More in the pipeline on . . . Low Cost 3D for the Home on the Way! IBM Demonstrates 3D TV Technology . . .posted about here recently.

Nick Farrell . . .

IBM is set to release 3D television technology which is nearly half the cost of current systems. 3D video has been around for a while, but one of the things that have held it back has been the steep cost. A normal system will set you back at least $1,800 and use two projectors to simulate both left and right views needed to form 3D image. Big Blue boffins have worked out a way of creating a 3D video system that works with normal DLP (Digital Light Processing) televisions and needs only one projector. It does this by adding lots of frames per second to give giving the image an authentic three dimensional look. It is a “black box” device which can be connected to any DLP projector or television via the common VESA (Video Experts Standards Association) 3 pin stereo connector. Currently IBM needs a manufacturing partner to bring the technology to market. Apparently it is compatible with OpenGL and Direct Draw – both software components of the Microsoft Windows operating system. You still need 3D glasses to correctly view the image and practically no video is shot in 3D yet. But it will be nice when it comes.

I was under the impression that the so-called Black Box solution was part of the demonstration model but that it was tiedi into the conversion of existing sets that would cost about US$1000. However, for new manufacturing lines, the cost of adding the technology would be about US$20 and would be built into the system rather than as an additional black box.

There aren’t many 3D movies being made right now, but we are obviously seeing quite a bit of professional activity to create more and many folks still have 3D adaptors for their camcorders (well, I have one) that allows them to shoot their own 3D content. My 3D video system became obsolete when CRT was dropped as the standard so I’m really rather jolly-good-happy-camper about the prospects of finally getting to use it again in a compatible and flicker-free system.

DCCCafe Weekly . . .

IBM, a company known best for being at the technological forefront when it first created the computer chip, has just recently debuted something that can be revolutionary for the consumption of digital content everywhere. Now, for the (relatively) small cost of $1000, you can take your DLP TV or projector and make it 3D. Unfortunately, you would still have to wear those dorky glasses. But besides that, this is the closest thing technology has ever come to bringing “true” 3D – that is, objects that literally appear to pop out of the screen at you – in the home. The new technology, announced at the 22nd annual Flat Information Displays conference held in San Francisco this month, has many applications. It has been a silent wish of both 3D game developers and players, who want to become even more fully immersed inside their gaming experience. Knowing that the gaming market would be critical in the development and sales of their invention, IBM has made it fully compatible with Open-GL and Direct Draw, both components that allow software developers to manipulate video on Windows-based computers to implement 3D graphics. There are other uses that many do not immediately think of, but are definitely cool. Sports channels, like ESPN, have been considering filming sports events in 3D. Two things have been holding back sports channels: the high cost of the 3D recording cameras, and the fact that there are no real viewers who have the capability to watch games in the 3D format. It seems like the latter concern should be taken care of, especially if games can now be played in 3D on the TV. As costs come down for 3D cameras, we can assume that we’ll soon be able to feel the full impact of a tackle as we’re watching it from our living rooms. The technology behind the innovation is incredibly complex and powerful. In order to work properly, the TV screen or projector must project a “left” and then “right” image (the image that you would see to the left of you and the right of you if it were truly popping out of your television), one after the other, in very rapid speeds. These images are then picked up by the eye as separate through the glasses, which somehow (don’t ask me how, I only took introductory biology in college) tricks the mind to convert the flat images into 3D. In order to project at such rapid speeds, the images need to be processed at about 144 frames per second. This is much faster than what most computer graphics cards are able to handle today, even at the high end. In order for the graphics to work in this projector, IBM must have developed some relatively superb graphics processors, which in part explain the costs. The technology represents a significant leap over previous technologies that required the user to have two projectors – each projecting a “left” and “right” image. Now that IBM has developed a way to shoot the images really quickly side-by-side, you only need one projector, which does away with a major source of the high costs of playing a game or watching your favorite sports in 3D. One high cost of 3D not yet done away with is the dorkiness cost of the glasses that many seem to never get over. For some unknown reason, people refuse to participate in activities that require them to wear 3D glasses, which has been a problem ever since the 3D movie format debuted in the 1970s. To overcome this, some producers are considering making cool-looking 3D “sunglasses” that people can wear while playing games. Still, many will stay out of this market as long as wearing anything is involved. Some will just have to wait until the first truly 3D representation of a projected object – holograms – become a reality, which may be quite a wait. The technology is still off in the future quite a bit. IBM has still not found a manufacturer to produce their concept. IBM often focuses on research and development, and contracts our manufacturing. I see this as one more piece of evidence that this is an industry that is growing rapidly, as the ability to see true-3D in games will draw even more participants into the market, and hopefully interest more people in 3D modeling.

First, the glasses are not dorky. They do not turn one into a dork nor are they completely or utterly painful to wear. They are an inconvenience, especially for those of us who wear eyeglasses, but they are not the major impediment to widespread penetration of three-dimensional entertainment. The big walls are affordability, flicker, ghosting, and content. If the NBA were to start broadcasting in three dimensions, couch potatoes the world over would buy systems . . . if the content is there and if the system provides comfortable viewing . . . folks would buy the systems, even if the system required them to sit naked on their couches with one foot in cold icewater and the other in lime jello with electrodes attached to their nipples. Sure, I know, some folks would buy that system even if it weren’t three-dee. Once hardware is worked out and content is solid, then systems will saturate . . . I know . . . catch twenty-two as hardware vendors are skittish without content and content creators are skittish without working hardware . . . welcome to the reality of stereographic entertainment for the last fifty years ever since the Realist craze died down.

Physorg . . .

International Business Machines, a worldwide leader in technology innovation, has announced a new and affordable 3D video system that works with normal DLP (Digital Light Processing) televisions. Before now, 3D video systems would set you back at least $1,800 while the price of IBM’s new system is expected to be only $1000 – if only a grand sounds cheap to you. This “black box” device can be connected to any DLP projector or television via the common VESA (Video Experts Standards Association) 3 pin stereo connector. IBM demonstrated the new system on a 50-inch, flat-screen Texas Instruments rear-projection digital television at the 22nd annual Flat Information Displays conference held in San Francisco this month. “This was on the drawing board for about two years and now we’re at the conceptual proof-of-concept stage. We are here to look for a manufacturing partner to bring the technology to market,” said Jim Santoro, a technology license program manager from IBM’s office in Poughkeepsie near IBM’s corporate headquarters in Armonk, New York. IBM tends to develop cutting edge technology and then license it to third party manufactures rather than build and sell finished products. This strategy allows them to keep pouring funds in to basic research and cutting edge technology. It also permits wide dissemination of it’s technologies throughout the industry increasing chances for permanent adoption over competing technologies. Exact details concerning the 3D technology – still unnamed – were not forthcoming, but the company spokesperson said it was compatible with OpenGL and Direct Draw – both software components of the Microsoft Windows operating system that allow programmers to manipulate video for computer games. While 3D monitors and projectors have been around for a few years, IBM’s approach is the first to use a single projector to simulate both left and right views needed to form 3D image. Normal 3D units need two projectors. IBM has managed to alternate the video frames to give the appearance of double projectors without the added cost. This means adding video frames – lots of them. While normal “live” video is 30 frames per second, this device processes 144fps. First you see the frames from the left and then the right perspective giving the image an authentic three dimensional look. While technical details are scare, the device obviously uses some serious video processing hardware to build the 3D image: 144fps video is far beyond the capacity of almost all computer graphics cards. On the downside, you still need 3D glasses to correctly view the image and practically no video is shot in 3D as it requires more expensive cameras, but as price drops and general interest rises, this is sure to change. Some sports TV networks have expressed interest in filming NFL games in 3D. To shoot in 3D, TV networks would need to install expensive 3D cameras and image processing hardware. The OpenGL and Direct Draw compatibility is definitely aimed at software developers who make games – computer gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry. Imagine being able to play Halo 2 in 3D – VERY cool. The technology also lends its self to the creation of high end presentation software – think 3D Power Point. While this technology is definitely more economical than current models and its PC compatibility may usher in a host of 3D games, it still may become obsolete with the introduction of the holy grail of 3D displays – inexpensive models that do not require funky glasses. Now that would truly be something.

The price points given here are not for complete systems. See the original IBM announcements. It is US$1000 to convert a current set and US$20 to add in to manufacturing for a new model.

IBM’s solution is NOT the first single-projector three dimensional system. There are others. Heck, the Real D system is single-projector. There are commercial home sets with single projectors (see the Sensio). IBM’s solution is innovative in that it is dirt cheap compared to other systems and that it uses polarization rather than shutter glasses in a single projector system. Most previous polarized systems are dual projector.

There are autostereoscopic displays (no glasses) but they don’t come close to most glasses systems yet and tend to have limited “sweet spots” where the 3D can be seen to best effect.

The gaming element is a big turn on. Expect my review of an adaptor to play PS2 games in 3D within a week or so.

The IBM news is big, but still early as they look for manufacturing partners. However, it is very encouraging . . . especially as Big Blue is a pretty big ass technology player and this development shows that the major players are beginning to take stereoscopic technology seriously as the wave of the future.