Why 3D Done Right is Here to Stay

With the recent influx of blog posts and articles discussing the topic of "3D - Fad or No Fad," including recent posts by Brian Barrett of Gizmodo, AV Professional John Sciacca, Joel Rollins of rAVe Publications, and Arlen Schweiger of Electronic House, it now appears that the debate over the legitimacy of the latest 3D technologies has grown as popular as the 3D technologies themselves, with the following concerns often hitting the top of the list:

• Lowest Common Denominator 3D

  We know (in part because of our parent company’s (Planar) ground-breaking work in 3D metrology and professional stereoscopic applications) that there are ways to consistently deliver more compelling and comfortable 3D than some of the 'lowest common denominator' big box solutions currently available. We spent significant R&D investment and a great deal of dealer and client education into the development of Runco's proprietary CSV™ (Constant Stereoscopic Video) architecture for our 3Dimension Series D-73d Projector. As a result, the D-73d has received rave industry reviews and awards, including the Electronic Lifestyles award at CEDIA for "2010 Video Product of the Year," the 2010 CE Pro Best Award, and recently the 2011 Electronic House Product of the Year Award.

• A Lack of Quality 3D Content

  We believe that striving for “3D done right” is worth the effort. If the manufacturers and content producers do the work ahead of time, then the audience doesn’t have to do the work themselves in order to watch compelling 3D. Fortunately, many television networks and production companies have already stepped up to the plate, providing 3D sports and entertainment programming, as well as a variety of new movie titles. We believe this trend will continue as more standards are put in place to better define quality 3D that engages viewers and encourages them to make an investment in 3D for the home.

• Toxic 3D's Ill Effects

  To do 3D right requires an understanding of the physiology of stereopsis and the development of an integrated system that works with it, not against it. The ill effects that are caused by bad 3D are preventable. As discussed in our blog post: Toxic 3D, the headaches, nausea, dizziness and eye fatigue that often accompany 3D viewing on popular 3D TVs or 3D projectors are due to poorly executed 3D, often using an active shutter technology coupled with low brightness, ghosting, juttering, and heavy glasses, which cause a variety of ill effects that detract from the 3D experience.
  
  Runco CSV significantly reduces these effects by using a superior approach to 3D visualization that enables seamless decoding, syncing and merging of stereo images, which delivers a constant HD image to each eye without the flicker, distortion, or discomfort inherent in other approaches. Runco CSV also utilizes a unique PreciseLight™ passive-glasses technology, which is proven to be superior for the viewer and is usually only available in the finest public theaters.

• Not Everyone Can View 3D

  As we mentioned in our previous open response to the rAVe Publications post: "A Contrarian's View of the 3-D Craze," we must not forget that virtual 3D is an optical illusion. Just like any magic show, it might not be possible to fool every eye all the time, but there are best practices and proven approaches that trick your brain into seeing depth that isn’t really there. Those products and approaches are worthy of the market enthusiasm.

We encourage anyone considering 3D for the home to download our 3D Enthusiast's Guide, which explores the eight most important requirements for high-quality 3D in the home and equips enthusiasts to judge for themselves the quality of commercial offerings. Runco's 3D Projector Guide also provides in-depth recommendations for 3D projection in the home, from room design parameters to lifestyle and content considerations.

Comments

Post a Comment

Name (optional)

Website (optional)

Email Address (optional)

Please fill in the text in the image in the box below

Your comment