Future of 3D Media: Bringing Stereoscopic 3D to Consumers

Why is glasses-based 3D one of the biggest all time failures in the history of consumer electronics? How does stereoscopic 3D get to consumers? What is coming next in 3D? Where will the content come from and how will it be delivered? Most people have seen at least one modern 3D movie such as Avatar. But 3D is pushing into our lives now in the form of 3DTVs, mobile phones, tablets and even 3D videos and photos on the Web. When we leave the theater we move into an uncontrolled environment where people multi-task...an environment where 3D glasses simply don't work. This book introduces stereoscopic 3D to early-adopters, business people, content producers, broadcasters and all others curious about the history and future of 3D and then confronts some of the most difficult issues facing the 3D industry today. The trade-off and the solution Current 3DTV display technology presents a classic trade-off between fidelity and convenience. The current glasses-based systems present high-fidelity and the desired glasses-free technologies afford convenience. The early 3DTV proponents, have bet on 2 channel, glasses-based stereoscopic TVs. In a world where we accept "low-quality" MP3 audio (Apple's iTunes, iPod, and iPhone) and "low-quality" video conferencing (Skype), one can make a strong case that glasses-free (autostereoscopic) 3D display systems are good enough, that is, convenient. Most consumer electronics companies have not considered the overall usability or convenience aspects of the 3D display system, but only the video quality aspects. This is a mistake in an environment of disruptive innovation. In The Future of 3D Media, we examine the conditions which create a compelling new opportunity to benefit from bringing stereoscopic 3D to consumers.