3DTV
How it Works
The new generation of 3D video technology has its origins in an image-display technique that was invented - kid you not - in the 1800s. "Stereoscopy" is a way to create the illusion of depth in an image. It mimics the way we see things in the real world by presenting slightly differing perspectives of an object to the left eye and right eye. As the brain accepts input from both eyes, it interprets depth from the relationship between the two. You've seen stereoscopy at work in stereogram photographs and (if you were around in the 1950s) a popular children's toy called the View-Master. And more recently, it's been a pretty big deal at the local movie theater.
Now, those same techniques are wrapped into a technology platform involving high-definition TV screens, dual-camera production approaches and battery-powered eyeglasses to create a stunning visual experience - right in your living room. 3D television, after decades of experimentation, has finally entered prime time. The key breakthrough involves a technique of exposing dual image frames - one for your right eye and one for your left - in rapid progression on specially made TV sets. In perfect (and silent) synchronization, battery-powered eyeglasses accept only the image for the intended eye. The result is the creation of depth perception - the third dimension - for a medium that historically has presented only a flat depiction of images.
At least that's the scientific result. What will keep you transfixed is the experience it creates - more compelling and immersive than anything you've seen on television before. From live sports to concerts to breathtaking nature scenes, the cable industry is now making the long-sought dream of 3D television a living-room reality. So get ready to go deep.