Emerging 3D TV Trends

A 3D television applies techniques of three-dimensional presentation including stereoscopic cap-ture, multi-view capture, or 2D plus depth, and a 3D display. 3D display is a special viewing tech-nology used to visualize a television program into a naturalistic three-dimensional field. 3D sequences became popular in the late 1990s. It was first demonstrated when several exhibits in the United States used this technique to attract spectators and also increase their ratings.

The Technology

There are several techniques to produce and display 3D moving pictures. Common 3D display technology includes the following:

• Anaglyphic 3D: which uses passive red-cyan lenses
• Polarization 3D: which uses passive polarized lenses
• Alternate-frame sequencing: which uses active shutter lenses
• Autostereoscopic displays: also known as Auto 3D, does not use lenses.

To understand the 3D image formation, we need to understand how our eyes work while watching an object. Our left eye and right eye are two separate lenses, which form two differently angled images of what we see, which are then sent to our brain. The brain then works as the image processor. Here, it puts the two images together to merge it as a three-dimensional picture in our mind.

A similar mechanism is used in making screens that show 3D pictures. There are two types of screens which enable 3D views: Stereoscopic TVs and Autostereoscopic TVs. Stereoscopic TVs need special glasses to watch 3D movies, whereas in Autostereoscopic TVs, the image is viewed without any special accessories.

In Stereoscopic TVs, companies like Panasonic, Sony and Nvidia are using ”shutter glass” technology. These are the glasses that alternately shut off the left eye and right eye, while the TV gives out individual images meant for each eye. This creates a 3D image in the viewer’s mind.

Another stereoscopic technology, which is based on Polarized glasses, is currently used by large theaters. For this kind of 3D imaging, the movie being shown has to be shot using two cameras or a single camera with two lenses. Two projectors, one in the left and the other in the right fitted with polarizing filters then simultaneously show the movie on the same screen. In the viewer’s special glasses, the left lens of the glasses is aligned with the same plane that the left projector is showing images and the right lens is aligned perpendicularly with the plane of the right projector. This creates a 3D effect.

Autostereoscopic 3D television sets work on the principle based on two main technologies: lenticular lenses and parallax barrier.

Lenticular lenses

The lenticules are tiny cylindrical plastic lenses. These lenticules are glued in a layout on a transparent sheet. It is then stuck on the surface of the LCD screen. The cylindrical lenses magnify the image. When a viewer looks at the cylindrical image in the TV, his left and right eyes will form different 2D images. This is then combined by the brain to form one 3D image.

Parallax barrier

Another method to offer autostereoscopic output uses the parallax barrier technology. The technology is implemented by popular TV manufacturers like Sharp and LGin their 3DTV, as it is one of the most user friendly technologies. It is the only technology which allows for regular 2D viewing along with 3D viewing. It uses a fine grating of liquid crystal placed in front of the screen. Certain columns of pixels of the TFT screen represent the slits in it. These positions are chipped at, so that it transmits alternating pictures to each eye of the viewer. When a little voltage is employed to the parallax barrier, its slits will direct light from each picture, which is slightly different to the left and right eye. It creates a fantasy of depth and thus a 3D image in the brain.

The parallax barrier can be switched on and off easily with the help of one button on the remote, allowing the TV to be used for 2D or 3D viewing as required. The technology could also be implemented on computer monitors wherein a user could switch on the feature to play video games in 3D and then could be easily switched to 2D mode for work requirements.

Single-view displays can project only one stereo pair at a time, while Multi-view displays use head tracking to change the view. It depends on the viewing angle, or at the same time projects multiple independent views of a scene for multiple viewers. These multiple views could be created quickly with the help of 2D plus depth format. In 3D-ready TV sets, they can operate in 3D mode in addition to regular 2D mode. With LCD shutter glasses, the TV tells the glasses which eye should see the image being presented at the moment that helps in creating a stereoscopic image. These TV sets usually support HDMI1.4 and an input and output refresh rate of 120 Hz. 3D TV worldwide

In November last year, Korea Communications Commission (KCC) ann o u n c e d its drive to start b e ami n g 3D broadcasts in Full HD quality sometime in 2010. Licensing of the technology has already begun and 3D broadcast is expected soon. A significant difference in 3D broadcast in Korea is that unlike the 3D broadcasts tested in Japan and the U.K., Korea plans to deliver 3D content through terrestrial networks.

In Korea, LGannounced a partnership with Korea Digital Satellite Broadcasting (SkyLife), one of the largest 3D content providers in the country, to deliver 3D technology. LGhad announced Korea’s first 3D LCD TV in August 2009 and SkyLife announced it will start broadcasting 3D sports in May this year. SkyLife is in talks with major players including Samsung, LG, Fuji Film, Disney and Dreamworks.

In Europe, there is heartening support for 3D TV. The European Union has formed a European research consortium named the multinational 3DTV network. The consortium consists of about 200 researchers from seven countries. The 3D consortium explores different types of 3D TV technologies. It also focuses on capturing 3D motion scenes, computerized representation of objects, their transmission and projection of 3D images. The consor-tium predicts that 3D TV will be part of home entertainment very soon.

In China, companies like Skyworth, Changhong, Sharp, Konka and TCL plan to launch 3D TV soon in addition to global leaders in 3D TV - Sony & Samsung.

In April 2008, Japan introduced the world’s first 46-inch 3D stereoscopic television. Built by Hyundai, the 1,920 x 1,080 set requires users to wear glasses. The set, however, has limitations because it can be used only for special stereoscopic broadcasts. Sony has announced plans to introduce 3DTV in 2010 in Japan.

Discovery Communications and ESPN are planning to launch 3D television networks in the U.S. They hope to proceed with this technology from the theaters to the living room.

This was announced by the company at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held in Las Vegas, where 3D TV was one of the hot topics.

Discovery said that it is going to form a joint venture with Sony and IMAXto deliver this service. It will be a 24-hour channel, which has movies, nature programs and other content that suits itself well to 3D.

ESPN company officials said, “We will show at least 85 sports events this year on our new ESPN 3D channel. It will start with the first 2010 FIFA World Cup match on June 11, between South Africa and Mexico, and include up to 25 other World Cup matches.” The company has been testing the service for last two years.”

Electronics vendors such as Sony, LGElectronics, Samsung, Panasonic are now delivering 3D-enabled TVs and Blu-ray players. The electronics manufactures are looking to 3D technology to encourage users to upgrade to new televisions. Now they are positioning it as a jump forward from the standard quality to high definition television.

Michael Stroud, CEOof the iHollywood Forum, in a panel discussion about 3D TV at the recent Digital Living Room conference in Silicon Valley, said, “It seems presumptuous to assume people are going to throw out their HDTVs to buy 3D TVs after only a year or two.”

Some of the vendors need their consumers to wear special 3D glasses. This may prevent some users from adopting the technology at home. Still, the industry is moving forward with confidence that the viewing experience will be im-pressive.

Sony Chairman and CEOHoward Stringer said in a statement announcing the Discovery service, “It is clear to us that consumers will always migrate to a better and richer entertainment experience.”

Discovery, which now owns the Discovery Channel and 12 other media networks in the U.S., will offer the joint ven-ture’s 3D channel. Sony and IMAXwill acquire the license television rights to 3D movies and also for other content and provide advertising and sales support. IMAXwill be encouraging this service in its theaters and provide “image enhancement and 3D technologies.”

The Discovery service will first launch in the U.S., but the company officials said that they will explore taking it overseas. Yet they didn’t furnish a launch date in their statement. Some reports said the service will begin only in the next year. There have also been reports that DirectTV is planning to launch a 3D HDTV channel in the U.S. this year.

3D Blu-Ray Becomes Reality

TDVision Systems announced the release of a new 3D system at SID 2008. It not only makes use of a standard Blu-ray disc, but is also compatible with existing non 3D Blu-ray players. For those not considering other high definition 3D options, the 3D film could be played in a non-3D Blu-ray player. It will play without any loss of quality, color, frame rate, or resolution. The 3D system is also compatible with existing 3D TVs from companies like Samsung and Mitsubishi. They make use of Texas Instruments’ 3D DLP chips.

Ethan Schur, director of Product Marketing for TDVision Systems, said, “TDVision has enabled a media breakthrough with our AlterSpace product by enabling the world’s first and only stereoscopic virtual world featuring media sharing and viewing. Compatible with multiple 3D display devices, this will be the industry standard that others go by.”

Samsung already introduced its BD-C6900 Blu Ray player that comes with 3D full HD playback with impressive surround sound for the home. It has a multi codec which can playback almost all formats which include Divx, WMA, MKV, MP4, HD-JPEGand so on. It contains a 7.1 channel analogue output with internal audio decoders such as Dolby True HD, Dolby Digital and so on. It also integrates Wi-Fi support, Internet@ TV and applications like Blockbuster, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Pandora and more.

Panasonic is going to make a giant leap in 3D technology. They are going with an advanced Blu-ray disc authoring laboratory in Hollywood for 3D content. The aim is to develop consumer Blu-ray 3D Home Theater products this year. This lab is working with “3D Full HD” which works directly with several studios.

Panasonic is also planning to manufacture a Plasma 3D Full HD home theater system as well as a 3D-ready digital cinema projector. It has a 380-inch screen theater which helps in playing 3D HD picture quality. They are also working with a 3-D ready MPEG-4 AVC High Profile encoder.

Eisuke Tsuyuzaki, managing director of Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory, said, “Panasonic recognizes that for 3D FHD to succeed, just like Blu ray, collaboration on research, development and production with studios and content providers is absolutely essential. The creation of the new PHL Authoring Center will enable Hollywood to start trial production and ultimately create commercially available 3D FHD titles to realize a new window into reality, and elevate the level of High Definition entertainment that consumers can enjoy in their own homes.” Is 3D the Next Big Thing?

Will three-dimensional TV become a reality in common households? Will the technology spur a consumer spending spree like that created in the case of digital and high-definition TV? Or will 3D end up as the next big flop? Only time will decide the fate of 3D TV.