Posted 10.04.2010 at 11:17 am
16 Comments
Toshiba Glasses-Free 3DTV (20-Inch)
Toshiba
A recent study found that consumers actually become less interested in 3DTV at home after trying it, due in part to the lack of 3D content and the high price of 3DTVs, but also to the problem of having to wear those dumb glasses all the time. The lack of content and high price might not have changed, but Toshiba is determined to lose the shades--and they're bringing glasses-free 3D to Japan by December.
Toshiba announced today that they'll be releasing two 3DTV models that use multi-parallax tech to eliminate the need for glasses. This tech is pretty similar to what's used in Nintendo's upcoming (and surprisingly expensive) 3DS: There are an array of tiny vertical slits in the screen which can precisely regulate what kind of light reaches each eye. That does require that the viewer be in a particular "sweet spot" relative to the screen, however.
In a handheld device like the 3DS, that's not such a big deal: People generally hold handheld consoles at a specific angle and distance from their eyes. But a TV is much trickier, with variable angles and distances and the large problem of requiring more than one "sweet spot," since TVs, unlike handhelds, almost always have more than one viewer. Toshiba's TVs have nine separate perspectives, though the company recommends a particular viewing distance (about 35 inches away from the larger model, and 26 inches away from the smaller one).
Multi-parallax tech is undeniably impressive; the Nintendo 3DS is shocking at first, as you don't expect the 3D effect to be nearly as vivid and noticeable as it is. I haven't seen these Toshiba TVs in action, so I can't speak for the effectiveness of the 3D, but it is clear that some of the other limitations--notably price and size--are in full force. The TVs are only available in a 12-inch and 20-inch model, with specs that aren't particularly thrilling. The 20-incher is an LED-backlit set with a 720p resolution--just fine at that size; you won't notice a difference between 1080p and 720p on a set smaller than about 47 inches--and the standard HDMI and USB inputs. The 12-incher is maybe more like a fancy and prohibitively expensive photo viewer, with a mere (and odd) 466 x 350 resolution and an SD slot for loading pictures.
The smaller model will cost about $1,400, and the larger will cost around $2,800--insanely expensive. You could get a beautiful 50-inch plasma TV for the same price as that teeny 20-incher--but, of course, you're paying to be the earliest of the early adopters. Toshiba is planning to release both models in Japan sometime in December.
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First!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, that is SO ugly. Yet I still want one. lol
That narrow viewing angle (and high price) will be hard to sell.
3DTV is a waste - why would I spend that kind of money to enjoy a small amount of content that only a few people can enjoy at the same time? Especially when already affordable 1080P TV's are getting even less expensive every month.
Just be sure to bring along your bank.
no interest here...why does it look like that?
Just so I have this right-- I can share my 20" 3D TV with eight other people, so long as all of us are sitting about three feet away -- I'd think that 3-4 'sweetspots' would be more than enough for a small TV that you have to be that close to...
This looks interesting; I'd buy it if it wasn't for the hefty price.
www.dotgeekblogs.blogspot.com
What's wrong with 2D tv?
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One step closer to in home halogram technology.
If these are going to use the same technology as the 3DS, then I am unimpressed. Cool piece of technology, but not anything I'd spend a whole lot of money on. It's so tiny, 3D doesn't matter.
I can't help but wonder if the adoption of color over B&W TVs engendered similar reprisals in their day. I can't help but think if in the next 5-10 years we'll be looking at 2D in a similar way as we did B&W in the 80s.
lol... in the 80s?
Not likely. Human perspective is very maliable. Field of vision, however, is not.
This is why you have people fall down and vomit at Disney's 360 degree video "rides" but even with good 3D never become so imersed as to check their periphireal vision.
I am pretty sure that a Farenheit 451 scenario with multiple wall size TVs giving a 360 degree experience would be a more engaging media than a tiny 3D screen at the same cost.
if this excites you then you need to get your fat ass up off the couch and get a life. do you really care what Peter Griffens ass looks like in 3d? this is such a waste of time.
im gonna give toshiba a bit of advice on this one. ive been to japan and i know how japanese companys work internally, and it makes sense to me why stuff like this hits the market, BUT... Lets think clearly here.
Q. Who wants a 3dtv?
A. People who play videogames, almost nobody else. Wake up world.
Q. Do those people care much about glasses?
A. Absolutely not. Make them stylish and customizable and they will be as popular as the $20 dollar logitech headset with the colour plates that every single gamer on the planet owns. Have the headset/mic built in (this is a must), make it techy, lightweight and useful. It must be wearable for 8+ hours straight. It must be wireless or USB. Usable with pc and possibly mac also for when 3d monitors follow suit. It will sell like crazy even if it has a $199 price tag.
Q. What should be done for this product to sell (tv)?
A. Get 3d videogames on the market. Market it with videogames being its flagship. Get the price down to something that the average payed north american and Japanese person could afford to buy on 6 months of saved income. End of story.