Five Must Knows About 3D TV
It arrived with a hiss and a roar, and now all the major manufacturers are jumping out of their skins telling us the benefits of 3D TV. Channel 9 has been the first free-to-air television station to announce that it will be producing content with its rugby league State of Origin broadcast on May 26th in Sydney. However, there have been murmurings about the technology and what it means for the average punter. We take a closer look at what some are saying is the biggest change to our viewing habits since the introduction of colour television.
5) If I Have a Medical Condition, Will It Affect Me?
While there is no solid evidence about the affects of what watching a 3D television can do to your health, but most manufacturers are erring on the side of caution. Samsung for one, does put warnings on its literature including:
Pregnant women, the elderly, sufferers of serious medical conditions, those who are sleep deprived or under the influence of alcohol should avoid utilizing the unit's 3D functionality.
There is some concern that depth perception may be affected, and therefore pregnant women might feel dizzy watching the screen, could fall over and possibly miscarry. Like 2D television, we recommend that anybody who watches the technology do so in moderation.
4) Will It Upscale 2D Content To 3D?
In some cases, yes. If you have 2D content, you will be able to upscale it to 3D but this will depend on the manufacturer. Samsung says its units will, while Panasonic's first offerings will not. However, Panasonic is at pains to point out that its 2D experience on its 3D screens is second to none. We're not 100 percent sure what upscaled footage will look like, but we're betting it won't be quite as good as footage that has been shot in 3D, such as the current crop of releases at the cinema like Clash of the Titans, How to Train Your Dragon and Avatar.
3) Do I Need Those Awful Cardboard Glasses?
Good news is you won't need them – all vendors have their own set of glasses, which will look similar to sunglasses, but obviously with 3D technology in them. Bad news is that most vendors will only be supplying one pair of glasses per television set, and will sting you and extra $100 plus for additional pairs. If you come from a nuclear family of Mum, Dad and 2.2 children – well, you do the maths. Still, they should last a lot longer than those ugly cardboard versions of years gone by.
2) Is It Just Another Passing Fad?
No, not this time. A fair question as in the past there have been several attempts in the past to get the technology off the ground only for manufacturers of content providers to nix the idea When the big four consumer tech companies – LG, Samsung, Panasonic and Sony – all embrace the technology – and have spend a small fortune in research and development, you can bet the hundreds of millions of dollars of profit from Avatar that this time it is here to stay. What has also helped is the way film makers and television producers have embraced the technology, especially in the sporting arena.
1) I've Been Warned Not To Drink Alcohol And Watch Television. Why Is This?
As mentioned in point one, there is not a lot of literature about how the technology will alter your perceptions other than to err on the side of caution. However, as alcohol and other mind-altering substances do alter perceptio, keeping off the grog is probably a good idea. Again, there is no hard medical evidence to prove otherwise, but you would imagine if 3D technology is already going to alter your depth of field, then adding to that abnormal state of mind via alcohol or drugs will not likely help matters.
