Throughout 2009, several 3D movies have been hitting the theaters: Up, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, A Christmas Carol, and the Toy Story double feature, remade in 3D… among others. The studios know it’s one sure way to get people off the couch and in the ticket line.
Many people leaving a 3D film retain the glasses. Maybe they figure they’ll need some sunglasses for a costume party… but does that mean people can view 3D clips via YouTube?
I was surprised to find so little in the way of 3D (stereoscopic) content on the web: what I was able to find were a few web videos were made using the red/cyan filter method, which has been widely replaced with the orthogonal polarized filter method (which actually used to be the technique from 1952-1955).
Apparently it’s a matter of the nature of video technology: current monitors can’t send two different polarities of light simultaneously, that must be done via projection off of a reflected surface (silver screen).
HD technology with adjacent micro-OLED’s with different polarities could solve the problem, but the cost would be prohibitive. Current workarounds are Head-mounted displays, formerly known as virtual reality goggles.
In light of these technological limitations, with more and more new movies being produced in 3D, projection screen TV’s could make a comeback if there’s enough of a demand!
The HD monitor manufacturer (along with graphics card design firm) that enables polarized technology on a computer screen is going to have an instant market. Here’s to hoping the USA gets there first.
From Popular Mechanics:
3D At Home
3D shutter glasses rapidly black out alternating lenses, allowing each eye to see a different image.
The 3D home theater is catching up to the multiplex. Shutter glasses such as the Nvidia 3D Vision Kit ($200) work by blacking out one eye at a time, 60 times per second—so fast you don’t notice it. An infrared emitter syncs these flashes with a quickly switching screen, allowing each eye to effectively see a different image. The 3D effect comes from showing the same scene to each eye from a different perspective. Lots of current games can be played in 3D, and software from companies like DDD can convert any off-the-shelf DVD into 3D live, as it plays. Just make sure you have a 3D- compatible display.
