Advanced Television

Samsung drops RealD passive 3D

November 8, 2011

Samsung has pulled out of its 3D joint-venture with glasses technology company RealD. Citing economic pressures and low demand, Samsung says it will no longer participate in its licensing of RealD’s ‘passive’ (vs its own ‘active shutter’) 3D technology on large-screen TV sets.

 

Hollywood director James Cameron is a member of RealD’s board and back in May said that the Samsung/RealD tie-up “represented the next step in 3D home entertainment”.

 

So-called ‘passive’ glasses use polarising lenses and are much cheaper to manufacture. The rival ‘active’ glasses, backed by Samsung, Sony and Panasonic, are much more costly although do have the ability to deliver ’full frame’ images to each eye.

 

Samsung has already linked with Sony and Panasonic in a standardisation agreement with RealD’s direct competitor XPAND called M-3DI. The collaboration will mean viewers can use the same pair of 3D glasses to watch 3D content on Samsung, Sony and Panasonic sets. South Korea’s LG remains committed to ‘passive’ glasses.

 

 

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