Ask the editor is the spot where we try to answer readers’ questions.
Q: When will we see glasses-free 3D TVs?
Simon Quinn
A: There’s still a lot of speculation regarding glasses-free 3D. Smaller screens are now available for mobile phones and games consoles and there have already been demos of full-size TVs with the technology.
The problem is that although they work, they’re limited for practical purposes by their extremely limited viewing angle. So long as you’re sitting in one of a very limited number of ‘sweet spots’, you can get the 3D effect without the need for special glasses. But who wants to concentrate on sitting in a certain spot for the duration of a film? And if the family wants to watch with you, it’s a non-starter.
Toshiba and other manufacturers have been promising to deliver glasses-free 3D TVs in the next couple of years, but a recent announcement from Samsung suggests that this may be optimistic, and that it won’t be delivering a fully commercial version for another ten years.
In a statement to tech site Slashgear the Korean manufacturer appeared to go back on its previous claims of a 55in glasses-free TV in the next three years, saying that it believed a minimum of 32 sweet spots would be necessary for a home-based TV. The 55in prototype they displayed recently could only manage nine.
The statement went on to say that a lab-grade version of the technology would take another five years to develop, and another five years for that to roll out to production as a result of reduced manufacturing costs and further investment from broadcasters.
So in light of Samsung’s statement, the answer is “don’t hold your breath…”