3D TV - Whatever happened?

JupiterKid · 04-02-2017 11:32pm #1

Back in the 90s I recall watching a Tomorrow's World (anyone remember that?) feature on the future of television and it predicted that not too long into the 21st century 3D televisions would become widely available. Basically, A TV set where you could see the programmes in holographic format, able to see above, and behind the actors. This has obviously not happened, despite the explosion in high definition flat screen huge TVs.

Anyone else heard of 3D TVs and what happened them?

jacksie66 · 04-02-2017 11:34pm

This post has been deleted.

Harry Palmr · 04-02-2017 11:34pm

What happened was people realised quickly that watching a TV programme with a pair of clunky glasses was a right PITA. 3D has never really been accepted outside of novelty value.

Are any serious heavy-weight live action films using it?

stevek93 · 04-02-2017 11:37pm

I never liked it. Whenever I go to the cinema I make sure I view the film in 2D I never enjoyed anything in 3D.

TrustedApple · 04-02-2017 11:37pm

I had a 3D TV got one back in 2011 when they where been pushed hard in the high end TVs.

The glasses had to be recharged none stop and where heavy and the fact there was such little content in 3D it did not help at all.

Then 3D games came into play on the PS3 it will did not make much of difference and and in about 2013 i basically had stopped using 3D TV and seen no reason for it what so ever. Same with 3D films me and the lads used to allways go see the film in 3D then around 2013 we where like nah lets see the 2D film as we be better off as we where not pushed to go see films at all.

My new 4K TV has 3D in it for some reason and being honest that will never ever get used as i rather my ultra clear TV then my pointless 3D that really does not add much to films at all.

Capt'n Midnight · 05-02-2017 3:11pm

3D was pushed from the top down. It was seen by the industry as a way to charge more for what was essentially the same product. It might have had some chance if they didn't charge extra for screenings and glasses. Also it isn't as bright.

It also would have helped if they didn't show so many 2.5D films which just had flat images at discrete distances, TBH the ads for Alice in Wonderland reminded me of 1980's video game sprites. A lot of films are converted into 3D post production and I have zero interest so can't tell you if they are any use.

Previous incarnations of 3D were killed off by overuse of the "throw something at the audience". That is one aspect that isn't quite so bad nowadays.

Agricola · 05-02-2017 3:22pm

I assume the TV experience was the same or worse than the cinema version. Which was dire. You had the choice between seeing a film in crystal clear HD on a giant screen at a high frame rate in some cases, or you could don a pair of sunglasses in a dark room and spend the time barely able to see a washed out fuzzy picture which wasn't near bright enough.

Nonsense technology pushed by the TV companies to sell more units.

scamalert · 05-02-2017 3:39pm

well cinema 3d is still kicking but mostly animation or action stuff.3d at home sucked and guess reason no one really likes the experience maybe for one time watch that's about it,and obvious reason screen size audio which you cant compare to cinema.

funny enough same thing prob will happen to oculus and other VR,not to mention looking stupid while having headphones and diving gear on your head,but whole experience of movement tasks is still done with some controller,keyboard,mouse joystick-thus another basically for 5-7yr thing where they can play few as you go stories,but as gaming progresses,think people will turn around back to graphics on screen quite fast.

some technology catches up like smart wrist watches,digital screen etc,some brands do look the job and perform well like moto g watch,other technologies which seemed groudbreaking, like google glasses dont think anyone even speaks or cares about them anymore.

Riesen_Meal · 05-02-2017 3:44pm

I have a Smart 3D TV, only took the glasses out of the box once, downloaded a demo off the app store, marvelled at 3D for a few minutes and went back to my standard HDTV...

I would feel like an awful spa wearing them glasses in the house if I was watching a match or something....

We got a 4K TV recently for kitchen and I have to say I'd rather the resolution bump than any 3D stuff at all on it, 3D is a gimmick for sure...

Tefral · 05-02-2017 3:44pm

I use my 3d tv to watch 3d films, they are defintely much better at home as i think your closer to the focal point. However, its more novely than anything.

I bought the TV i have based on its specs and it (refresh rate, contrast ratio, LED etc) just happened to have 3d on it but I didn't factor this in at all when buying.

TPD · 05-02-2017 3:58pm

Nobody actually read the OP?

No, I haven't heard of these crazy hologram TVs, OP.

Gwynplaine · 05-02-2017 4:05pm

They succeeded in drawing in a load of lambs to part with a lot of money for what is basically a gimmick. I know a lad who paid over €2k for a 40inch Samsung when they came out. I asked him recently how many times they watched anything in 3D. He said they watched 3 or 4 films on it and that was it, doesn't even know where the glasses are now.

TerrorFirmer · 05-02-2017 4:09pm

The film industry killed 3D. There were about 2 or 3 brilliant 3D films that set a fine example of how much the technology could/can offer.... and then the other 1,000 movies were lazy, crap post production efforts that were just a mechanism to charge more but killed the concept of '3D' stone dead for most people (including myself, despite being a big fan of 3D done right).

4068ac1elhodqr · 05-02-2017 4:18pm

With studios now starting to record movie parts using Jaunt's VR rig (to achieve 120 fps) 360 4k with Atmos Dolby.
All standard non-portable TV's will become redundant over the next 5yrs.

There may still be 16k HDR roll-up ones in 2022, but they will just be used for atmospheric wallpaper, quick facecalls or presentaions.

Sleeper12 · 05-02-2017 4:21pm

Harry Palmr wrote:

What happened was people realised quickly that watching a TV programme with a pair of clunky glasses was a right PITA. 3D has never really been accepted outside of novelty value.

It can't be just the glasses though? They were Polaroid glasses. I wear Polaroid sunglasses when driving.
I think the technology was never perfected. It didn't add anything to most movies. Avatar was perfect for 3D and there was one scene in Fright Night where someone rescues a friend from a vampire house. He comes running out of the house in the daytime with her. He only realise that she's a vampire as they get outside and she explodes in full 3D. Possibly the best and most unexpected 3D scene ever imo

goose2005 · 05-02-2017 4:22pm

Harry Palmr wrote: »

What happened was people realised quickly that watching a TV programme with a pair of clunky glasses was a right PITA. 3D has never really been accepted outside of novelty value.

Are any serious heavy-weight live action films using it?

Cave of Forgotten Dreams is one example of a serious film making good use of it.

The_Valeyard · 05-02-2017 4:48pm

3D TV was ****e

Hologram TV, isn't quite there yet

VR could be a hit of AAA companies invest in games or movies.

raze_them_all_ · 05-02-2017 4:51pm

also....colourblind

dublinman1990 · 05-02-2017 4:51pm

I had viewed 3D TVs in home entertainment stores years ago. There was one on demo made by Sony displayed in Dundrum Town Centre. It displayed a demo of a motor racing video game on the TV. I thought the video looked very clear but looked darker when compared to a HDTV.

Compare 3D in the past to 4K or UHD now and, if you are a enthusiast of that stuff, you will see a very noticeable difference in picture quality as the picture is brighter & more clearer on 4K TVs.

3D is a gimmick because it was held onto the buying public by the TV industry for a real short time.

3D is irrelevant now because 4K/UHD & it looks great.

Peregrine · 05-02-2017 4:57pm

Holographic TVs would pique my interest but 3D glasses ****e can **** right off. I wish they'd stop trying to shove that in our faces every 20 years.

Capt'n Midnight · 05-02-2017 7:44pm

Rhett Attractive Stone wrote: »

All standard non-portable TV's will become redundant over the next 5yrs.

There are some films that are worth watching for the scenery or atmosphere.

But as Hollywood has proven time and time again with it's remakes and reboots and sequels and pi$$ poor adaptations , without a good plot you might as well be watching nature documentaries. Would Fawlty Towers be funnier in 3D ?

What can be amazing is when an old film is digitised. Even though 35mm has a very high resolution here in Ireland we used to get the copies after they'd been played for ages so dirty and damaged. Some films I've enjoyed more on TV than in the cinema because of this, and the viewing angle and lack of screaming kids.

PTH2009 · 05-02-2017 7:55pm

I have one since 2013 and I have too say there average at best. I got the LG Lm640T model and the 3d is good bit it all depends of what angle/position you watch the 3d movie, if ur not level with the TV the effects will look ****e. A few problems have occurred with the TV in the last while 'picture going out of sync with sound, smart apps acting the prick and the general feel of oldness of the TV even though it's not that old

3D truly works for Animation or a huge screen

dxhound2005 · 05-02-2017 8:42pm

None of the major companies, Sony, Samsung, LG are including 3D in their 2017 models. 3D is dead.

super_furry · 05-02-2017 8:44pm

Until you can watch a 3D TV without special glasses and still get the same effect, it won't ever take off.

Surreptitious · 05-02-2017 11:16pm

Anyone remember Sky 3D footie on a Sunday morning with a rake of pints?

Cianmcliam · 05-02-2017 11:22pm

goose2005 wrote: »

Cave of Forgotten Dreams is one example of a serious film making good use of it.

Went to see that in 3D and to be honest the 2D version seemed better, the 3D had a weird kind of watery effect. Could have been crappy glasses though.

Ri_Nollaig · 06-02-2017 10:07am

scamalert wrote: »

well cinema 3d is still kicking but mostly animation or action stuff.3d at home sucked and guess reason no one really likes the experience maybe for one time watch that's about it,and obvious reason screen size audio which you cant compare to cinema.

funny enough same thing prob will happen to oculus and other VR,not to mention looking stupid while having headphones and diving gear on your head,but whole experience of movement tasks is still done with some controller,keyboard,mouse joystick-thus another basically for 5-7yr thing where they can play few as you go stories,but as gaming progresses,think people will turn around back to graphics on screen quite fast.

Think I heard recently that Sony and Samsung have stopped making 3D TVs so it does kinda look like 3D is dead [again].

I dunno if it can be compared to VR. VR is very different experience and much more individual so most likely has a future. Especially for the any fully immersive environments like driving/flying simulators. Its not meant as something a group of people are going to sit down and put on to watch a movie or anything.

Steve F · 06-02-2017 10:14am

Surreptitious wrote: »

Anyone remember Sky 3D footie on a Sunday morning with a rake of pints?

Sky removed all their 3D cameras from the football grounds years ago
Think that answers any questions on the future of 3D

3D TV - Whatever happened?

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