3D technology is relatively simple and in concept, has been visualized half a century back. However technology did not permit its practical implantation till now. Today it does.
3D video is generated by using a stereo camera, which like the human eyes generates two images, left and right.
The manner in which these images are then processed and displayed to create 3D vision has given rise to a number of technologies. Most of these technologies dealt with displaying the L and R images on the TV screen and use of glasses which would permit the L or R eye to see the appropriate image. Most popular techniques have been side by side transmission of content for L and R eyes or sequential transmission in alternate frames. Active shutter glasses then permitted only L or R eye to view the image which was on screen. The L eye could never see the image meant for the right eye and so on to create the 3D vision.
YouTube 3D today has videos in 3D which can be viewed by any of the multiple means such as coloured glasses or active shutter glasses. The images are presented in side by side format.
Videos in Stereoscopic format can be viewed by stereoscopic monitors which support true 120 Hz frame rate. This enables the left and right images to be alternately visible with a minimum refresh rate of 60 Hz. Glasses are needed for such viewing.
However the next generation of TV monitors is Autostreoscopic. Using internal mirror optics, the displays have the ability to send the L and R images to the L or R eye respectively. They have a limited number of viewing angles over which such optics works. But the users do not require glasses to view video in 3D.
Autostreoscopic displays are a godsend opportunity for Mobile devices. The screens are small ( 3 to 4") and the users are ready for watching such video. The transmission of a mobile TV channel in Japan ( 1Seg Broadcasting) has already commenced and Korea is ready for it.
The new generation devices with Autostreoscopic displays will find great advantage not only for viewing video but also 3D photography and taking Videos in 3D. Virtually all the applications which have been available today such as GPS, Gaming and interactive services such as Face book would have a new dimension with 3D.
Autostreoscopic Mobile DTV
Jan 13,2011
CES 2011 as anticipated featured many products built around 3D. However one than could have a great feature is one that combine two mainstream themes of iPads and 3D.
LG exhibited its 3D Mobile TV, which enables viewing 3D content without Glasses ( Engadget) built using the ATSC Mobile DTV technology. The transmissions were from Las Vegas( PBS-Channel 10) using Mobile 3D content. The content format used was side-by-side( L&R images). While such a format requires the use of Glasses, the Autostreoscopic screen used in the LG prototype made "Glassless" vision possible. The LG 3D Mobile device was self contained with an ATSC receiver antenna, the LG 2161 demodulator chip and the 3D image formatting circuitry.
While the transmissions demonstrated the flexibility of the ATSC mobile TV technology for inclusion of 3D transmissions, we believe that the demonstration has opened up possibilities much beyond the mobile DTV alone. With the current high powered growth in iPADs, outstripping demand for PCs and Notebooks, the induction of 3D in these devices is imminent within a year. This also makes it likely that many iPADs, in addition to Smartphones may find ATSC Tuner/ modulators as OEM built in products, spurring the growth in Mobile DTV.
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