3D TV in the UK - A new dimension?
There have been many experiments with 3D TV over the years, but it seems that the UK broadcast industry is about to start taking 3D to a new level. We explore 3D in more depth.
3D in the UK?
3D on TV is something that UK broadcasters have dabbled with over the years, but in 2009, Sky announced that they were about to start taking 3D very seriously. A dedicated 3D TV channel launched on Sky in 2010, and TV set manufacturers are working hard to bring 3D TV sets to the market. 3D looks set to become big business.
Indeed, with cinema attendance dropping, we can expect to see a string of blockbusters coming to our screens in 3D, as shown by the relative success of "Monsters Vs Aliens" in the UK in 2009, and the release of the visually-stunning Avatar in 3D.
First 3D TV set released in the UK
The race has been on to release the first consumer 3D TV set, and in the UK, that race has been won by Samsung.
In April 2010, Samsung released their UE40C7000 and UE40C8000X LED HD TV sets. These are 40 inch models, and use Active Shutter glasses to achieve the 3D effect. The TV sets also have Freeview HD built-in.
The Samsung UE40C7000 3D TV set hit the shops in mid-April 2010 for a price of £1,799, with a twin-pack of Active Shutter glasses costing £149. Available from John Lewis Online.
You might also want to check out the cheaper Samsung LE40C750 from Comet Online
See the Samsung 3D Launch video:
Dedicated 3D TV channel
Sky launched the UK's first dedicated 3D channel on the 3rd of April 2010. Sky 3D is available on Sky Channel 217, and is part of the Sky World subscription package.
More details at http://www.sky.com/shop/3d/home
How does 3D TV work?
Most people will be familiar with the classic red-and-blue 3D glasses. These were used for the Channel 4 week of 3D in November 2009. This uses the ColorCode 3D system, developed in Denmark. 3D footage is shot on stereoscopic cameras (twin-lens), then encoded with ColorCode before broadcast. Users needed to wear special glasses with amber and blue lenses to see the 3D effect.
It's accepted that the twin-colour 3D glasses are OK for use to get a taste of the 3D experience, they're really only useful for "gimmick" 3D viewing.
The 3D experience in cinemas, and now in the home market, use one of two technologies, Passive or Active:
- Passive: This uses a set of dark glasses with polarised lenses that filter out the two images on-screen differently for each eye. The brain does the hard work in putting together the 3D image.
- Active: These are powered glasses, and rapidly switch on and off each lens of the glasses (50 times a second per eye), to give you the 3D effect. The first home 3D from Samsung uses Active Shutter glasses, which cost around £75 each.
Samsung Active Shutter Glasses, Available from John Lewis Online
Active Shutter Warning
In April 2010, Samsung's Australia site issued some health guidance information on viewing with their Active Shutter glasses. The full article is here: Samsung 3D TV Notice, but here are the highlights:
- Viewing in 3D mode may also cause motion sickness, perceptual after effects, disorientation, eye strain, and decreased postural stability. It is recommended that users take frequent breaks to lessen the likelihood of these effects.
- Watching TV while wearing 3D Active Glasses for an extended period of time may cause headaches or fatigue.
- We do not recommend watching 3D if you are in bad physical condition, need sleep or have been drinking alcohol.
- Some viewers may experience an epileptic seizure or stroke when exposed to certain flashing images or lights contained in certain television pictures.
3D TV Events
- August 2009 - Virgin 1 showed "Chuck" in 3D, with glasses given away free in TV and Satellite Week.
- November 2009 - Channel 4 ran a week of 3D content - including rare footage of the Queen's 1953 coronation, plus an up-close "The Queen in 3D" two hour special. There was also a showing of Jaws in 3D, Derren Brown's 3D Magic Spectacular and a "Best of 3D" compilation show. The week of 3D ran from the 16th November 2009.
- April 2010 - Sky launched the UK's first 3D TV channel, on channel 217
3D TV FAQ
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