Computer Graphics World

March 2009 30 n n n n Stereoscopy certified to work with the kit, as well. In fact, these large-screen televisions have been 3D-ready for some time. Mitsubishi launched its first 3D-equipped system in 2007; now, the company's entire current line of Home eatre TVs come 3D-ready in screen sizes from 60 to 73 inches. As for 3D projection systems, Light- speed's DepthQ HD 3D Projector, which uses DLP technology from Texas In- struments and has a native resolution of 1280x720, is also certified by Nvidia to support its offering. In 3D mode, the projector offers ap- proximately 2000 lumens of brightness and approximately 2500 lumens in 2D mode with a contrast ratio of 2000:1 full on/full off. is new projector is the first portable WXGA stereoscopic 3D projec- tor, offering 120hz stereo 3D at 1280x720 resolution. Capable of producing 120 unique frames per second, the DepthQ Projector's total achievable throughput of visual data is roughly equivalent to the highest 2D broadcast standard to date: 1080 60p. e big advantage of this product is the large size of the projected image. As the company states, "Just imagine your favorite video games nine feet wide and as deep as the universe!" Having seen the Lightspeed system in action, I have to say that it is an impressive experience. iZ3D Nvidia's system of active shuttered glasses is not the only game in town. iZ3D has de- veloped a proprietary system, a monitor that works with passive polarized glasses. e company's current monitor, priced at $399, is a 22-inch 2D/3D switchable widescreen LCD, with full 1680x1050 resolution to both eyes. It also supports 16.7 million colors, has a 5 msec response time, sports a 170-degree 3D viewing angle, and features a dual-input interface and user-controllable 3D effects settings (both convergence and separation). iZ3D also offers the 22-inch monitor in six special-edition, custom-painted models created by Smooth Creations. ese mod- els, available only at www.iz3d.com, were commissioned at the request of customers who wanted their 3D monitors to garner attention at LAN parties. ese custom- painted monitors sell for $549. Also active at CES, iZ3D previewed two new monitors that are projected for release in the third quarter. e 22-inch, $399 model, with a switchable 3D/2D screen, will sport a single input for game consoles that will make it possible to play many popular Mi- crosoft Xbox 360 or Sony PS3 games in stereo. For the most part, it will support games that were originally cre- ated with 3D modeling tools. e new 26- inch model will have dual inputs but may also be available as single input, although that has not been confirmed yet. e iZ3D system superimposes two images created on two precisely stacked TFT (thin-film transistor) LCDs (liquid crystal displays). Based on polarized light, this technology creates images for left- and right-eye viewing. But unlike film and filters with fixed polarizer angles for pro- jectors, iZ3D controls left- and right-eye image creation by dynamically changing the polarity of each picture element (pixel). Left-eye and right-eye images are addressed and controlled simultaneously. With the software-based iZ3D image-control algo- rithm, the back TFT LCD controls the intensity of the transmitted light and the front TFT LCD controls the polarization angle of the transmitted light. DDD Another aspect that must be considered in the evolution of 3D gaming is the capability of the drivers to convert existing games to 3D. Drivers have varying degrees of success in their ability to create convincing immer- sive experiences, and another player in this field is Dynamic Digital Depth (DDD). With a long history of converting film and video to stereo in postproduction, combined with innovative algorithms and steady advances in processing power, DDD has made leading real-time 2D-to-3D con- version technologies available. Its TriDef 2D-to-3D Conversion SDK allows users to convert existing 2D photos or movies into 3D photos or movies, in real time. Taking the concept a step further, the company offers a package that combines a pair of shuttered glasses with its software; this can then be used with a number of monitors that can be purchased separately from various manufacturers. DDD's 3D single-user pack—which includes one pair of wireless glasses, a 3D transmitter, and a CD containing the TriDef 3D Experience software for Win- dows XP/Vista—is priced under $150. e 3D starter pack, costing under $200, contains an extra set of glasses. Additional glasses can be purchased for less than $50. The Nvidia GeForce 3D Vision kit, with shuttered glasses and cabling, works with a range of monitors and projectors, including those from ViewSonic, Samsung, and more.

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