3D is coming

[Stanley Kritzik]

A press report says that DirecTV will announce some 3D programming (at the CES in Las Vegas).  There will probably be others, I'd guess.  And, I suspect we will be in for a format war since there are no standards yet.  It's only practical to pay more for glasses than to make everyone's screens obsolete, but, we shall see.

One thing for sure -- action events (the Super Bowl!) will look sensational in 3D, even though we all may look a little foolish as viewers with glasses on.

Stan

[Rick_EE]

HD is just getting accepted.  The timing of this is probably premature.  Too many people bought TV's in the last few years.  

To be honest, I really don't like watching in 3D, and don't really see what it adds.  I also am not going to wear glasses to watch a TV show.

[LoadStar]

3D right now is a gimmick. Fun to do in a theater or for a movie, not something you want to do on a regular basis. Maybe once they have true 3D televisions that don't require any sort of glasses or anything it might be more practical, but not right now.

[Stanley Kritzik]

HD is just getting accepted.  The timing of this is probably premature.  Too many people bought TV's in the last few years.  

To be honest, I really don't like watching in 3D, and don't really see what it adds.  I also am not going to wear glasses to watch a TV show.

In December, I saw the Radio City Christmas Show in New York, and the first five minutes was a video -- Santa and his sleigh, from the North Pole to Radio City; tossing packages out that kids were reaching for, landing outside the theatre, etc.  Now, the glasses were cheesy, throw-away types, but the effects were marvelous.  With comfortable, Ray Ban quality glasses and great technology, sports events and action movies will look so good we'll never go back.  Look at the reception that Avatar is getting, and, can you imagine Star Wars in 3D?

The trick is going to be to preserve present HD screens, and that probably can be done.  We'll see.

Stan

[jkane]

When 3D really is 3D, and not just the illusion of 3D, I will consider it as something I have an interest in.  If I can't walk around it and stand above it and actually look at it from all angles, it is NOT 3D!

[Stanley Kritzik]

When 3D really is 3D, and not just the illusion of 3D, I will consider it as something I have an interest in.  If I can't walk around it and stand above it and actually look at it from all angles, it is NOT 3D!

So, you'd like a holographic thing-y, I guess.  But, just think about the virtual compromises we make (trompe l'oeil) : stereo (way better than mono) as a surrogate for "concert hall reality"; flat screen video and movies as surrogates for the real flesh-and-blood items.  We don't complain when we look at a photo, say, of a pretty, curvaceous woman, that the curves are illusory.  So, in 3D, the optical trick makes the contours more life-like.  A sporting event will look much more realistic in 3D, even though it's an optical trick.

As for holograms, you'll be waiting a long, long time.  3D, as we know it now is here in theatres, and will be in some living rooms this year.

Stan

[AndrewP]

I did Lasik two years ago to avoid glasses. Now they want me to put it back on. No way:-)

[AndrewP]

I did Lasik two years ago to avoid glasses. Now they want me to put it back on. No way:)

[Stanley Kritzik]

Some will, some won't.  Meanwhile, Avatar is the highest grossing film of all times, containing no stars, no real plot, no nothing -- just 3D special effects.

The ones who want it will get it (3D), and if the videos are compelling enough, most of us will don the glasses.  Coming soon -- maybe now -- 3D Blu-Ray.  At the CES, Toshiba announced a Blu-Ray DVD player with a 3D add-on feature available later this year.  Meanwhile, DirecTV and Panasonic announced three 3D channels by Summer, and an LCD 3D line of products to go with it.

Wait until the kids get 3D games going on their game systems at home, and 3D screens on their PCs!

Stan

[kevbeck122]

Wait until the kids get 3D games going on their game systems at home, and 3D screens on their PCs!

3D for PC has been around for at least a year: http://www.nvidia.com/object/3D_Vision_Main.html.  It takes existing games, movies, etc. and transforms them into 3D, using glasses, 120Hz display and a compatible video card.

[neomaxi]

3D for PC has been around for at least a year: http://www.nvidia.com/object/3D_Vision_Main.html.  It takes existing games, movies, etc. and transforms them into 3D, using glasses, 120Hz display and a compatible video card.

I have the Nvidia 3D glasses and 120 Hz Samsung monitor.. works great for games...but movies  are hard to find....  I also have a Plasma 3D ready Samsung which the glasses all work with.   I can definatley see this working.. but they need to make a standard....... you got Shutter glasses, polorized circular, polorize singlular glasses.  Very confusing for your average joe....

[jkane]

3D gaming glasses where the image is stereoscopic beamed directly to your eyes with glasses has been around for at least 20 years!  I remember demoing them at a trade show in the late 80's.  They never took off as they are cumbersome, and the image is hard on the eye muscles.

I too don't care for glasses to see an almost 3D image either.

It will not be popular.  This is doomed for failure as a great concept, but people won't buy into it on a large scale.  It's kind of like windows version 1.0.  No one will even remember what it really looked like after 3D version 3.1 comes out!