A quick guide to 3D formats [update]
Believe it or not, 3D imaging technology is not new. In fact, looking back to the early days of photography, the stereoscope, which is a device used to take photographic images in 3D, was introduced as far back as the mid-1800s. The first 3D anaglyph movie was produced in the early 1900s. By the 1950s, when TV became popular among US households, 3D movies started to go mainstream.
Over the years, while technology has advanced by leaps and bounds, the key concept behind 3D images has remained pretty much the same--that is, to essentially create the illusion of depth by combining two different images, each seen by the left or right eye. The way this is done is what differentiates the various 3D TV formats.
Trivia:
Anaglyph images are often viewed through glasses with two-color lenses (typically with chromatically opposite colors like red and cyan) to create a 3D effect. This is possible because the pictures are made of two superimposed color layers. When a viewer looks at the picture through the glasses, each eye sees a different image which, when combined, tricks the human brain into perceiving depth--thus the 3D effect.
There are many 3D formats out there, but the three most common ones are the side-by-side, top-and-bottom and frame packing.
Side-by-side
(Credit: Philip Wong/CNET Asia)
This 3D format, commonly used in 3D broadcasting, works by halving the horizontal resolution of videos to store left and right eye images in each frame. It effectively displays up to 960 x 1,080-pixel pictures to each eye, enabling TV stations to telecast 3D content at a much lower bandwidth compared with 3D Blu-ray discs. Typical supported resolutions are limited to 720p and 1080i for 3D TV programs.
Users will need to manually select the correct 3D format to properly display side-by-side 3D content on a 3D TV.
| Pros | Cons | Content types |
|---|---|---|
| 1. One of the two ways free 3D content is transmitted 2. 720p and 1080i compatible 3. Most common 3D broadcasting format |
1. Halves the horizontal resolution for each eye resulting in softer visuals 2. Slightly higher resolution than DVDs at 720p 3. Have to manually configure TV to display side-by-side 3D |
Free-to-air broadcast, pay TV |
Top-and-bottom
Another alternative for 3D broadcast is the top-and-bottom format, which is pretty similar to side-by-side 3D except that it halves the vertical resolution instead. Available primarily up to 720p resolution, top-and-bottom 3D offers 1,280 pixels horizontally. The higher pixel count is generally considered more suitable for displaying panning motion in sports programs.
| Pros | Cons | Content types |
|---|---|---|
| 1. One of the two ways free 3D content is transmitted 2. Higher horizontal resolution more suitable for sports |
1. Halves the vertical resolution for each eye resulting in softer visuals 2. Slightly higher resolution than DVDs at 720p 3.Have to manually configure TV to display top-and-bottom 3D 4. Supports up to 720p only |
Free-to-air broadcast, pay TV |
Frame packing
(Credit: Philip Wong/CNET Asia)
As its name suggests, this format stacks the left and right eye images in each frame to retain the content's original resolution for the best 3D pictures. Most, if not all, 1080p 3D Blu-ray movie discs and 720p PS3 3D games are produced utilizing this technique. Another key differentiator is that all 3D TVs should be able to automatically detect frame-packing 3D signals and correctly display the content without user intervention.
| Pros | Cons | Content types |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Highest 3D picture quality 2. 720p and 1080p compatible 3. Automatically detected and formatted by 3D TVs |
1. Available mostly as paid content 2. Limited content compared with their 2D media |
3D Blu-ray movies, PS3 games, PC games |
About the author
A Back to the Future fan, Reuben Lee secretly hopes the flux capacitor works so he can go back in time to tell the younger him to invest in Google shares. This former engineering graduate stumbled from varsity straight into games and tech writing just for the fun at CNET Asia. He found it so much fun, he stayed on for the next 11 years. You can also catch this Senior Editor for chats on all things Japan, the manga One Piece, Star Wars, Liverpool and football, and racing games.
About the author
Philip Wong is an A/V, PC, photography and gaming enthusiast. Besides spending countless days and late nights fiddling with his home theater system and watercooled PC, he also hits the roads frequently on his iron horse to sweat it out. Now, who says geeks don't work out?
Latest comments
How will the TV automatically detect the frame packed 3D ? Since both the left eye and right eye picture is enclosed within a single frame (either using side by side or top/bottom structure), there should be some way for TV to separate out left eye and right eye pictures and present them sequenctially. Is there a band within the frame that gets detected by TV to do this job ? please explain ; thanks
what's your take on this alternative view of 3D? http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/hiner/stop-being-duped-by-the-3d-scam/7983?tag=nl.e098
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