3D TV FAQ

How do we see in 3-D? 3-dimensional objects appear at a slightly different angle to the left and right eyes. The brain then processes the two views, works out the difference between them and translates the information into a 3D image.

Can I watch 3D TV with my current TV set? You will need to buy a new 3D TV to watch 3D content. The TV needs to show two images (one for each eye) for you to see a 3D image. Each eye will have to see at least 60 images per second (this is called the hertz rate) therefore the TV will have to be at least 120Hz. You'll then have to wear special 3D glasses.

Do I still have to wear 3D glasses? Glasses are required but they have come on a long why since the days of the old “red/blue” throwaway ones. Most manufacturers (Sony, Samsung, Panasonic and Nvidia’s 3D system) are using a system called “active shutter LCD”. This allows the left and right eyes to see alternate images from the TV in rapid succession.

Will I get a pair of glasses with my TV? Unfortunately you will either get no glasses or just one pair of glasses. The cost of extra glasses is likely to be between £50 and £100 so you need to think about this when putting together your budget.

Will A 3D TV function as a normal TV for watching stuff? Yes, it will. The first wave of 3d tvs will work perfectly well as regular telly’s.

What if I want “glasses-free” 3D TV? These will be coming in a few years time. The name for this type of TV is auto-stereoscopic. Don't even think about these for a good few years yet as the technology needs to evolved (sweet spots), the price needs to drop and the TV programs need to become available.

When will 3D TV’s be in the shops? Current thinking is April 2010. The LG ld920 has been used in pubs across the UK by Sky Sports to showcase football in 3D!

How much will 3D-TV’s cost? It is likely to cost about 15% more than the top of the range current non-3D model.

What will I need to watch 3DTV at home? You’ll need a 3D-TV, 3D source material and a 3D playback device, as well as the 3D glasses. There are multiple possibilities for the different setups.

You could use a 3D Blu-Ray player to watch a 3D Blu-Ray movie on your 3DTV

You could use a 3D PS3 to play a 3D game on your 3D TV

You could watch the Sky 3D channel on your 3DTV using the Sky+HD box, which is 3D-enabled.

You could use a 3D projector to show a large-screen image of a 3D movie or 3D game.

You could use a 3D-monitor to play a PC game using the Nvidia Vision system.

What’s this I hear about HDMI 1.4? HDMI is moving from 1.3 to 1.4 to cope with 3D. It is down to the amount of data that needs to be transferred (higher number of images per second). Sony say the PS3 can be used if you update the firmware and that only has HDMI 1.3

What content is available in 3D? Sky’s 3D channel, launches to home users later in the year. Initially it’ll be free to Sky HD customers taking the Sky World package of Sports, Movies and all the trimmings. Other channels are ESPN, who are showing a World Cup match in 3D and the Discovery Channel, although it’s not know if their content will be on Sky 3D, or available in the UK. There will also be 3D Blu Ray discs and 3D games.

What does a 3-D TV look like? Like a standard flat-screen television. However, it actually sends out not one but multiple views. As long as you’re sitting in one of several “sweet spots” within a 135-degree viewing angle, each eye will pick up a separate view. This effect mimics the angular differences produced by a three-dimensional object and fools the brain.

How is the effect achieved? There is a layer of convex lenses over the screen, each one scarcely bigger than the individual pixels that make up the panel. When a suitably processed signal passes through them, the lenses produce multiple sets of paired images aimed at up to six “sweet spots”. If you are within a sweet spot, the brain interprets the paired images as 3-D.