3D HDTV Recommendations

[Shin Johnpv]

If I remember right you need at least a 144hz refresh rate. *edit* granted that's for movies, hdtv. Not sure about video games.

[Dyne]

Games is a crapshoot. There's no one real standard for 3-d implementation, even on the PS3. I've read so many articles at Digital Foundry and it makes my head spin keeping it straight.

[Yoshi]

If I remember right you need at least a 144hz refresh rate. *edit* granted that's for movies, hdtv. Not sure about video games.

It's 120Hz on PC. No clue on PS3.

[MechDeus]

I think Johnpv might be referring to something about movie theaters, since 144 is divisible by 24. Film normally runs at 24fps and IMAX can do 48fps, but they run two projectors at once so it should still only be doubled (and rounded to accommodate normal TV standards when ported to HDTVs). No clue what else that might be about.

[FirstBlood]

I think the fact that 120hz works on PC while every 120hz TV doesn't leads to the idea that it's all a big scam or whatever from the TV companies.

I mean there's probably some technical gain to using 240hz or whatever it is, so the TV companies can cite that as the reason but when 120hz was the big selling point one year, and then the next it's 3D and the 120hz that everyone has from last year isn't compatible at all while PCs are still using 120hz it just makes you wonder.

[Shin Johnpv]

I think Johnpv might be referring to something about movie theaters, since 144 is divisible by 24. Film normally runs at 24fps and IMAX can do 48fps, but they run two projectors at once so it should still only be doubled (and rounded to accommodate normal TV standards when ported to HDTVs). No clue what else that might be about.

Indeed I was, figured movies in theaters and movies on BD would have the same requirements. In movie theaters to cut down on stuttering during pans, fast movement and things like that, each frame from each eye is shown 3 times. Hence the 144, 2(24*3), I just figured with Bluray 3d, since any films on them are going to be in 24fps, it would be the same. I could totally be wrong though.

[MechDeus]

In movie theaters to cut down on stuttering during pans, fast movement and things like that, each frame from each eye is shown 3 times. Hence the 144, 2(24*3)

Okay, I figured the math but wasn't sure why it would be specifically 3 since that seemed like an odd number.

I just figured with Bluray 3d, since any films on them are going to be in 24fps, it would be the same. I could totally be wrong though.

When ported to TV, movies are converted to 30/25fps (NTSC/PAL) since that's the standard. It's part of why a movie loses that "film" look when viewed on a TV. For 3D on a TV they alternate back and forth one frame at a time (which the shutter glasses match up to, alternating eyes) so it'll be divisible by 30/60/120/etc.

[Shin Johnpv]

Okay, I figured the math but wasn't sure why it would be specifically 3 since that seemed like an odd number.

I've got a couple friends who are stereoscopic compositors and they say that's the number that helps cut down jitters and jerky movements. If that's true no idea.

When ported to TV, movies are converted to 30/25fps (NTSC/PAL) since that's the standard. It's part of why a movie loses that "film" look when viewed on a TV. For 3D on a TV they alternate back and forth one frame at a time (which the shutter glasses match up to, alternating eyes) so it'll be divisible by 30/60/120/etc.

They don't convert movies any more. That was the standard for NTSC. Bluray (and HDDVD) movies are actually encoded on the disc at 24 fps and aren't run through a 3:2 pulldown before being authored onto the disc like dvds are. Your TV or Bluray player may run them through a pulldown if your tv doesn't support 24fps but they're all still encoded at 24fps. The HD standard supports 24fps, you have to have a tv with the right refresh rate to do it but its there. Yeah broadcast tv is still 30fps. I just assumed that the main consumable for 3D would be movies and that the TV manufacturers would deal with multiples of the 24fps that every feature film on BD is encoded at.

[MechDeus]

They don't convert movies any more. That was the standard for NTSC. Bluray (and HDDVD) movies are actually encoded on the disc at 24 fps and aren't run through a 3:2 pulldown before being authored onto the disc like dvds are.

I learned something new today.

The home standards so far have been 120hz for TVs and monitors to run stuff at 60fps, so I would guess they'll stick with that multiple for eventual TV show and wider videogame support. Probably won't really happen for those until glassesless TVs work better and are affordable.

[Gohron]

If the glasses don't know which shutter to close when, there is no 3D, so it's more than novel.

Also, the refresh rate is more important than the resolution to 3D. You can do solid 3D in 720p but not really at 60 Hz.

Ah, I wasn't aware how the new glasses worked. That being important, I think my point still stands (albeit with refresh rates incorporated). I just don't think it's worth the money and I'm comfortable enough watching movies in a regular way without having to wear glasses. It'd be interesting if they were able to develop the tech to not need glasses but it seems like it would be quite difficult to do outside of handheld gaming consoles like the 3DS.