3D HD TV - Examine Innovative Developments in 3D TV.....

3D HDTV

3D technology has been available at movie theaters for decades. It has not, however, begun finding a permanent place at home until very recently. Sure, in the past TVs show might have been airing the occasional 3D episode, but they were forced to resort to anaglyph images, which changed their color and sharpness. This sharpness problem wasn't as noticeable in large, darkened theaters when you were equipped with 3D glasses. As screens grow smaller, though, the distortion became more and more apparent.

The creation of high-definition somewhat alleviated the issue. But anaglyph images still produced some fuzziness because they require two images laid on top of one another. Also, since HDTVs couldn't initially produce the two separate light levels necessary for polarized glasses, red and blue anaglyphs were still required for 3D content. Luckily, there have been great strides to retain the high definition clarity that has become synonymous with television viewing, even in 3D.

The newest technology developed to produce 3D effects for in current 3D TV models doesn't suffer from clarity degradation. Thankfully, anaglyph images are no longer needed. Rather than layering two images of slightly differing perspectives, this new process keeps the images seperate. Instead, the new 3D TVs flash first one image, then the other, at a high speed based on the display's refresh rate. Then the display can be viewed through active shutter or passive glasses, which darken each lens in time with the refresh rate. Because images are no longer layered but rather are shown separately, one to each eye, image distortion goes right out the window. Each eye gets a single, high-definition image. The viewer's brain then combines the images together, creating the mental illusion of a 3D image.

Although technology has caught up with the desire to see clear 3D, what about content? Unfortunately, most of these new TVs require dedicated 3D media to produce the three-dimensional effects. Right now, there's a distinct move by leaders in the industry, including the 3D TV manufacturers and the growing operators of 3D TV networks and 3D TV channels, to increase the amount of 3D content that's available. More and more 3D movies are coming out in the next year.

Some of these newly formed 3D television networks have started to broadcast shows, movies, and sporting events in full 3D. Additional content is available by hooking up a 3D Blu Ray player to your 3D TV, giving you the chance to watch the latest movies on disc in high quality 3D HD. Now, in 2011, it's a great time to buy a 3D TV. There is a plethora of 3D HDTVs on the market, with several networks providing 3D content 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Prices are coming down, and the choice of different 3D TV models is increasing.

One of these choices is between plasma 3D TV and LCD 3D TV. While plasma TVs will be able to produce a sharper picture, LCDs have them beat in brightness. Some of the LCDs boast an almost unbelievable 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio, but most can only manage a resolution as sharp as 720 pixels. Plasmas, on the other hand, can produce image resolutions of 720p, 1080p, and even 1080i!

As fas as 3D glasses go, we'll eventually be given the choice between those TVs requiring glasses and 3D TV without glasses sets. Successful No glasses 3D TV models are further away from becoming commercially available, so the choice now is really between LCD active shutter glasses or passive glasses . Those 3D HDTVs which work on shutter systems require shutter glasses, and the upside to these is they give the illusion of 3D effects truly popping out of the screen. Passive glasses sets are not so strong in image quality, but the glasses are cheaper and generally lighter.

Parallax barriers or no glasses 3D HDTV sets work differently. A TV with a parallax barrier doesn't require special glasses to create 3D effects. Instead, the parallax barrier is covered in a series precisely positioned slits. These slits filter out parts of the image, allowing each eye to see different pixels. With different images entering each eye without glasses, the brain interprets the input as a three-dimensional image. The disadvantage to this technology, however, is that viewers are required to sit a specific position in order to see the 3D. If a viewer is slightly out of place, the image will not appear in 3D. Because of that the technology is best suited at present to small screen TVs, and it's certain that 3D mobile TV models will become popular.

With so many options becoming available, and all of them able to produce a resolution of 720p or better, 3D HDTV has never been in a better position. This choice has led to the introduction of 3D starter kits, which give you everything you need to watch 3D TV in one package or bundle.The new 3D format is gearing up to take the home theater market by storm in 2011. New ranges have been announced by all of the leading manufacturers, and new networks will soon begin broadcasting their high-definition content in the three-dimensional format.

If our appetite for 3D continues the way it has, 3D HDTV may become more popular - and thus more common - than traditional broadcasting.