How Does 3D TV Work?

Television is constantly changing, over the last 5 years alone we have seen regular TV sets transform into widescreens before moving to LCD/Plasma screens and now the industry is preparing to launch 3D TVs into the mass market.

3D Blu-Ray Storage

Blu-ray discs provide enough storage space to produce two 1080p pictures simultaneously, one for each eye. The 3-dimensional effect is formed when both images merge into one, creating depth. A 3D ready TV must be able to refresh the image a minimum of 120 times per second alternating frames for both eyes. The resulting effect tricks the human brain into seeing one image.

3D TV Capabilities

Current HDTV’s or cathode-ray televisions do not have the suitable conversion chips or software to render images in 3D. The signals must be separated into the left and right images, 3d shutter glasses are then used enabling viewers to experience full 3D television. Major manufacturers such as Sony, Samsung, Panasonic and LG have shown that they have 3D technology immanent for mass market release. However, it is yet to be seen whether to technology exists to eliminate the need for active 3D shutter glasses.

Active-Shutter Glasses

Active-shutter glasses are currently required to view 3D television programmes or movies. Currently no such technology exists to enable consumers to view true 3D TV without the aid of the glasses. So, how do they work? The glasses actively block one image at a time, ensuring the human eye picks up the correctly designated image. Small liquid crystal displays (LCD) lenses cleverly receive infrared signals from the 3D TV set and adjust by darkening or lightening when the image is changing. The process is incredibly quick, combined with the illusionary tricks of the conversion chips and 3D rendering software embedded in the TV, the human eye interprets the imagery as 3-dimensional.