Friday, January 29, 2010

Samsung Electronics First to Begin Mass Producing 3D TV Panels


The 3D experience is one step closer to "invading" your personal home space. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd announced that it has become the first company to commence mass production of panels for 3D LED TVs and 3D LCD TVs.

“Samsung Electronics aims to lead the global 3D TV panel market in pioneering panel mass production for 3D LED and LCD TVs” said Wonkie Chang, president of the LCD Business at Samsung Electronics.

The company began producing LED and LCD compatible panels for 40-inch, 46-inch and 55-inch full-HD 3D TVs using ‘3D Active Glasses’ this month, employing Samsung’s exclusive true 240Hz technology. Samsung’s true 240Hz technology delivers full-HD viewing in 2D, and also smooth, natural, full-HD 3D images that can vividly capture rapid movements. Operating at 240 frames per second, Samsung’s panels deliver a more lifelike picture with alternating left and right eye images through the use of 3D Active Glasses technology.

Samsung’s new 3D Active Glasses technology first blocks the left and then right lens, causing a momentary lag when images are shown to each eye to achieve more lifelike 3D images. The term, 3D Active Glasses, was selected as an official term by the Glasses Standardization Working Group of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) earlier this year. The polarized glass method previously used in 3D glasses produced separate images for the left and right eyes, resulting in half the resolution of two-dimensional pictures as only half of the screen can be viewed through each polarized filter. Brightness was also lowered because of the polarized filter.

According to DisplaySearch, a market research firm, the 3D display market is expected to grow from $902 million in 2008 to $22 billion in 2018. Specifically, the 3D TV market is expected to expand to a $17-billion market, with sales increasing from 200,000 units in 2009 to 64 million units 2018. But who knows, that could be a lot more a lot faster. I know I'm dying to get one of those.