3D adds the missing dimension to many performances, and Delta Media Server has a long track record as a source of high quality 3D Stereo playback in 3D / 4D Theatres, large scale 3D domes and virtual reality installations.
There are many 3D technologies available, varying according to the budget and performance required. For example, typical 3D theatres will employ either Passive Stereo (one projector for each eye, cheap polarised glasses) or Active Stereo (one projector showing each eye sequentially and shutter glasses). Additionally, Red/Blue Anaglyph is a low cost 3D technique or the more sophisticated ColorCode Anaglyph which can be viewed on any display device with inexpensive glasses. Delta Media Server supports all of these formats, and has been installed in high-end 3D domes and 3D / 4D theatres throughout the world since 2006.
- Advanced Stereo Features
- Create Anaglyph or ColorCode in realtime
- 3-Pin DIN or Blue-Line Active Stereo techniques
- Use Delta's 250 layers to create additional artificial stereo depth
- Play stereo movies as separate left & right, single left/right or top/bottom formats
What is 3D Stereo?
3D Stereo is a technique of introducing depth to a flat display surface by creating a different view for each eye. CGI or film content will have differing left/right offsets for near & far objects - the creator can choose a setup with near objects having large offsets (so coming out of the screen), or a setup with far objects with large offsets (so going into the screen) or even a balance between the two so that the picture largely appears to go into the screen, but with some ability to have objects coming out. If this is badly done in the media, it can cross your eyes at some depth in the scene and be too hard to accomodate.
Delta Media Server typically plays back a left eye movie and a right eye movie which are then limited to the relevant eye by one of a few techniques;
Passive Stereo
In this system, two low cost projectors with typically circular polariser (internal or external to the projector) project onto a non-depolarising screen and are viewed through inexpensive matching polarised glasses. Delta simply has to play the a left eye movie to one projector, right eye movie to the other to achieve stereo effect.
Active Stereo
In this system, a single, usually more expensive projector, takes a single active stereo signal from Delta. This video signal contains both left eye & right eye images, interleaved in time (Left / Right / Left etc). The projector takes a 3D sync signal from Delta which tells it which eye is which & this signal drives typically Infrared emitters - this signal is received by more expensive shutter glasses which alternately show the left eye image, then the right eye image. This shuttering effect is normally at such a high rate (100Hz, 120Hz) that there is no flicker. Active stereo does not require any specialised screen surface.
Anaglyph Stereo
Anaglyph has been around for decades, and was largely superceded by passive & active methods due to the lower image quality caused by the red / blue coloured glasses used. Anaglyph and the more sophisticated ColorCode enjoy a resurgence, as the glasses are very inexpensive, and stereo is achievable by any display type, since the eye separation is carried in the filter colour of the glasses (though colour rendition is reduced due to this). Delta can create Anaglyph and ColorCode stereo outputs in realtime from standard left eye / right eye movies.
Interleaved Stereo
Some display devices, such as modern 3D LED walls, take a pixel interleaved format in which left eye forms one part of a chequerboard, right eye the other. Delta has built-in support for this interleave, allowing any standard left / right media to be presented as interleaved and pixel-mapped
Find out more
You can find out more about 3D Stereo in Delta by downloading the 3D Stereo app note