Today's 3D Displays & Glasses
Modern 3D movie technology has thus moved in new directions, and several methods are in use by various TV manufacturers and cinema operators. The most common method used by TV vendors is alternate-frame display, in which "active-shutter" glasses are synced with your TV to block the right eye when the left-hand frame is being shown, and vice versa.
With alternate-frame technology, the full resolution left and right images are displayed sequentially. (Click to enlarge.) Credit: Panasonic
Alternate-frame display with active-shutter glasses has several advantages, notably the ability to display full HD resolution. Many 3D delivery schemes only show half the resolution per frame. Active-shutter glasses also work when you turn your head or use a side viewing angle, unlike some other 3D technologies.
Sony's active-shutter glasses.
There is also a checkerboard 3D delivery technology called DLP 3D that uses active-shutter glasses, but you get only half the image resolution per eye. Not all 3D Blu-ray players will be able to output this checkerboard signal, either, in which case you'll need to buy a converter.
The 3D Future
Ideally, we'd be able to view 3D displays with no glasses at all, and that's what manufacturers are working on. These "autostereoscopic" displays use lenses to deliver the correct image to each eye. It will be a while before displays suitable for family viewing reach the market, however. Some small, personal autostereoscopic displays are available now.
Viewing Blu-ray 3D
So what do you need to view 3D movies on Blu-ray today? First, you need a 3D-capable Blu-ray player. Second, you need a 3D-capable TV with matching 3D glasses (different vendors currently use slightly different active-shutter syncing technologies, but universal 3D glasses will be coming soon). Sony's PlayStation 3 is also getting a 3D firmware upgrade this summer.
To watch Blu-ray 3Ds, you need a 3D-capable Blu-ray player and TV, plus matching 3D glasses.
You will soon be able to view Blu-ray 3Ds right on your 3D-capable computer display with Roxio CinePlayer 3D. Look for Blu-ray 3D-enabled PCs and notebooks with CinePlayer to start appearing this summer. Also check out nVidia's GeForce 3D Vision Kit, which is great for 3D games, and Fujifilm's FinePix Real 3D camera. Expect consumer 3D camcorders to appear later this year, starting with DXG's 3D View this summer.
Roxio CinePlayer 3D will be shipping this summer on 3D-capable PCs.
Learn more about 3D: