Toshiba’s glasses free 3D TV launches in Europe as the ZL2 this December

If you’ve been waiting for someone to take the glasses part out of the current 3D TV viewing experience, Toshiba has finally put a launch date on its glasses-free 3D TV. The world’s first to be available to the public at the size, the ZL2 will take its place at the top of the company’s range of sets when it launches this December in Germany (no word yet on other European countries, or anywhere else for that matter) complete with an LED-backlit QuadHD resolution (3,840 x 2,160) LCD panel and Cell-processor based CEVO engine technology within. Check out the press release after the break for more of the specs, no word yet on how much it will cost but the glasses-based 3D ZL1 it’s replacing was rocking a £4,000 price tag.

Update: We have a price, as Toshiba’s German press site currently mentions the set will cost 7,999 euros when the 55-inch version launches. We’re figuring you can afford a couple of pairs of active shutter glasses instead at that price, but at least it’s still a 4K screen, right? [Thanks, Daniel]

Continue reading Toshiba’s glasses free 3D TV launches in Europe as the ZL2 this December

Toshiba’s glasses free 3D TV launches in Europe as the ZL2 this December originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 10:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands On: Sony’s HMZ-T1 Is an Amazing OLED 3DTV. That You Wear On Your Head.

Sony’s new 720p OLED 3DTV with 5.1 virtual surround has a 150-inch screen-equivalent and costs $800. But it weighs less than a pound. That’s because it’s worn on your face. It looks crazynerdo; you’re going to want one. More »

Microsoft confirms 3D support in Halo: CE remake for Xbox 360

Microsoft has been slower than Sony to jump on the 3D gaming bandwagon — not surprising considering it isn’t the one desperately pushing the televisions needed to experience them — but today the company confirmed rumors that Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary will be playable in 3D. Joystiq experienced a demo at Gamescom in Germany, and reports that it only works with the game’s updated graphics mode, and that the game’s producer claims the framerate will stay consistent even in 3D. While there are already a number of Xbox 360 games that support 3DTVs, this is the first one we’ve heard developed by Microsoft, although Epic revealed earlier this month that the Microsoft-produced Gears of War 3 will support 3D. that’s good news for gamers that have made the extra dimensional jump already, while those of us playing in 2D can hopefully still see performance improvements, especially while playing co-op — we always bring a wingman / shoulder to cry on for The Flood.

Microsoft confirms 3D support in Halo: CE remake for Xbox 360 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Aug 2011 11:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ATSC commences 3DTV standard development, better get your glasses ready

The Advanced Television Systems Committee recently commenced development of a 3D broadcast TV standard which would let legacy devices to receive 3D signals without blowing their tiny electronic minds. In a year’s time, it’s planning to have a completed rulebook, allowing for 3D broadcasts with left- and right-eye views in a single channel, also enabling mobile and non-real time delivery — meaning you’ve got one less device to replace when you decide to make the switch to 3D. Whilst many of these standards already exist (and are in use) the ATSC is now looking to get everyone in North America singing from the same sheet. Now’s about the time to invest in some better glasses.

ATSC commences 3DTV standard development, better get your glasses ready originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 22:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vuzix Wrap 1200 brings 3D to the glasses for $500


3D glasses are nothing new — we’ve been tossing on RealD specs at the theater for at least a couple of years. But in typical Vuzix fashion, the Wrap 1200 brings a pair of displays directly to the glasses, simulating a 75-inch 3D screen. Tiny 852 x 480-pixel monitors display native 16:9 content on the three-ounce specs, and iPhone and component video cables are included in the box, letting you plug in to a variety of content (there’s no HDMI support, however). The display supports side-by-side and anaglyph 3D, and you can also revert back to 2D content if things don’t pan out as expected. The Vuzix Wrap 1200 is rated at three hours of playback with the pair of included rechargeable AA batts, or you can substitute lithium ion batteries for up to seven hours of use. Jump past the break for the full rundown from Vuzix, or hit up the source link to grab your own pair for $500.

Update: Originally, we reported that the Vuzix Wrap 1200 only supports anaglyph 3D, when it is in fact capable of side-by-side display as well. The post has been updated to reflect this correction.

Continue reading Vuzix Wrap 1200 brings 3D to the glasses for $500

Vuzix Wrap 1200 brings 3D to the glasses for $500 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vuzix Wrap 1200 brings anaglyph 3D to the glasses for $500


3D glasses are nothing new — we’ve been tossing on RealD specs at the theater for at least a couple of years. But in typical Vuzix fashion, the Wrap 1200 brings a pair of displays directly to the glasses, simulating a 75-inch 3D screen. Tiny 852 x 480-pixel monitors display native 16:9 content on the three-ounce specs, and iPhone and component video cables are included in the box, letting you plug in to a variety of content. The display uses anaglyph technology (think paper red and blue glasses at the bottom of a 90s-era cereal box), so don’t expect a cutting-edge 3D viewing experience, but you can also revert back to 2D content if things don’t pan out as expected. The Vuzix Wrap 1200 is rated at three hours of playback with the pair of included rechargeable AA batts, or you can substitute lithium ion batteries for up to seven hours of use. Jump past the break for the full rundown from Vuzix, or hit up the source link to grab your own pair for $500.

Continue reading Vuzix Wrap 1200 brings anaglyph 3D to the glasses for $500

Vuzix Wrap 1200 brings anaglyph 3D to the glasses for $500 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hitachi’s 50-inch P50-GP08 3D TV could be its Japanese swan song

If the P50-GP08 is indeed Hitachi’s last domestically produced TV, it would make for a pretty worthy finale. Unveiled today, this 3D TV features a 50-inch plasma screen capable of beaming images in full HD, 1920 x 1080 resolution, with a contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1. The beast also packs five TV tuners, a 500GB removable HDD, a quartet of HDMI ports and a motion sensor that turns off the set after a preset period of time (between five and 60 seconds). Best of all, everything can be controlled from the comfort of an iPad or iPhone, thanks to the Wooo Remote app, scheduled for release later this month (see an image, after the break). According to AV Watch, the P50-GP08 should start shipping on August 27th for about ¥220,000 (around $2,875), though there’s no word yet on whether it’ll ever make it to markets overseas.

Continue reading Hitachi’s 50-inch P50-GP08 3D TV could be its Japanese swan song

Hitachi’s 50-inch P50-GP08 3D TV could be its Japanese swan song originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 16:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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3D glasses vending machine lets you be fashionable in the dark

There are certain things worth paying to upgrade: earbuds, perhaps, and maybe even Spotify. But when it comes to buying fancy 3D glasses for the sole purpose of looking cool in a pitch-black theater — well, aren’t we already spending enough on popcorn and Funyuns? EX3D doesn’t seem to think so. Starting August 13th, moviegoers in San Diego will be able to trade in those freebies for fashion at a 3D glasses vending machine. At $22 – $30 a pop, these “affordable” and “stylish” glasses may be a boon for those who wouldn’t be caught dead wearing the same specs as their friends. Of course, you can also use these babies out of the theater on a passive 3D TV. As for us? We’ll stick with the freebies, thank you very much. Jump past the break for the full PR.

Continue reading 3D glasses vending machine lets you be fashionable in the dark

3D glasses vending machine lets you be fashionable in the dark originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 04:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG launches Nano LED backlit LW9800 HDTVs

While LG’s 2011 HDTV lineup has been largely a success so far — we found a lot to like in the LW5600 we reviewed and quarterly earnings seem to justify its 3D and LED technology — some wouldn’t be satisfied without an LED backlit (rather than edge lit) option. That issue is solved now with the new LW9800 series, shown off here in Korea as the LW980S. Announced in two sizes, 55- and 47-inches, both feature “Nano LED” local dimming with as many as 2,300 sources in the larger one and 480Hz motion technology. They also include other LG standard features like Cinema 3D, Magic Motion gesture remote control and its Smart TV menus as well as built-in WiFi, but the big draw here is the deep blacks and a claim of the industry’s highest 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio. Check the press release after the break for a few more details while we wait to get our eyes on the new models in September at IFA 2011.

Continue reading LG launches Nano LED backlit LW9800 HDTVs

LG launches Nano LED backlit LW9800 HDTVs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung studies 3D viewing discomfort, finds out bloggers don’t read

Judging by the headlines today, Samsung’s 3D R&D department made a huge mistake, just check them out: “Who Could Have Guessed: 3D Hurts Your Eyes”, “Samsung-funded study finds 3D video causes extra eye strain, fatigue”, “Samsung study finds that 3D video causes eye strain, fatigue”. It seems obvious that Samsung’s research grant financing a UC Berkeley study published in the Journal of Vision was wasted, except for one minor issue — all of those headlines are wrong. “The zone of comfort: Predicting visual discomfort with stereo displays” is actually trying to find out why 3D-related eyestrain happens. That it can and does happen with poorly formatted video, whether 2D, 3D or otherwise, is already known.

Scrolling down beyond the abstract reveals the prof’s data actually indicated a wider comfort zone than 3D video producers commonly assumed with their percentage rule of thumb. It’s a Friday night and you don’t have to pick thumbing through dry descriptions of experiments over whatever your plans are, but that’s why you have us. Shockingly, companies desperately hawking 3D tech are busy making it better instead of undermining their own products, but you’d have to actually read the study to find out for sure.

Samsung studies 3D viewing discomfort, finds out bloggers don’t read originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 21:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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