3D Television: Active Shutter versus Passive technology

[Sensorei]

Is there an industry standard for active glasses? will they be compatible across various manufacturers?

There should be but unfortunately they are manufacturer specific which is pretty stupid. But there is a company called Xpand that makes 3d glasses that work with most TVs. The limiting factor though is that pre 2011 3d TVs used infra red and the new TVs use blutooth.

 

[Rouxenator]

Wearing glasses? No thanks, that's a fail.

 

[chubster]

How about a 3rd option, 2D. I guess I will never be able to enjoy a 3D movies.

 

[adrianm]

Passive shutter. Less chance of nausea and headaches...

 

[OverKill69]

So can it be used for ANYTHING?

The picture is amazing at 720p... but I thought Lemme give this 3D nonsense a go since I already have a 3D Video Card, a 3D Blu-Ray/Game Console combo, a HDMI 1.4 Compliant AV Receiver with all the trimmings, and now a "3D Ready" Projector.

Well... it doesn't end there...

The Projector (all "3D Ready" projectors in the R10k bracket) requires a DLP or NVIDIA 3Dview complaint decoder and IR emitter to sync with your active shutter glasses. Which is a real ball-ache because they are friggen hard to come by in this country... there is one that APPARENTLY can work with the PS3 but it isn't found here and it costs over $300 in the US and then you still have to fork out for these fancy glasses (another $150).
or...
you could go the NVIDIA 3Dview route and use the PC instead... but then... you need to buy the NVIDIA 3Dview kit, which is rarer than chicken teeth!
That has the IR emitter and 1 set of glasses... I think the set goes for R2000ish but the added bonus is that apparently that emitter can work with other branded active shutter glasses... But then you're looking at roughly R1500 a pair for crusty Samsungs, and R2500 for ones which match the NVIDIA spec...

It just seems like an endless BALL ACHE to get 3D to work!

And then... there's the media available... I've seen 3 Blu-Rays for sale with proper 3D... Tron, Avatar, and 3D sea monsters or something... I've looked in every DVD/CD/BD store I've come across and there just isn't anything else on the shelves...
So... why bother going 3D for Blu-Rays? Since Stores don't stock them?
You could order them... but then how do we know the std won't change again? because it has from the 1st gen 3D tvs to this years... THE PS3 DOES NOT SUPPORT ANY 3D TV PRODUCED BEFORE FEB 2011... nice huh?

Then there's the games... I've seen a few 3D ready PS3 games... but I refuse to get excited about laying out R600-R700 for a game just for the sake of looking really stoopid wearing goggles while my friends throw up all over my furniture from watching the screen without glasses.

Then there's the PC Option... apparently there's media available for download that is in 3D. I haven't come across any that support ACTIVE SHUTTER 3D. there are some mkvs in PASSIVE format where the picture is perma-blurred, but then you need a WHOLE DIFFERENT SYSTEM!

Now the games is where the PC option might make sense... but you got the same problem as the PS3 games... you're the only one able to see the 3D unless you shell out for extra glasses...

I ask myself... is it all worth it?

Naaaaaah... not really...

But I'll probably do it anyway! Hahahahahaha!
And if the worst comes to the worst.. I've still learned about the whole thing and not just swallowed the sales rubbish!
"3D in the Home" is a money making gimmick! There is no denying it... but hey! That's what "we enthusiasts" are all about... being enthusiastic about gimmicks!

 

[Sensorei]

It just seems like an endless BALL ACHE to get 3D to work!

Solution: Get a 51" PS51D490 for about R8800 then you can play any of the hundreds of PC games that can support 3D or choose from the few PS3 3D games available.

You can pick up the bluetooth SSG3100 3D glasses on eBay for only R350 ($53) including Fedex 5-7 day shipping.

On your PC install the TriDef 3D software (supports ATI and Nvidia) and you are good to go.

 

[JerryMungo]

Solution: Get a 51" PS51D490 for about R8800 then you can play any of the hundreds of PC games that can support 3D or choose from the few PS3 3D games available.

You can pick up the bluetooth SSG3100 3D glasses on eBay for only R350 ($53) including Fedex 5-7 day shipping.

On your PC install the TriDef 3D software (supports ATI and Nvidia) and you are good to go.

Overkill let us know how it goes!

And don't let it get to you, it's just overkill!
[video=youtube;Lcu7OCIqlqE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcu7OCIqlqE[/video]

 

[Jan]

But then goes on to say that Active has a bigger viewing angle.
So, when you invite your friends over to watch 3D sport, you have to huddle together to get full effect?

The viewing angle Samsung was pointing out was the vertical one, not the horizontal one. Funny enough, LG claims their Passive 3D tech has a wider horizontal viewing angle than Active Shutter TVs.

Does the PS3 and other Blu-Ray players support both active and passive? Or is it a function of the TV to output using the correct technology. All these compatibility questions are making my head spin.

supports both its the function of the tv as to how to output the data thats how i understand thou i could be speaking under correction

LG demoed an Xbox 360 hooked up to one of their Passive 3D TVs recently. If we get a chance to review one I'll definitely test whether it supports the PS3's output, but I don't see a reason why it wouldn't.