Toshiba to launch first glasses-free 3D TV

[bigboss]

Toshiba to launch first glasses-free 3D TV
(AFP)

TOKYO — Japanese electronics giant Toshiba plans to market the world's first 3D television that does not need special glasses later this year, a report said on Tuesday.

Toshiba will unveil three models of the television, which will cost several thousand dollars, before Christmas, the Yomiuri Shimbun said.

The company has developed a new system that emits a number of rays of light with various angles from the screen so that viewers can see stereoscopic images without glasses, the daily said.

"People can enjoy images in three dimensions from various positions and suffer less stress," it said.

Japan's major electronics makers launched 3D television this year, but sales have not been as strong as expected while many customers have complained of being irritated by the glasses.

However, a Toshiba spokeswoman said: "We are not in a position to make any announcement."

 

[Anonymous]

hmmm , interesting bb

.. id say it will be costly though , cant see too many early adopters for these toshiba sets , i think you were spot on re. standardisation btw , it could be a few more years yet before the 3d picture becomes clear

 

[landzw]

If it works it will make active shutter tech obsolete and even i , thats if it doesn't give me a headache i would be interested in watching

Just think 3 to 4 years all those pretty active shutter 3D Tv's will be out of date

 

[Anonymous]

the proper test of 3D arrives in October when the 3D live broadcasts of the premier league start. If I end up watching in 2D as the glasses and pictures are irritating it could be all over very quickly, as I am sure my own opinion wont be to far different from evereybody else. I am sure sky are waiting too before over commiting resources to future programs in 3D -

we are at one of those defining moments where it could go either way ---- and it will be obvious very quickly from October which way its going

 

[landzw]

I don't know if people suffer as bad from the passive glasses , i know i do get a headache in the cinema but only after a longish period . With active shutter it was within a few minutes

 

[Clare Newsome]

There's a Toshiba press conference at the IFA show next Thursday afternoon (4-5 pm Berlin time). We'll be there reporting live for this very website.....

 

[bigboss]

Clare Newsome:There's a Toshiba press conference at the IFA show next Thursday afternoon (4-5 pm Berlin time). We'll be there reporting live for this very website.....

 

[bigboss]

maxflinn:hmmm , interesting bb

.. id say it will be costly though , cant see too many early adopters for these toshiba sets , i think you were spot on re. standardisation btw , it could be a few more years yet before the 3d picture becomes clear

I agree, it will be costly. I'm happy with my Kuro until 3D technology stabilizes.

 

[Anonymous]

bigboss:
maxflinn:hmmm , interesting bb

.. id say it will be costly though , cant see too many early adopters for these toshiba sets , i think you were spot on re. standardisation btw , it could be a few more years yet before the 3d picture becomes clear

I agree, it will be costly. I'm happy with my Kuro until 3D technology stabilizes.

ditto , my v20 will suffice for me for the next few years , im sure ive made the right choice

 

[Andrew Everard]

bigboss:The company has developed a new system that emits a number of rays of light with various angles from the screen so that viewers can see stereoscopic images without glasses, the daily said.

"People can enjoy images in three dimensions from various positions and suffer less stress," it said.

In other words, the well-tested idea of a Fresnel-type lens, or 'slits', over the screen, designed to deliver separate light paths to each eye. Seen demonstrations of the concept before, but it relies on relatively close viewing distances, on a particular plane parallel to the screen, and goes haywire if you stray off the ideal viewing positions to a shade either side.

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew Everard:bigboss:The company has developed a new system that emits a number of rays of light with various angles from the screen so that viewers can see stereoscopic images without glasses, the daily said.

"People can enjoy images in three dimensions from various positions and suffer less stress," it said.

In other words, the well-tested idea of a Fresnel-type lens, or 'slits', over the screen, designed to deliver separate light paths to each eye. Seen demonstrations of the concept before, but it relies on relatively close viewing distances, on a particular plane parallel to the screen, and goes haywire if you stray off the ideal viewing positions to a shade either side.
i so cant get my head around that

 

[bigboss]

Andrew Everard:bigboss:The company has developed a new system that emits a number of rays of light with various angles from the screen so that viewers can see stereoscopic images without glasses, the daily said.

"People can enjoy images in three dimensions from various positions and suffer less stress," it said.

In other words, the well-tested idea of a Fresnel-type lens, or 'slits', over the screen, designed to deliver separate light paths to each eye. Seen demonstrations of the concept before, but it relies on relatively close viewing distances, on a particular plane parallel to the screen, and goes haywire if you stray off the ideal viewing positions to a shade either side.

Exactly as I thought. There only a few "sweet spots" at various angles at certain distances in front of the screen. You can enjoy 3D if you're in those sweet spots. It's rubbish in other angles & distances.

 

[Bazzy]

Hi Claire!

Look forward to reading all about what you are able to gather from Toshiba! Claire, is there any chance you can find out at IFA 2010 what has happened to JVC as regards the TV Market? They have introduced no new models in 2010 & I really wonder if they are now still making TV's or have decided to exit the business?

Many Thanks,

Bazzy!

 

[Andrew Everard]

I'm sure Clare will, but interestingly the JVC exhibitor page for IFA highlights camcorders, microsystems and in-car stuff as star attractions, but no TVs.

 

[tvspecv]

maybe early adopters (myself included) should have waited

 

[AEJim]

Still can't really see the appeal of 3D, the system is just flawed in so many ways whichever interpretation of it you look at. Until some revolutionary new system akin to the holographic kind seen Sci-Fi films comes out then I just don't get why people go through such an uncomfortable experience to watch what would normally pleasant picture on a conventional screen.

The worst part is that film makers start ruining their own product by insisting on catering to it (by featuring scenes of people poking things towards the lens to "wow" the viewers). I can just see another spate of terrible b-movies like Jaws 3D, Friday the 13th part 3 etc coming along again where characters oddly stand around pointing harpoons at you...

3d gets thrust on us every decade or so since the 50's in yet another new variation then disappears as quickly as it came. I thought the same way when I saw the latest (current) tech a couple of years back as I do now - dodgy glasses and, on a small screen at least, very underwhelming effect. bleh.

 

[tvspecv]

i think 3d is big but the tech has not reached its potential when it does everyone will adapt to it

 

[aliEnRIK]

I can see it being a failure personally

 

[FunkyMonkey]

AEJim:

Still can't really see the appeal of 3D, the system is just flawed in so many ways whichever interpretation of it you look at. Until some revolutionary new system akin to the holographic kind seen Sci-Fi films comes out then I just don't get why people go through such an uncomfortable experience to watch what would normally pleasant picture on a conventional screen.

The worst part is that film makers start ruining their own product by insisting on catering to it (by featuring scenes of people poking things towards the lens to "wow" the viewers). I can just see another spate of terrible b-movies like Jaws 3D, Friday the 13th part 3 etc coming along again where characters oddly stand around pointing harpoons at you...

3d gets thrust on us every decade or so since the 50's in yet another new variation then disappears as quickly as it came. I thought the same way when I saw the latest (current) tech a couple of years back as I do now - dodgy glasses and, on a small screen at least, very underwhelming effect. bleh.

Interestingly, all your references seem to be from the dodgy 70's or before. Have you experienced it 3D Blu Ray? Heck, even cinemas give good 3D experience now. I've never seen examples in films where there is obvious pandering to 3D effect by objects pointlessly leaving the screen.

 

[AEJim]

FunkyMonkey:AEJim:
Still can't really see the appeal of 3D, the system is just flawed in so many ways whichever interpretation of it you look at. Until some revolutionary new system akin to the holographic kind seen Sci-Fi films comes out then I just don't get why people go through such an uncomfortable experience to watch what would normally pleasant picture on a conventional screen.

The worst part is that film makers start ruining their own product by insisting on catering to it (by featuring scenes of people poking things towards the lens to "wow" the viewers). I can just see another spate of terrible b-movies like Jaws 3D, Friday the 13th part 3 etc coming along again where characters oddly stand around pointing harpoons at you...

3d gets thrust on us every decade or so since the 50's in yet another new variation then disappears as quickly as it came. I thought the same way when I saw the latest (current) tech a couple of years back as I do now - dodgy glasses and, on a small screen at least, very underwhelming effect. bleh.

Interestingly, all your references seem to be from the dodgy 70's or before. Have you experienced it 3D Blu Ray? Heck, even cinemas give good 3D experience now. I've never seen examples in films where there is obvious pandering to 3D effect by objects pointlessly leaving the screen.

Very true that I was harking back a little with regard to the films there - but then that was the last big push on 3D, who know's what films may come out over the next 12 months...

With regard to the tech - myself and our head of R&D saw the 3D sets (which are out now) being demo'd at the CES show in early 2009, we gave them about 30 seconds of viewing before we both agreed it was nothing to get excited about. Now I may have been hasty, and I can see the appeal at the cinema or on a projector, but "standard" sized screens for watching 3D content and dodgy glasses that give you headache won't really last (in my opinion obviously, but really - can you see families sat around all wearing £50+ glasses to watch TV, then trying to snatch them back off the dog/toddler before they're destroyed while giving granny migraine pills to get over the shutter effect?).

Now Toshiba's take on it may solve some of that, but as Andrew pointed out, also has many limitations. The whole 3D thing all smacks off gimmickry to sell some new sets off the back of hype as there's little new to get excited about at the moment, I predict that when the dust settles 90%+ of people will not be bothering with it, or if they do it will be because it came with the set and appeal for a few weeks before the novelty wears off... Hell, even in Japan where they're mad on new tech it isn't catching on.

 

[Anonymous]

I never really got into the whole 3d thing as I seem to be the only one that cannot see 3d through those 80's style glasses but I did demo a sony 3d tv the other day and I wasnt espessially wowed and the glasses were not that comfy to wear over my normal specs and it seemed to dull the picture a little so I cannot see me adopting 3d until we have glasses less 3d tv and great picture quality to go with it

 

[cinemafan]

It's about time someone did! What took them so long?

Nobody is going to sit on their sofas and wear their ridiculous glasses to watch a novelty way of viewing a movie for heaven's sake!

 

[Anonymous]

I've heard the biggest size that will be offered by Toshiba is 21". I've not seen anything concrete though. That fits with what has been said of this sort of tech previously - not suited to larger screens, sweet spots and vomit inducing etc. Would be interested to hear what affect it has on 2D performance too.

 

[Anonymous]

AEJim:
Still can't really see the appeal of 3D ... very underwhelming effect. bleh.

Films I can take or leave, games are a different kettle of fish. What is important there is not the in your face popping out of the screen experience, but the sense of depth and spatial awareness which can really enhance the game. That's the appeal.

 

[Anonymous]

DrDamn you can get a great sense of depth and spatial awareness from a good TV that is outputing 2D without the need for a 3D tv to enhance gaming. Sadly my understanding of how it is going to work on games means that the overall resolution of the games is dumbed down to incorporate the 3D due to the limited hardware of the PS3 and Xbox although admittadely most games are displayed in 720P anyway.