One of the biggest trends at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was 3D television sets for the home. Television manufacturers are banking on people loving the recent surge in 3D movies and wanting that same technology for their home. And for those people who are interested, it is important that they realize there are two major differences in the types of 3D technology that’s available to consumers.
The older type (although old is relative) is called active shutter. For the human brain to recognize an imagine as 3D, both eyes need to process a different image and then the brain combines the two into a picture with depth. Certain sets refresh the image 120 times a second. The glasses dark out each eye one at a time so the individual eye gets the signal meant for it. All of these actions culminate in each eye getting a separate image, and then the brain does its job by converting the different scenes in one three dimensional image. The television itself is relatively affordable considering the technology but the glasses are quite advanced and are battery powered. They tend to cost $100 a pair, meaning families will have a substantial bill when they go to purchase this necessary equipment. However, it is thought that the viewing experience is much better with this technology like mycricket.com service providing technology.
This year’s CES saw the introduction of another type of 3D TV technology. These glasses are called passive polarized, and they are similar to the disposable ones you find in movie theaters. The polarization in the glasses allows each eye to only pick up on every other line of the resolution, allowing the brain to combine them to the same effect as active shutter. The glasses are vastly cheaper, but the televisions cost more despite a recent price drop in the technology that’s used to make the screens.