Connecting To A 3D TV
Connecting to a 3D TV
Full-quality 120 Hz frame-sequential 3D video (such as Blu-ray 3D) is only supported through a High Speed HDMI cable to a HDMI 1.4-compliant TV.
Nvidia has announced that some 3D Vision-compatible graphics cards and systems will be software-upgradeable to provide HDMI 1.4 stereoscopic output through a forthcoming 3DTV Play software update. This driver update will allow compatible GeForce graphics cards to provide a full stereoscopic 3D signal to 3D HDTVs.
AMD and Intel are also expected to support HDMI 1.4-compatible stereoscopic 3D video output in the future.
Active Shutter Glasses
To avoid flicker, active shutter glasses operate at 120 frames per second or faster. Active shutter glasses only work with TVs and displays capable of displaying 3D at 120 Hz or faster.
Active shutter glasses also require a transmitter. The transmitter receives a synchronization signal from the TV (through a VESA connector) or from the PC (through a USB connection).
Generally, there is no cross-platform standard for active shutter glasses across all of the available TV and PC display manufacturers. Consumers will need to buy the model of 3D glasses that is designed for their TV or display. One exception to this rule is Nvidia’s 3D Vision system, which is licensed to a number of PC display manufacturers, including Acer, Asus, Alienware, LG, and Samsung. For 3D TVs, consumers will need to buy their 3D glasses from the same manufacturer to assure compatibility (Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, etc.).
120 Hz TVs
Many TVs sold in the past few years have advertised 120 Hz or faster refresh rates. However, these TVs are not designed to accept a 120 Hz video signal. They can only accept a standard (50 or 60 Hz) television video signal.
Through a process called “inverse telecine,” these TVs are able to extract the original 24p movie signal from a video signal, create new intermediate frames, and display the movie at five times the original 24p frequency. This is done to eliminate the uneven motion (called “motion judder”) that can result from displaying a movie shot at 24 frames per second on a display with a refresh rate of 60 Hz.
To display 120 Hz sequential-frame 3D, a TV or display must be designed to accept and display 120 frames of video per second. These legacy “120 Hz” TVs are not designed to display stereoscopic content, or support 3D active shutter glasses.