box - but that is several years away.
- Can the 3D glasses provided with
my Samsung 3D set be used at a friend's house
with a Panasonic 3D set?Probably not. Though the operation of the glasses are similar there are likely differences between the glasses (IR signal, sync timing, etc.) that will likely cause issues with the "foreign" glasses. However, one manufacturer of shutter glasses (XpanD) has announced that they will be offering "Universal" 3D glasses that will automatically detect the 3D TV manufacturer and adjust to that set's characteristics.
- If I
purchase a 3D Blu-ray player can I see my present Blu-ray DVDs in real 3D?No, to see real 3D in your new 3D Blu-ray player on your new 3D set you need Blu-ray discs recorded in the new (MVC) 3D process. Look for this "official" logo:
Some older Blu-ray discs were released (and are still available) that used colored glasses. This logo guarantees that the disc is in the new 3D format. Also note that it is envisioned that many future Blu-ray releases will be only released in this 3D format as 3D discs in this format are compatible with 2D Blu-ray players.