Summary
Some critics say the Panasonic active-glasses approach is "consumer unfriendly" by requiring "heavy glasses" that "reduce the display brightness and make the image quality poor." But the passive-glasses approach has similar drawbacks.
The passive-glasses approach compromises both image resolution as well as brightness, due to the fact that polarization cuts down on brightness by about 50%, and results in a 50% drop in vertical resolution, making full-HD impossible without significantly higher-cost displays.
Analysis
Frame interleaving (which is used by Panasonic, for example), provides full 1080p resolution. Polarization, as predominantly used in the passive approach, does not allow full 1080p resolution at the display, as the image is decimated (line interleaved) to provide the 3D isolation between left and right eye images.
Some polarized displays have in fact been developed, for gaming and professional applications, that provide full resolution. The display technology, however, comes at a severe cost premium, and some models suffer from relatively high amounts of crosstalk, or ghosting.
The Blu-ray Disc Association has announced plans for incorporating 3D into the Blu-ray Disc format. While the BDA did not explicitly endorse any particular display technology in their press statement, there is a plausible argument that their requirement of “full 1080p resolution to each eye” is an endorsement of the active-shutter approach. Sony and Panasonic, which are developing active-shutter 3D displays, serve on the board of directors of the BDA, and both companies have indicated that they plan to have 3D products soon in the marketplace.
In addition, active glasses have been developed in a lightweight and stylish form factor that is comfortable even when worn over eyeglasses.
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This author consults with leading institutions through GLG
Analyses are solely the work of the authors and have not been edited or endorsed by GLG.
