3D cinema reborn in your living room.
When it comes to televisions, UK consumers face yet another decision thanks to advancing 3D television technolgy – 3D ready televisions. The 3D revolution has already taken hold of cinema with blockbuster titles such as Alice in wonderland, Avatar and How to train your Dragon, which have all boasted superior image quality and real depth.
Avatar in particular showed audiences how 3D could be used to proper effect in situations such as landscapes, wildlife and even action. This trend has of course transferred to the home cinema market, where the main type of 3D currently used is ‘stereoscopic 3D’, which requires special glasses like those used at the cinema.
Stereoscopic 3D is when the movie is filmed using two cameras placed at slightly different angles to mimic the way our eyes work. The image frames from each camera are the played sequentially from each angle and our eyes then ‘stitch’ the images together to create a 3D image – the higher the minimum refresh rate the smoother the 3D effect will be and it needs to be at least 120Hz.
3D TV and 3D HDTV manufacturers and the 3D TV converter option
So who is making 3D TVs?
Currently every major manufacturer has a 3D TV prototype on the way, with Samsung proclaiming to be ‘forging the future of home entertainment in a new dimension’. Sony, Toshiba, LG and Panasonic have all also unveiled their 3D ready HDTV’s. Samsung's range of 3D HDTVs include LCD, LED, and Plasma, and leading the way is the 9000 Series, which are ultra thin (less than 3cm!) edge-lit LED which offer 240Hz refresh rate and 2D to 3D conversion. The 2D to 3D conversion allows for consumers to get past the current lack of 3D content and, although the results depend on what you are watching, it does add depth to 2D content. Samsung’s 3D technology uses active LCD shutter glasses, which give the viewer 3D Full HD, whilst eliminating ghosting and giving an impressive 120 degree viewing angle. The Samsung TV’s also have Mega Dynamic Contrast which greatly improves the contrast on any image to deliver a colour spectrum that spans from pure blacks to pristine whites and everything in between.
What you need for the 3D HDTV experience
To enjoy the 3D experience at home you will need several things, firstly a 3D ready HDTV with a minimum of 120Hz and secondly a pair of 3D glasses – which depend on the TV. You can also opt to buy a 3D Blu-ray player, which in some cases will convert blu-ray discs and DVDs to 3D. For the television the prices you’ll be looking at range from about £329.00 to about £2699.99.
The Samsung 3D glasses start at £64.99 for rechargeable glasses, and the blu-ray player will cost in the region of £119.00. So the total you’ll be looking at is around £513.00 for an entry level set up, this excludes the cost of the the Blu-ray disc itself.
Ultimately you’ll be paying for up-to-date exciting technology and with Sky TV proposing a 3D package you’ll be able to view your favourite programmes in stunning 3D at home at any time. Another advantage of having a 3D ready TV is the possibility of a 3D gaming experience with many games manufacturers making 3D games to allow you to really immerse yourself into the game.
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