TCO Releases 3D Viewing Study On Active, Passive 3D TV Viewing

Different performance characteristics of active-shutter and passive film-pattern retarder (FPR) glasses affect the overall 3D viewing experience, confirmed results from a study released Monday by international certification organization TCO Development. The study was the first step in TCO’s investigation into the need for a TCO certification for 3D, said Niclas Rydell, product and certification director. “As a certification body with a long history in the field of visual ergonomics for displays, it is important for TCO Development to evaluate the visual ergonomics of these new technologies and to assess any possible impacts on the user experience.”

Tilting function and correct placement are more important for TVs using passive eyewear 3D, the study said. It included a measurement of crosstalk, also known as image ghosting or doubling, where left and right image channels leak into each other when the screen is viewed from different angles. In the study, measurements were taken up to plus and minus 30 degrees in horizontal and vertical directions. Although horizontal crosstalk values were low for both types of glasses, passive glasses had higher crosstalk numbers when tilted above and below 15 degrees vertically, according to the study. A 3D TV placed at the correct height or tilted toward the viewer isn’t likely to suffer crosstalk problems, it said. But tilting function and correct placement “are more important” for a passive 3D TV, and should be considered with wall mounts that have limited tilting capability, the study said.

In luminance testing, the report said white luminance is three times lower in active-shutter glass viewing than with passive 3D glasses. Viewers will adapt to the average luminance, according to the study. It also said higher luminance is considered better for image quality, but other factors including black level, resolution and crosstalk factor in to the overall 3D viewing experience.

In measuring resolution of the two 3D eyewear types, the report noted that passive glasses “must sacrifice vertical resolution” to show the images for each eye with different polarization. A passive 3DTV with native resolution of 1920 x 1080 will only be able to produce resolution of 1920 x 540 in 3D mode. Active-shutter 3DTV glasses will produce 1920 x 1080 resolution for each eye in 3D mode. As a result, perceived detail will be “slightly higher” in active-shutter viewing, the study said. It didn’t cover potential health aspects or discomfort associated with viewing artificial 3D.