The 3D glasses used when viewing a 3D HDTV at home, are completely different and much more effective than the old fashioned cardboard glasses with the blue and red lenses. They are even superior to the 3D glasses you wear in a movie theater.
These new active 3D shutter glasses allow the viewer to see 3D. As a 3D movie is playing, the picture on the screen will display content only for your left eye, and then the picture will change and display content only for your right eye. Your brain then combines these two images into one, forming the depth we associate with 3D. Not only is the technology extremely efficient, but the process happens incredibly quickly. The screen produces 120 or 140 alternating frames within just one second, depending on the HDTV (60 or 120 for your left eye, and 60 or 120 for your right eye).
There are a few items you'll need in order to start viewing 3D content at home. First, you'll need a 3D-ready HDTV, as well as active 3D shutter glasses designed to work with the HDTV (make sure you purchase enough pairs of glasses for everyone who will want to watch). Then you'll need a 3-D source (anything capable of playing 3-D content such as a Blu-Ray player, a 3-D cable/satellite box or a 3-D video game console) and an HDMI cable to hook it up.
The good news is that you don't have to watch everything in 3D! You get options! Not only do the new 3D-ready HDTVs provide you with outstanding 3D content, but you can still watch TV and movies in 2D (the way that you watch them right now, but with even better quality). That way, you really get the best of both worlds.
Since 3D TV is a brand new technology as of this year, content is still fairly limited, but the exciting part is that it's growing and expanding every month. Much progress has been made this past summer: ESPN launched a dedicated 3D channel where they will broadcast a minimum of 85 events in 3D within the first year, DIRECTV provided a free software upgrade to their HD customers that will enable access to four dedicated 3D channels, Comcast launched a new "3D Events Channel", and Time Warner began broadcasting select events in 3D. In addition, Discovery, Sony and IMAX are partnering to launch a 3D channel due out later this year that will focus on topics of nature, space science, exploration and adventure. It is clear that broadcasters are, and will be committed to establishing a powerful 3D presence in the future.
Visit any of our RC Willey locations to see for
yourself just how great the new 3D TVs are!
