With the Blu-ray 3D specification finalised and Sky’s 3D TV channel due to launch this April, the UK faces another telly revolution.
Forget the digital switchover, 1080p ‘Full HD’ and web-connected TV widgetry. Jump-out-of-the-screen ‘stereoscopic 3D’ is the technology that has set everybody a-buzzing. Trying to describe it is like trying to paint a symphony.
So what will you need to watch 3D TV? Who’s doing it? When? And will your existing HDTV work? Carry on reading to find out the answers to these and many more 3D TV questions…
Who is making 3D TVs?
Every major manufacturer worth their corporate salt has a 3D TV prototype on the test bench.
Philips, for example, has been showing its autostereoscopic 3D technology for years, but very few people really got excited about it.
3D’s fortunes started to turn around when the technology became a hit with blockbuster-fatigued cinema audiences.
Following on from CES 2009 (where 3D TV was very much in the ‘concept’ stage), CES 2010 was a showcase for some of the 3D TVs we will actually be able to buy.
Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, LG and Panasonic all unveiled 3D-capable HDTVs. Samsung is keen to be at the front and has proclaimed that it is “forging the future of home entertainment in a new dimension.” They used this year’s CES to unveil several 3D TVs, a Blu-ray player and a matching home audio system.
Leading the Samsung line is the flagship UNC9000 Series 3D TVs. These ultra-thin, edge-lit LED sets are reportedly no thicker than 0.3 inches and will be available in screen sizes up to 65 inches.
Samsung’s integrated 3D technology will also enable 2D to 3D video conversion in real-time. Finally, each UNC9000 model will ship with a luxurious touchscreen Wi-Fi remote, presumably to divert you from the fact that the TV will cost a small fortune.
According to Samsung, all of the premium models in its LED TV lineup for 2010 (namely the 7000, 8000 and 9000 series TVs) will include the company’s built-in 3D processor. Pair one with Samsung’s forthcoming BD-C6900 Blu-ray 3D deck, add a copy of Monsters vs. Aliens and you’ll be good to go.
GOOD TO GO: The Samsung LED 9000
Sony also set its 3D stall out at CES, whipping the wraps off of its Signature LX900 Series HDTVs. Like Samsung’s UNC9000, the LX900 is a showcase for all the advanced TV tech that Sony has to offer. So expect Full HD 3D, 200MHz Motionflow Pro technology, built-in Wi-Fi, DLNA connectivity and a bold design inspired by Arthur C Clarke’s alien object from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
A step below the Signature range, Sony’s new ‘Cinematic’-badged HDTVs incorporate the HX900 and HX700 models. These 46-inch and 52-inch models feature full HD LED screens, Motionflow 200Hz PRO & Image Blur Reduction technology and are also 3D-capable. The only element missing is the integrated Wi-Fi.
SHOWCASE: The Sony LX900
LG confirmed at CES that its LE9500 series HDTVs will be 3D-ready when released, while Panasonic’s new VT25 plasmas deliver some of the best picture quality we have clocked on a 3D-capable telly.
Finally, Toshiba’s ZX900 Series HDTV utilises the power of the multi-core Cell processor to redefine what a TV is capable. The Cell, a variant of which is used in the PlayStation 3, doesn’t just do 3D. Its incredible processing power can wrestle with 4K picture quality and can record eight video streams at once.
We’ll be getting hands on with all of these sets to bring you in-depth 3D TV reviews as they become available.
What does ’3D Ready’ mean?
Just as new high definition TVs were marketed as ‘HD ready’, expect the first wave of 3D-capable sets to wear a ’3D Ready’ sticker.
But what does ’3D Ready’ mean, and what defines a 3D Ready TV? Samsung’s 3D-capable 7000, 8000 and 9000 Series HDTVs, for example, will include a proprietary 3D processor and emitter. These are designed to be compatible with multiple 3D standards, including half/full HD resolution formats and the recently finalised Blu-ray 3D specification.
All of which suggests that the term ’3D Ready’ is just a catch-all phrase for a less exciting (but more accurate) one – 3D-capable.
While there seems to be no restrictions in terms of TV size, a 3D TV needs a minimum refresh rate of 120Hz (a basic 60Hz displayed for each eye). The higher the refresh rate, the smoother the 3D effect. So a 240Hz set will be capable of outputting 120Hz to each eye.
HDMI 1.4 will also be required for full HD per eye viewing.
Until the broadcast industry settles on a standard, any ’3D Ready’ badge will need a graphic depicting some fingers firmly crossed.
Blu-ray 3D is the closest that we currently have to an accepted 3D standard. The Blu-ray Disc Association has given the thumbs up to Multiview Video Coding, a variant of the existing high-def H.264/MPEG-4 AVC codec.
Of course, how you view 3D content has also not been set in stone. Cinemas currently use three different types of 3D glasses – passive polarized glasses, active LCS glasses, and Infitec (Dolby 3-D) glasses.
At CES 2010, manufacturers such as Samsung, Sony and Panasonic all favoured active shutter technology, although these can be expensive and need a power source.
How much will a 3D TV cost?
Once they hit the mass market 3D TVs won’t be as expensive as you might think. The industry is understandably tight-lipped over the exact prices, though we’ve heard a 10-15 per cent premium price mentioned. Considering the ever-tumbling prices of flatscreen TVs, that isn’t too bad.
Could my Blu-ray player take 3D discs?
Possibly. Some manufacturers – LG and Philips included – have shown 3D systems that use existing Blu-ray players, though others, such as Panasonic, insist new TV and Blu-ray hardware will have to be used. What is clear is that the 3D standard is now being ratified the Blu-ray Disc Association, so whatever is agreed upon will apply to Blu-ray discs.
ALL CHANGE? Some 3D systems uses existing Blu-ray players, though others propose new hardware altogether
Is there a 3D format war brewing?
There are many prototype systems vying for worldwide adoption. The winner stands a good chance of making millions in licensing deals, hence the delay.
“There are so many 3D systems proposals it could kill 3D itself,” says Keisuke Suetsugi, Manager at High Quality AV Development Center, part of Panasonic’s AVC Networks Company. Panasonic is proposing its own Full HD 3D system, though its reliance on all-new hardware could be a stumbling block.
Can I watch anything in 3D now?
If you have a fast enough PC, you can already play games in 3D using a special converter. “A game world is made of polygons and plotted on a 3D axis of X, Y and Z, so they already have depth in relation to the front of the screen,” says Berraondo. “The worlds created in a game are already 3D, such as Halo – you can rotate the camera around and they’re an open world that you’re free to move around in. Before Super Mario 64 in 1996 games were pre-scripted and pre-rendered.”
Anyone with Vista PC running on an Intel Core2 Duo or AMD Athlon X2 CPU and a 3D-capable stereoscopic monitor from Samsung or ViewSonic (the circa £300 2233RZ and VX2268wm models, respectively) just needs to add a 3D graphics card and software package, such as Nvidia’s GeForce 3D Vision, to convert almost any PC game into 3D. The package sells with active shutter (battery-operated) specs and a transmitter.
GOOD TO GO: Samsung’s 2233RZ 3D PC monitor is 3D Vision-ready
Although Xbox or the PS3′s hardware is way too old too cope with 3D, Disney does plan to release a 3D game of its G-Force film for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Crucially, this game will have to rely on Anaglyph 3D, AKA the red and blue glasses that put a lot of people off the whole idea of 3D many, many years ago.
G-FORCE: You’ll need the old fashioned red and blue specs for this one [Image credit: Disney]
Is 3D TV just a gimmick designed to make us replace our TVs yet again?
Possibly so, though the hunger for new technology in the UK is as keen as ever. Sales of consumer electronics overall may be down a few per cent, but the flat TV market grew by 22.9 per cent in the first half of this year.
Whether 3D TV is a success will come down to what it’s used for. If Sky starts to broadcast boxing, cricket or Premiership football in 3D it’s almost bound to catch on, but it will struggle if it’s used only for animated movies.
COMING SOON: Sky, who recently filmed Olympic champion sprinter Usain Bolt in 3D, plans to broadcast in 3D over its Sky+HD infrastructure from 2010
The 3D demos we’ve seen have been dominated by gimmicky and unconvincing shots, such as the main character suddenly pointing at the viewer for no discernable reason, just to show-off 3D effects.
“It depends on the content provider,” says Suetsugi. “They can choose to put depth or front 3D effects.” In our experience, depth is by far the most impressive use of 3D – and it’s what Sky will be creating when it starts broadcasting next year.
How does Sky’s 3D system work?
Aping human vision, two Sky cameras on the same rig film side-by-side, capturing slightly different left and right images in 1080i resolution to create two 540 pixel images.
Together they create a 1920×1080 image that – in quality terms – is a quarter as good as the Full HD 1080p pictures found on a Blu-ray disc.
Each feed, which represents a slightly different perspective, is split by polarised glasses and received exclusively by each eye. Your brain then processes them separately and stitches them together, as we normally do every time we open our eyes, thereby creating a field of vision that has depth. This is stereoscopic 3D, and it’s set dominate.
The other form of 3D is autostereoscopic (sometimes called ‘true 3D’), which doesn’t require glasses. Instead, a lens is placed over the TV screen, which does a similar job by sending a different point of view to each eye. Unfortunately, the lens lessens the perceived resolution and the effects aren’t anywhere near high definition.
TRUE 3D: Philips’ 3D systems have so far concentrated on low-resolution autostereoscopic displays for the commercial sector
If autostereoscopic 3D TVs ever take-off – and they will, purely because of the lack of glasses – it could take a decade. There’s even talk that we’ll have to wait for so-called 4k2k or Super Hi-Vision technology to appear in the mass market (TVs sporting resolutions of at least 4,000×2,000 pixels) before we can axe the specs.
“In the long term we’ll see the industry shift to autostereoscopic (no glasses) displays,” says Jim Bottoms from market analysts Futuresource.
IN DEEP: Although this picture of the 3D-ready ViewSonic Fuzion VX2265 monitor shows effects jumping from the screen, it’s depth that’s really noticeable with 3D
What will Sky be showing in 3D?
At first, not much. The broadcaster has concentrated its experiments so far on football, rugby, live music and boxing – the latter getting such rave reviews that 3D could conceivably give the sport a new lease of life.
Sky’s launch of 3D is also timed well in terms of Hollywood’s recent penchant for shooting animated films in 3D, so expect to see the likes of Monsters Vs Aliens, Hannah Montana and Bolt on the new channel.
3D TOONS: Animated films like Bolt are rendered on a computer, making it much easier to create in 3D than a live action movie [image credit: ©Disney Enterprises]
Can old films be converted to 3D, just as they have been for high definition?
They can – and will – be, but 3D is a different medium that doesn’t suit everything. 3D is all about the audience appreciating the depth of field in a shot, so it would be time-consuming – and possibly pointless – to add another dimension to fast action close-up style films, such as the work of directors like Paul Greengrass (United 93, The Bourne Trilogy).
3D is best suited to slow panoramic landscape shots of something like Planet Earth. Any wide, static shot, like football – and sport in general – is perfect for 3D; a clip of the opening ceremony at the Beijing Olympics, shown recently at trade shows, looked sublime.
“If you jump from where you focus and suddenly jump to something else it’s hard on the viewer,” says Brian Lenz, Sky’s Head of Product Design and Innovation. “In 3D it’s best to linger longer and not do a lot of cuts where you’re changing the depth of focus. Otherwise it starts to look surreal.”
But with 2009 seeing 3D movies such as Disney/Pixar’s Up, 20th Century Fox’s Ice Age: Dawn of Dinosaurs and the upcoming Disney G-Force movie, directors are definitely starting to think in 3D.
Bottoms predicts that, from 2011, “we’ll see new 3D movie releases on Blu-ray, remasters of classic blockbusters like Star Wars, The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings, a wider range of 3D TV content for sports, wildlife documentaries and concerts, and studios introducing selective production of 3D TV shows and series. By 2012, more than 10 per cent of US and Japanese homes will be ’3D enabled’, and Western Europe won’t be too far behind.”
