Sensio, a company from Montreal Canada, is planning for a “resurgence” in 3D television sales this next year based on their response to some consumer feedback about the current problems: lack of content and a poor user experience. How do they plan do bring consumers back? Easy, by making 3D TV’s that can “un-do” 3D with the click of a button.
To help for a better experience, Sensio introduced auto-detection, which senses the type of program coming into the set and automatically selects the right viewing mode. It also developed the S2D Switch, a feature that enables spatially compressed 3-D video streams to be displayed in 2-D when large groups want to view programming together. The company also developed Sensio Hi-Fi 3D, a unique frame-compatible technology (also known as “qunicunx” format decoding) for high-fidelity stereoscopic signal processing that can be easily integrated into a variety of products.
I find it hilarious that the next big feature in televisions will be 2D conversion.
Seriously, that’s what you got out of the article? The reason for the 3D-2D conversion is for cases where you have recorded a 3D show but want to watch it in 2D. Or if you have 20 people over and don’t have 20 glasses (more of an issue with active TVs vs. passive).
But Sensio’s main response to the poor customer experience is to:
1. Offer SENSIO Hi-Fi 3D which provides a noticeable better quality 3D picture vs. other frame compression methods such as side-by-side or top/bottom.
2. Team up with Vizio to offer passive TVs (cheaper glasses, less flicker, etc)
3. Offer AUTODETECT which allows the TV to automatically detect not just the 3D signal but the type of 3D signal (SbS, T/B, Sensio, etc), saving the user from having to push a dozen buttons on their remote which is required on a lot of current 3DTVs.
4. Offer a VOD offering of 3D movies and other content to address the lack of 3D titles currently available to the consumer.
I find it funny they’re embracing disabling 3D as a “Feature” rather than investing in some of the newer multi-angle viewing technology available in things like autostereoscopic displays.
SENSIO’s technologies and patents are agnostic to the type of 3D display. Whether active, passive or glasses-free, you still need to transmit the left and right signals to the display unit. SENSIO is not a manufacturer. They are not involved in making the display units – they leave that to companies like Sony, LG, Vizio, etc. If in 5-10 years one of these companies is able to manufacture an affordable glasses-free TV it would still need the same features SENSIO is providing to existing active and passive sets.
But with respect to the 3D-2D conversion, I think it’s a great feature. There are times when I’m watching a 3D event when I may want to take a break from the 3D – even if just for a few minutes. It would be great to be able to just push a button and switch it over to 2D.
As an owner of a 3DTV, I can tell you that both 3D-2D conversion and autodetect would make my enjoyment of the TV a lot better. Not only that, but with autodetect at least my wife or kids would know how to turn on the 3D. Currently they have no idea how to navigate through the required steps on the remote to turn the 3D on…