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The 3D HDTV ListThis page lists High-Definition Televisions (HDTVs) that are capable of displaying very high quality stereoscopic 3D images and video. This list is a supplement to The Illustrated 3D Movie List. Samsung and Mitsubishi are leaders in this area. The first "3D Ready" HDTV was released by Samsung in April 2007. We are now seeing the second generation of these displays including the world's first 3D Plasma HDTV. Special 3D content is viewed in 3D on these 3D HDTVs using wireless LCS (liquid crystal shutter) 3D glasses. Listed here is what is believed to be the full range of "3D Ready" HDTVs from Samsung and Mitsubishi. The 3D format that these new 3D HDTVs accept is discussed in the FAQ below. Please note that I don't sell these 3D HDTVs. The buy links will take you to various commercial providers, including Amazon. Andrew Woods |
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If you know of any other 3D compatible HDTVs, please drop me a line.
What is the native 3D format of these 3D-HDTVs? The displays accept 3D information in a special checkerboard pattern format at the native resolution of the display. More information is available in these two white papers from Texas Instruments: DLP® 3-D HDTV Technology, and Introducing DLP® 3-D TV.
What sort of 3D content can I view on these 3D-HDTVs?
(i) Stereoscopic Games - over 1000 consumer PC games can be played in stereoscopic 3D - A new NVIDIA Stereo 3D Driver which supports the checkerboard pattern has been demonstrated, but is not yet available to the general public.
(ii) Stereoscopic 3D DVDs - a large selection of field-sequential 3D DVDs is listed here: Illustrated 3D Movie List and 3D DVD list. See below for how to view them in 3D on these 3D HDTVs.
(iii) There has been some talk of conversion of regular 2D content to 3D in real-time, however in my experience this rarely produces images as visually pleasing as real stereoscopic 3D content.
Can I watch field-sequential 3D DVDs on these 3D-HDTVs? Yes, but not using a regular DVD player. You'll need a device to convert from the field-sequential 3D format (as used on many 3D DVDs) to the display's native 3D format. At the present time the easiest way to do this is using a PC and 3D compatible software (e.g. DDD Tridef Media Player, Stereoscopic Player, or DepthQ stereoscopic media server).
What is the "3D Sync" connector on these 3D-HDTVs? The "3D Sync" connector is an industry standard 3-pin mini-DIN connector which provides a TTL toggle signal (high = one eye, low = other eye), power and ground. The connector and signals are summarised here: www.stereoscopic.org/standard/connect.html
How do I enable 3D mode on these 3D-HDTVs?
(i) Plug a device which creates the 1080P (or 720P for 720P TVs) checkerboard pattern into the "HDMI 3" input on the 3D-HDTV. For the moment, this device will likely be a PC with a DVI video card, a DVI to HDMI cable, and appropriate 3D software.
(ii) Plug a pair of LCS 3D glasses which support the VESA 3-pin mini-DIN connector into the "3D-Sync" connector on the 3D-HDTV. One example of such a pair of glasses is this one: Wireless 3D Gaming Glasses
(iii) switch the display to "HDMI 3" (by pressing the source button), and then press the "3D" button on the remote.
If you have more questions, discuss them here: http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/3dtv/
The Illustrated 3D Movie List The Illustrated 3D DVD List "3D Ready" HDTVs 3D compatible projectors 3D Gallery 3D Video Equipment 3D Movie Reviews Home page: conference papers, software, other 3D stuff Stereoscopic Displays and Applications conference
