3-D televisions are the new big thing to get for your home! IMAX has dominated the 3-D world for years now, but times and technologies have changed allowing for 3-D to enter the homes of middle class Americans. The idea of viewing two dimensional pictures in 3-D originated in 1838 with Sir Charles Wheatstone. He presented the concept to the Royal Society of London using a piece of cellophane paper to view the picture through. Cellophane paper is what was used for the lenses in the original blue and red lensed 3-D glasses.3-D technology continued to advance with polarized 3-D. This is the popular type of 3-D for the movie theaters because the glasses are relatively cheap to make (about $1.50 apiece). The glasses consist of two different lenses that each pick up a different set of images sent forth from two perfectly synchronized projectors in the theater. This is convenient for movie theaters because they have the luxury of being able to use synchronized projectors to display the two sets of images; however, most people do not have projectors in their homes. To get around this, 3-D designers developed Active Shutter 3-D. Active Shutter 3-D is very expensive because it requires you to buy a new 3-D TV and a single pair of glasses can cost up to $100.
The technology used for Active Shutter 3-D allows the TV and the glasses to sync so that the TV displays the image for your right eye while the glasses "shutter" or cover your left eye's vision.
The process then repeats itself for the other eye and continues in a rotation. Since the images can now be shown at separate times and do not require synchronized projectors, it is possible to
install the technology in a home TV.
With 3-D gaining popularity, the demand for popular movies and shows to be in 3-D is higher. The trouble is that in order for something to be shown in 3-D, it needs to be filmed in 3-D. In order to film something in 3-D, a producer must film a scene with two angles with separate cameras that are completely in sync. There are multiple companies currently trying to come up with a way to develop a 3-D camera that records through two lenses at the same time. Fujifilm was able to make a camera in 2009 that could take 3-D photographs, but no one has been able to design a 3-D video camera yet.
3-D technology and the advancements that have been made to allow for it to enter homes are amazing; however, it is not catching on with the same fire that other technological advancements have such as iPads, Kindles, iPhones, etc.
Two of the biggest downsides to 3-D television are the price and the limited selection of movies and shows that are available to view in 3-D. As the advancements with 3-D continue, I would expect for the prices to become more reasonable and the selection to expand once a 3-D video camera is invented. As a result, 3-D TV's will become more popular and more common to see in people's homes.
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ReplyDeleteThe evolution of 3-D technology truly is amazing. I had no idea that it was originated by Sir Charles Wheatstone in 1838. Personally I think of 3-D picture as a relatively new concept, however that is not the case. It is astonishing to think that something as complex as 3-D technology was originated in the 19th century. I also had no idea that there were different types of 3-D. As Connor mentioned 3-D TVs are the newest advancement and they are starting to be found in people's homes. Not only are companies working on 3-D cameras and TVs, but also phones. Phones such as the LG Optimus 3D P920 have 3D capabilities. Personally I do not think that 3-D televisions and phones will ever become popular enough to be the norm. I think, as Connor mentioned, the price has a lot to do with this. The limited selection of shows and entertainment also plays a role in this. In the future I believe that 3-D TV will become more accessible to a wider group of audiences and will become more popular. However, I do believe that this will not be for at least another 15 years.
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