ActiveShutter Archive

  • ESPN 3D officially launches with FIFA World Cup coverage: live from Bristol

    ESPN 3D officially launches with FIFA World Cup coverage: live from Bristol

    Posted on June 11, 2010 | No Comments
    It's official, one of the most popular networks in the US (if not the world) kicked off its 3D branch in style today, and we made the trek to ESPN's campus in Bristol, Connecticut to experience it first hand. Put simply, the campus is any gadget or sports nerd's paradise; technology is oozing from every corner of every building, including the one we gathered with other press today in order to witness the start of a monumental three-dee journey. At the front of the large conference room was a 72-inch Samsung DLP, which was delivering the 2010 FIFA World Cup kickoff in 3D from Johannesburg, South Africa. It should be noted that none of the 25 World Cup matches that'll be delivered in 3D are being shot by ESPN; instead, FIFA has contracted HDS to shoot and distribute a "world feed." We didn't notice too many glitches during the opening match, but ESPN assures us that native transfers will look even better once they kick things off here in the homeland with the MLB Home Run Derby from Anaheim on July 12th. As for the tech side of things, ESPN was taking in the 1080i50 side by side 3D signal and converting it to the US-friendly 720p 60 side by side, and since DLP sets expect the checkerboard 3D format, a RealD POD was used to make the link between the cable set-top-box and the TV. The glasses were supplied by XpanD, but not the same universal shutter glasses that we expect to be available at retail soon.

    Afer we took in the setup, we sat down to enjoy the match, which was opened with a handful of pristinely shot 3D commercials -- of course. A Sony spot kicked off with a soccer team practicing, and naturally ended with a goal exploding in slow motion; without a doubt, this was one of the more spectacular uses of 3D that we've seen, though we're guessing that the budget for the ad was somewhere near the stratosphere. The other commercials weren't any less impressive, with another trio concerning a Gillette razor, Toy Story 3, and a downright comical 'This is SportsCenter' ad where Niel Everett gets a little too close to a pricey 3D camera with his trusty Louisville Slugger. We'll be bringing you more coverage from here in Bristol as the day continues, with the grand finale coming in a special Engadget Show segment that should go up next week. For now, head on past the break for a few impressions from the 1-1 draw.

    Gallery: ESPN 3D launch: live from Bistol, CT

    Continue reading ESPN 3D officially launches with FIFA World Cup coverage: live from Bristol

    ESPN 3D officially launches with FIFA World Cup coverage: live from Bristol originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Toshiba Dynabook TX/98MBL is first to play Blu-ray 3D content

    Toshiba Dynabook TX/98MBL is first to play Blu-ray 3D content

    Posted on June 7, 2010 | No Comments
    Ah industry firsts, a chance to grab the spotlight before the world grabs hold of your coattails. Toshiba's Dynabook TX/98MBL claims to be the industry's first laptop to play back 3D content in Blu-ray format when it ships at the end of July in Japan. The 15.6-inch laptop with LED backlit 120Hz panel (60Hz to each eye when viewed through active shutter glasses) pushing 1,366 x 768 pixels utilizes WinDVD BD to playback the Blu-ray 3D format with some help from NVIDIA's 3D Vision software and GeForce GTS 350M hardware with 1GB of dedicate video RAM. Inside you'll find a Core i7-740QM processor, 640GB of hard disk, up to 4GB of memory, a Blu-ray disc drive of course, and harman/kardon stereo speakers with Dolby Advanced Audio to help make the most out of 3D gaming. Price is not listed but it's expected to list for about ¥250,000 (about $2,700). What, you do want 3D on your 15-inch laptops don't you?

    Toshiba Dynabook TX/98MBL is first to play Blu-ray 3D content originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 03:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Sharp plunges headfirst into 3D market with LV-series Quattron TVs, Blu-ray DVRs

    Sharp plunges headfirst into 3D market with LV-series Quattron TVs, Blu-ray DVRs

    Posted on June 2, 2010 | No Comments
    Looks like Sharp's keeping its word -- next month, the fourth-largest LCD TV maker will launch a slate of new 3D TVs in Japan, just as planned. Based on the same Sharp Quattron quad-pixel technology that made George Takei's jaw drop, the new LV-series of AQUOS panels will come in 40-, 46-, 52- and 60-inch sizes when they debut July 30th, and feature 1080p resolution, UV²A panels and a high-speed signaling technology named FRED that Sharp says increases brightness and reduces crosstalk. More interesting are the AN-3DG10 glasses that come with them, which reportedly allow each individual viewer decide whether to view content in 2D or 3D -- we're guessing by tweaking the glasses to show either the left or right image to both eyes simultaneously, instead of flipping back and forth. Of course, you'll also need something to watch, and thus Sharp will also release a pair of Blu-ray DVR units, the BD-HDW700 and BD-HDW70, which record two simultaneous Japanese television programs onto terabyte-sized hard drives when they're not sending Blu-ray 3D content to the aforementioned displays.

    While mum's the word on pricing, Impress Watch believes the TVs will start around ¥280,000 (around $3,067) and top out at a cool ¥600,000 ($6,581) for that 60-incher, and says that US and European variants are expected later this year. While you wait, why not take a deep dive into the details -- you'll find an entire brochure's worth at our source links.

    Sharp plunges headfirst into 3D market with LV-series Quattron TVs, Blu-ray DVRs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 01:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Sanyo brings short-focus projector into the third dimension, may never look back

    Sanyo brings short-focus projector into the third dimension, may never look back

    Posted on May 18, 2010 | No Comments
    Sanyo's been a relatively large player in the short-focus / short-throw projector game for awhile now, so frankly, this was inevitable. As everyone (and their third cousin, in fact) races to jump on the three-dee bandwagon, the aforesaid company has just pumped out its first 3D short-focus PJ. The PDG-DWL2500J doesn't boast the most amazing of specs -- the native resolution sits at just WXGA -- but it can project a 3D image from a distance as short as 2.4 centimeters. It also touts a maximum projection size of 110 inches, and it can be installed vertically or horizontally depending on your mood. There's also an HDMI socket, Ethernet port, 16:10 aspect ratio, 2,500 lumens of brightness, a single 10-watt speaker and a price tag that'll probably make you spit out your morning coffee. Word on the street has it that this one will launch next month in Japan for ¥450,000, and if that $4,868 conversion follows it stateside, you can bet only a handful will be lined up to drag one home.

    Sanyo brings short-focus projector into the third dimension, may never look back originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 May 2010 10:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Samsung and Panasonic 3DTVs use same active shutter glasses tech, but are (mostly) incompatible

    Samsung and Panasonic 3DTVs use same active shutter glasses tech, but are (mostly) incompatible

    Posted on May 5, 2010 | No Comments
    At a recent London shindig to promote its 3D television sets, Samsung revealed that the active shutter glasses used to view its glorious, mighty, breathtaking 3D content are based on the same technology as Panasonic's, only they're reversed. That is to say, using your Sammy 3D specs to view Panasonic's 3DTVs won't work -- unless you flip them upside down. You read that right, the two companies have opted for different implementations of the same technology, resulting in the farcical outcome that glasses will be interchangeable between their sets only if you're happy to wear them upside down. How that's gonna help the 3D takeup effort, we don't know, but Samsung R&D chief Simon Lee does see a light at the end of this dim, poorly focused tunnel, stating that manufacturers are likely to agree a common active shutter glasses standard "as early as next year." You might wanna look XpanD's way if you want universal compatibility before then, or away in disgust if you're already tired of all the absurdity surrounding 3D.

    Samsung and Panasonic 3DTVs use same active shutter glasses tech, but are (mostly) incompatible originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 May 2010 03:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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