How does 3D TV work?

Modern 3D TV’s work by rapidly showing a separate image for a left eye and a right eye. By using 3D “Active Shutter” Glasses, we can control which image each eye sees, but because it’s happening so quickly your brain is only able to interpret the full 3D image. More information on how 3D TV works.

Can I use the $5.99 3D glasses that I bought for the cinema with my new 3D TV?

No, the way the 3D illusion is created in the cinema is completely different to the way new LCD 3D TV’s create the 3D image. In the cinema they use one of two technologies; one is anaglyph technology which shows two images slightly overlapping and in slightly different hues, your 3D glasses then have red / cyan lenses which filters which image each eyes sees.

While this gives a 3D effect, it comes at the expense of clarity and the film will have a slightly reddish tint. The most modern 3D films such as Avatar use a complex system of polarized light which means you get to see the film in 3D without any loss in clarity and without any color tint.

Your 3D LCD TV is unable to project polarized light, so instead it rapidly shows one image for the left eye and one image for the right eye. You then need 3D TV Glasses which electronically control the transparency of the lenses. This happens so quickly that your brain creates the 3D image.

Does everyone watching on a 3D TV need to wear 3D glasses?

Yes. Everyone watching on a 3D TV must wear 3D glasses to properly see the 3D effect. Without 3D glasses, the image on the screen will appear doubled, distorted, and unwatchable. At the time of this writing, the technology is still being developed which allows a single TV to display both 2D and 3D content simultaneously without 3D glasses.

There are 3D TVs and 3D-ready TVs. What’s the difference?

3D TVs are capable of displaying 3D out of the box. With a 3D-ready TV, you will need to buy an add-on to get your HDTV to display 3D. In the case of the Mitsubishi 3D-ready HDTVs, you will need to buy this 3D starter pack to experience the 3D effect. Without this pack, your HDTV will display great 2D pictures, but you will not be able to watch anything in 3D.

Can I convert my existing TV in to a 3D TV?

While there are 3D TV converters in the market, the effectiveness varies. It works in a similar way to the current 3D TV’s in that it shows a left and right image, but the converter box is on the outside and you need to plug your TV cable and DVD player in to the box first. The converter only works with the older CRT TV’s and not standard LCD TV’s because the refresh rate on flat screen TV’s is too low and you will get an annoying flicker. If you choose this route, don’t expect a full IMAX experience!

How much can I expect to spend on a 3D TV setup?

Even though the actual adjustment to turn a normal LCD TV in to a 3D capable TV is fairly routine they have simply increased the refresh rate, added a chip to display left and right images and included an emitter to tell the 3D Glasses which image to show the manufacturers seem to be trying to capitalize on the general public’s ignorance to how it all works.

Thus a 46″ LCD 3D TV from Samsung will set you back as much as $1900 more than double the cost of a non-3D TV of the same size. On top of that you have the 3D glasses which cost around $150 each (and you’ll need a pair for all the family) and if you want to watch the forth-coming 3D movies on DVD like Avatar you’ll need a 3D Blu-ray player which can cost as much as $300. Total cost for a 4 person family could be as much as $3000 for a full 3D setup.

Does a 3D TV convert 2D to 3D?

Many of the new 3D TV’s will actively convert 2D content in 3D by showing one image for the left eye and one image for the right eye. The result isn’t as exceptional as when you watch a dedicated 3D TV channel or 3D movie, but you will get the impression of 3D.