The Future Of TV Is 3D

 Don't you love it when you watch old shows and they talk about the reality of the future? With new options in 3D the future of 3D movies and games at home is here.

First off we will need a 3D television to watch TV in 3D. Some older sets are 3D compatible, but newer ones are actual 3D sets. Most sets will require 3D glasses too. Then all we need is some form of 3D media, such as a 3D blu-ray movie or a 3D cable channel.

The technology behind most 3D glasses is called stereopsis, which is two pictures projected onto one screen. The two main types of glasses are active shutter or polarized. Usually the active shutter glasses will have a sensor that connects to your TV which tells the lenses to open or close. When this is in sync with fast flashing images it tricks your eye into viewing the images in 3D.

Most movie theaters use polarized glasses. Polarized glasses allow us to see offset images in each eye. This tricks the brain into viewing 3D images. In movie theaters there are two projectors creating an image for each eye. Because of the expense of having two movie projectors in your home, most home 3D TVs use active shuter glasses. A nice advantage of the polarized glasses is that they don't require power.

If you want to watch 3D movies at home you will need a 3D movie. There are many 3D blu-ray choices becoming available. If you want your 3D blu-ray movie to be in true 3D make sure you use the latest HDMI 1.4 cable to connect your player to your set.

We admit 3D TV viewing is in it's infancy, but more options are being made available all the time. There are 3 new 3D channels being offered by Direct TV. One is a sampler channel, one is a pay per view channel, and one is an on demand channel. Comcast also has 3D view channel options. If you want to view 3D from your Direct TV box you will need to update the firmware and make sure it is connected with an HDMI 1.4 cable.

3D games are also on the verge of a break through. Sony is working on a firmware upgrade for the PS3. Yes, active shutter glasses will be required. But how immersive would a 3D game be. Star Trek here we come. My favorite HD channel Discovery is working on a 3D option as well as ESPN.

There are other options available too, such as glasses that you can view 3D images from the inside. You can even use them with a portable source such as your iPhone.

Some TV makers are working on 3D TVs that don't require 3D glasses. The technology behind this is called Parallax Barrier which is a liquid crystal placed in front of a TV screen. The barrier will direct the eye to different images creating a 3D effect. The alternating images will create a sense of depth and a 3D effect. This technology still has it's limitations for instance you have to be directly in front of the TV in order for it to work. Still there are promising options in 3D technology on the rise.

There are quite a few options in 3D TV viewing currently available. If you are in the market for a new TV it wouldn't hurt to get all of the bells and whistles. If not there is no harm in waiting until the standard is perfected.