Advanced Television

Smart 3D TV, the ITU roadmap

January 15, 2010

Study Group 6 of ITU's Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) has released a report outlining a roadmap for future 3D TV implementation, which envisages systems so smart they accurately mimic the way our eyes and brains perceive the visual world.

The new roadmap would see 3D TV technology rolled out in three successive generations. The first generation — ‘plano-stereoscopic television’ — calls for two views to be delivered to viewers' TV sets. Wearing special glasses similar to those used to watch 3D cinema, viewers will be able to see depth in the picture, although the view will remain the same when they move their heads (in real life, our view changes when we move our heads).

The second generation will provide for multiple views, with head movement changing the view, for a viewing experience that more closely mimics real life.

The third generation will feature systems that record the amplitude, frequency, and phase of light waves, to reproduce almost completely human beings' natural viewing environment. These kinds of highly advanced systems are technically some 15-20 years away.

Christoph Dosch, Chairman of ITU-R Study Group 6 said: “This is an important step forward on the road to globally-agreed ITU Recommendations on 3D TV. I'm optimistic that we'll make further advances at our next meeting in April 2010.”

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