James Cameron’s 3D epic Avatar relaunched 3D movies for the new generation. However, although the execution has been refined, it is still pretty much the same as it has always been – a group of people sitting in the dark wearing silly-looking sunglasses.
Major blockbusters did not bother with the technology until recently. Now that the floodgates have been opened, ever more 3D movies are being released by major studios, featuring major actors.
One of the other important changes is not so much in the technology as the application thereof. In the past, 3D was used to allow objects to come flying out of the screen towards the audience. As impressive as this was, it created problems. As the object apparently came closer, the eyes would shift their point of convergence away from the screen, and the eyes tried to focus on something that was not there.
Newer films like Avatar use 3D to give depth and richness to scenes, but the action takes place at screen level, not in front or behind it. So although 3D is used, the eye is drawn to events occurring on the screen, thereby reducing or eliminating the conflict between reality and the 3D illusion.
But will it really stick this time? This relies on the availability of hardware, the availability of content and whether there is actually a demand for the product.
Avatar has certainly proven that the demand is there, with Jackass 3D proving that even stupidity can benefit from more depth.
The technology is also making its way into homes and in more refined forms. One of the traditional ways to create a 3D image is to use glasses with one cyan and one red lens, and an image is then shown that looks completely horrible without the glasses on, but gives a 3D effect while wearing the glasses. One of the newer technologies applied is the use of active 3D glasses that alternately block the view through the left and then the right eye at such a rate that it is not visible.
However, when this is synched to the TV set, images can be shown specific to the right eye and then the left eye in quick succession, generating a 3D image. These glasses are quite expensive and at present work only with the brand of television they were sold with.
Many high end flat panel TVs now include the technology as standard as well. The main requirement is a high frequency, something that has traditionally been present in plasma TVs, but not on LCD TVs.
With active 3D glasses requiring a minimum frequency of 120Hz and most standard LCD TVs providing only 60Hz, it might be a while yet before a standard LCD TV will be able to handle high-end 3D.
However, with technology moving that way regardless of the implementation of 3D technology, it is effectively piggy-backing on an existing wave of technological improvement, while adding just a little impetus of its own.
As for 3D TV without glasses, the technology is still in its infancy. Although such TVs should hit the market by the end of the year, at the moment they very are small, ridiculously expensive, and viewers need to be within touching distance of the screen to get the 3D effect.
However, since the silly glasses are still the main complaint many have against 3D TV, this technology might well be a game changer.. WH