Samsung Shows Off 55″ Glasses Free 3D TV

Mar 17, 2011 2 Comments by admin

Samsung Demo Glasses Free 3D TV - During the currently running FPD (Flat Panel Display) conference in Shanghai China, Samsung showed off a prototype of a whopping 55” autostereoscopic 3D television

Like other autostereoscopic displays, the Samsung no glasses required 3D TV restrict the viewer as to where he or she can view the 3D effect. This prototype features 9 viewing zones with an optimal viewing distance of between 2.5 metres and 6 metres. What is fairly unique is it can quikcly switch to 2D mode, becoming a regular TV by adjusting one of the two LCD panels so that its optical refraction is not changed giving each eye two different images (like when it is in 3D mode).

According to tech website Tech-On! the specs are as follows – 1,920 x 1,080 (full HD), 500cd/m² and 4,000:1. It uses a direct-lit CCFL (cold cathode fluorescent lamp) backlight unit.

During the conference a Samsung representative said they have not decided when (or if) it will be commercialised but if it is, it will take about three years. This sounds very vague. Toshiba admitted to disappointing sales of their autostereoscopic glasses free 3D TV sets recently but put the less than half of expected sales down to the small screen sizes. No one could argue that this 55” Samsung glasses free 3D TV has that problem but the commercial viability of large auto stereo displays outside of shop windows and advertising stands remains to be proven.

3D Focus believes, unless a new radical way of delivering glasses free 3D on large screens for multiple viewers is invented, (not lenticular and parallax) this wont go anywhere and in October 2010, a boss of Samsung seemed to think the same. Samsung’s president of Visual Display Business Boo-Keun Yoon said that auto stereo may work on small single person viewing devices but its installation on larger screens is currently too challenging. At a forum at the time, Mr Boo-Keun dismissed auto stereoscopic large 3D displays as being 5-10 years off so it is interesting that this new 55” prototype model has been released.

However, its purpose could be a) a proof of concept, b) a marketing device c) – an attempt to occupy the same non domestic market place of glasses free 3D display companies like Alioscopy or it is most likely to be because both LG and Sony shown off large glasses free 3D TV sets at this year’s CES and Samsung do not want to appear to being left behind.

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