After Sharp and I-cubed showcased their 4K prototype LCD TV earlier at the CEATEC, Toshiba has now displayed one of their own at the CEATEC. With the resolution the same as the Sharp 4K TV (4 times the standard Full HD resolution, i.e. 3,840×2,160), the REGZA 55X3 also boasts Toshiba’s glassless 3D tech. The 4K resolution is however, only reserved for two dimensional viewing as three dimensional pictures will be displayed at only 1,280×720 resolution, which is sadly not even Full HD.
The television on display was a 55 inch LED LCD with the brand new “REGZA Engine CEVO Duo” processor and 5,000:1 contrast ratio. The face tracking technology along with the camera under the panel enables glassless 3D viewing possible and though it can still improve, it isn’t bad either. The Quad Full HD TV created quite a stir with people having to and of course, “choosing to” stand for over half an hour to get a look at the REGZA 55X3. When it hits markets in Japan later in December, it is expected to be priced at around $11,700.
We saw the Toshiba 55ZL2 at the IFA this year, and now the scientists at the Fraunhofer, Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI) are perfecting a similar type of tech that will allow viewers to enjoy three dimensional content without the hazard of wearing glasses. This project is termed as the MUSCADE project and it currently is supported by twelve partners. The primary reason for this project, in the words of Frederik Zilly (Fraunhofer Institute) is because “A breakthrough in 3D television would only come when you don’t need glasses. Wearing them is just too uncomfortable and tiresome,”
The principle of viewing 3D is based on the fact that our brain creates a three dimensional image if each one of our eyes receive a different version of the same image and to make that happen without 3D glasses, a special kind of display unit is required, which is known as autostereoscopic display. The optical foil, with which these displays are coated, helps achieve this with the help of up to ten variations of the same image in contrast to the conventional stereo production’s two variations. Also, four cameras will be utilized to properly estimate the depth and the location details in contrast to the conventional two cameras. How well this will be implemented is something we will keep tabs on while it develops, but one thing is for sure, it won’t be cheap.
Toshiba has lived up to its promise of bringing the glassless 3D TV to consumers by the year 2012. The 55ZL2 from Toshiba is a 55″ 3D LCD HDTV with Quad HD (4K) capabilities, but what is more astonishing is the flat screen’s ability to deliver images directly to the human eye without the aid of a compatible 3D glass! The US release date is not confirmed yet, but it will probably be available in the market for a hefty price tag of around $11,400 by early 2012.
Toshiba has managed to incorporate glassless 3D with a number of small, specialized lenses on the screen of the 55ZL2 that send separate visual signals of the same image to each eye at the same time. The result is that the human brain constructs a three dimensional image by relating the two separate signals and thus we perceive 3D without the help of a 3D glass. The lesser the number of viewers the more prominent the 3D effect would seem, but Toshiba claims that this model is capable of dividing the deviating signals in up to nine different directions, which makes glassless 3D viewing possible for a large number of people. In order to properly locate the exact position of the eyes of the viewers and deliver the 3D signals accurately, the 55ZL2 uses a face tracker that is activated at the touch of a button on the remote.
Other interesting features of the 55ZL2 include the 3,840×2160 resolution which is supposed to work in keeping the 3D content high quality even when viewed by multiple audiences from wider angles. The Japanese company’s Toshiba Places service would also be available to the owners of the high-end 3D model as well as the ability to record live television onto an external HDD via USB. The appeal of glassless 3D is lucrative without a doubt, but the heavy price of the 55ZL2 may deter a few of the less fortunate buyers from opting for the technology when it comes out in December, 2011 in Germany.
