A trip to the big screen is something I always look forward to. Always have and always will. Since 3D movies have become all the rage I enjoy it even more now. I don't need much excuse to go and experience the wonders of the fantastic new effects that 3D promises. Luckily for me I have four little girls who give me the perfect excuse to see all the latest kids animations with 3D effects.
3D movies work by making sure each eye sees a different image to the other, both taken from a slightly different perspective.
As each eye perceives the world from a slightly different perspective due to them being about 2 inches apart this effectively mimics the way we see the real world and creates a more realistic 3D image on a 2D screen. Every 3D image or movie you view uses this same principle but may go about it in a slightly different manner.
Anaglyph Stereo
Once a popular method anaglyph is now more of a novelty due to its poor picture quality. In case you don't know the term anaglyph refers to the red and blue glasses which are usually made out of cardboard. The two separate images for the eye are created with either a red or a blue tint. The red or blue lenses filter out the corresponding image so each eye sees the different perspective. This technique is a novelty at best and is not really suitable for enjoying 3D movies in high definition full color.
Active Shutter Glasses Stereoscopy
Active shutter glasses use a method that is technically known as alternate-frame sequencing. Each eye has its view blocked by the lens going dark when the image that it is not supposed to be seeing is on the screen. For this method you effectively need to double the frame rate of playback as each eye is only seeing half of the animation. These higher frequencies are becoming the default standard of new model TVs and projectors.
Active shutter glasses have a couple of disadvantages. The major disadvantage is that the glasses require power either through a cord or from batteries. If you are blessed with a large family you are either going to create a jungle of cables or you will have a rather large expense for batteries. The major advantage is that the technology has been around for a while now and projectors and TVs using this method are relatively cheap. If you only need one or two pairs of glasses then this would be the way to go.
Polarized Light Stereoscopy
Technological research has created new ways of displaying 3D imagery in the home. Polarized light stereoscopy, currently popular in cinemas, is now being made available in the home marketplace through the use of projectors. It's a very efficient way of creating 3D images as both images can now be displayed on the screen at the same time. Special polarized lenses in the glasses are polarized to only let in the correct image while blocking the other.
There are some major advantages to this method but the one limiting disadvantage is that it is prohibitively expensive to the average home user. Projectors are currently the best way to display the images so you will need to buy a silver projector screen to get the best effect. Silver screens make sure the light reaching your eyes remains polarized so the picture retains its quality.
Because of it's advantages polarized light stereoscopy will eventually become the dominant method of playing 3D movies in the home. The glasses don't require batteries, are cheaper and also lighter than active shutter glasses. Viewing angles are also greater giving you the ability to have a larger and more widely dispersed audience. If you use shutter glasses you can expect about a 20% reduction in brightness. You get a much brighter image with polarized lenses as they only block about 10% of the light.
3D movies work by making sure each eye sees a different image to the other, both taken from a slightly different perspective.
As each eye perceives the world from a slightly different perspective due to them being about 2 inches apart this effectively mimics the way we see the real world and creates a more realistic 3D image on a 2D screen. Every 3D image or movie you view uses this same principle but may go about it in a slightly different manner.
Anaglyph Stereo
Once a popular method anaglyph is now more of a novelty due to its poor picture quality. In case you don't know the term anaglyph refers to the red and blue glasses which are usually made out of cardboard. The two separate images for the eye are created with either a red or a blue tint. The red or blue lenses filter out the corresponding image so each eye sees the different perspective. This technique is a novelty at best and is not really suitable for enjoying 3D movies in high definition full color.
Active Shutter Glasses Stereoscopy
Active shutter glasses use a method that is technically known as alternate-frame sequencing. Each eye has its view blocked by the lens going dark when the image that it is not supposed to be seeing is on the screen. For this method you effectively need to double the frame rate of playback as each eye is only seeing half of the animation. These higher frequencies are becoming the default standard of new model TVs and projectors.
Active shutter glasses have a couple of disadvantages. The major disadvantage is that the glasses require power either through a cord or from batteries. If you are blessed with a large family you are either going to create a jungle of cables or you will have a rather large expense for batteries. The major advantage is that the technology has been around for a while now and projectors and TVs using this method are relatively cheap. If you only need one or two pairs of glasses then this would be the way to go.
Polarized Light Stereoscopy
Technological research has created new ways of displaying 3D imagery in the home. Polarized light stereoscopy, currently popular in cinemas, is now being made available in the home marketplace through the use of projectors. It's a very efficient way of creating 3D images as both images can now be displayed on the screen at the same time. Special polarized lenses in the glasses are polarized to only let in the correct image while blocking the other.
There are some major advantages to this method but the one limiting disadvantage is that it is prohibitively expensive to the average home user. Projectors are currently the best way to display the images so you will need to buy a silver projector screen to get the best effect. Silver screens make sure the light reaching your eyes remains polarized so the picture retains its quality.
Because of it's advantages polarized light stereoscopy will eventually become the dominant method of playing 3D movies in the home. The glasses don't require batteries, are cheaper and also lighter than active shutter glasses. Viewing angles are also greater giving you the ability to have a larger and more widely dispersed audience. If you use shutter glasses you can expect about a 20% reduction in brightness. You get a much brighter image with polarized lenses as they only block about 10% of the light.
About the Author:
This article has been written by the author, Alex Blaken. Should you require any more 3D Cinema please visit his 3D Movies resources!
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