active-shutter

Device & Conquer: Understanding 3D TV

You'll have a hard time buying a new TV that isn't 3D by the end of 2012. But that isn't the same as saying you'll be watching 3D TV.

In this episode of Device & Conquer, Brian Cooley gives explains the aspects of this new technology you have to get used to, how it's still evolving and what there is to watch. This isn't a story of a technology that doesn't work -- it does, often spectacularly -- but of on that may not have a mandate to become the next big thing in television, or reverse sliding TV sales numbers. … Read more

Hands-on with Sony's 2012 3D glasses

LAS VEGAS--Tucked away toward the rear of Sony's CES booth sit a pair of refreshed 3D active-shutter glasses for the new year.

The updated model, TDG-BR750, represents a new design philosophy in the company for 3D specs. Essentially, less is more. In fact, Sony's new frames look eerily similar to Samsung's ultra-light SSG-3500CR 3D glasses.

Gone is the bulky, plastic design of previous generations: the new Sony glasses look vastly better and are much more comfortable. The BR750 weighs only 1.2 ounces, and is made mostly of titanium. That is a noticeable difference in comparison to last year's model, the TDG-BR250, which is mostly made of plastic and weighs 2.1 ounces.

I can personally vouch that the BR750 should also fit people with larger heads much better than previous models. With the diminished weight, the glasses also feel like they will be much better suited for extended 3D viewing sessions. … Read more

Best and worst stereoscopic 3D console games

It sometimes seems that the only time people talk about 3D TV lately is to knock it.

The much-hyped 3D revolution hasn't exactly set the world on fire after it kicked off at CES 2010, and even though plenty of new television sets are 3D compatible, the actual amount of 3D content available remains slim (and with 3D losing its luster at the box office, it may become slimmer still).

One possible exception is stereoscopic 3D video games, currently supported by both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Stereoscopic 3D feels like a perfect fit for this technology, which hypothetically only needs to render the 3D information already present in nearly every game (with the exception of, for example, 2D side-scrolling games).

On the PC side, stereoscopic 3D has been around for several years, thanks to Nvidia's 3D Vision platform, which uses compatible hardware and active shutter 3D glasses to enable you to at least try and play almost any PC game. Some games work better than others, and chances are you don't have the right PC hardware, but it's definitely fun to play around with different games (Dragon Age, Portal, etc.) and try your luck. … Read more

Shipment stats for 3D TVs jump out at researchers

More 3D TVs than ever are going to be flying toward consumers this year, according to analysts at IHS iSuppli.

With lower prices, and with TV makers pushing 3D harder than ever, shipments of 3D sets are likely to jump by 463 percent this year to hit 23.4 million units from just 4.2 million last year, IHS iSuppli said. Eyeing the years ahead, shipments will climb by 132 percent in 2012 to reach 54.2 million. By 2014, consumers will be facing more than 100 million 3D TVs, followed by 159.2 million in 2015.

Last year, many … Read more

At CES, new 3D TV tech emerges

LAS VEGAS--3D isn't just plain old 3D anymore.

Later this year when the 3D televisions sets that debuted at CES 2011 start hitting store shelves, shoppers will find more than one type of 3D technology. CES a year ago was 3D-at-home's big coming-out party, led by Sony and Panasonic, which came with HDTVs that with the aid of special glasses could show 3D movies. Both brands used the same technology in the accompanying glasses: active-shutter. The same went for models from manufacturers like Samsung and Vizio that followed.

Flash forward to 2011: While many of the heavy hitters … Read more

Vizio shows 2010 3D TVs, first passive model for 2011

Vizio announced its 2010 3D TVs at CES in January, and on Tuesday provided a few more details on the upcoming sets. It also showed the first 3D model for the U.S. market to offer passive glasses technology.

Although the January announcement included pricing, Vizio now says all three 3D TV models, which range from 42 to 55 inches, are "price $TBD."

As is common with the company, other details have changed as well: there's no 72-inch screen size anymore; the release date has been pushed back from "August" to "Q4" of … Read more

Hands-on with PS3 in 3D

After spending 20 minutes playing Wipeout in 3D at Sony's CES 2010 booth, I'm officially a believer in gaming in the third dimension. It was only after I was made aware of the fine print did I become grounded in reality. But before we get into the gory details about what you'll need to get this working, let's discuss how it played.

Sony had a few games playable in 3D including Super Stardust HD, Avatar, and Wipeout. The experience playing Wipeout in 3D is truly immersive, with layered graphics giving you a surreal sensation of being … Read more