People being sick in the cinema is nothing new. A darkened, sometimes overly warm environment, with a large screen displaying sometimes strobing or rapidly changing images, not to mention all that popcorn, fizzy drink and sweets. But it has been noted that the proportion of cinema-goers feeling the effects in a 3D film is higher than for audiences watching 2D, which has only added to the debate regarding long term health issues that may arise from long term exposure to 3D.

The main worry so far is that long term exposure can lead to ‘binocular dysphoria’ which is the name given to the hypothesised condition which results in the brain having difficulty perceiving depth normally when exposed to Stereoscopic images for a long time, which try to fool the brain into seeing depth when there isn’t any there. Not so much of an issue when you only go to watch a movie at the cinema, but possibly more of an issue when you are exposed to the technology for long periods, maybe a few hours each day. Just think about how long you spend on the average day watching TV at home, and then consider that in a few years all TV could be 3D TV.

Of course this is only hypothesised, and at the moment there are no studies to show that this has any effect over the long term. The human brain is remarkably adaptable when it comes to processing images however, and has been shown in studies to automatically compensate for continued changes in perceived vision. In one such experiment subjects were given mirrored glasses that turned everything upside down. Most subjects found that within a week of constant use of these glasses that their brain corrected the images automatically. Once the glasses were removed it again took the subjects brains some time to adapt, but they did still revert back. This study subjected the volunteers to inverted images for weeks at a time, so a few hours sat in front of a TV over a prolonged period you would not think would have any lasting effect, and you would imagine the brain would even learn to compensate for both sorts of images.

Until there is compelling and conclusive evidence from empirical research, it is fairly safe to assume that unless you are going to sit in front of your 3D TV all day every day, and not experience the real world of 3D that there should not be a problem. After all, “Everything in moderation“

If you are thinking of investing in a new 3D TV, then you may be one of those fortunate individuals that has a lot of money to spend on this sort of thing. If that is the case then you also may well have a special room that you use for watching movies, complete with giant screen and special sound set-up. If you don’t want to go down the route of a 3D projector, and want a giant 3D TV instead, then the gigantic Panasonic 152 inch monster (TH-152UX1) that was showcased at CES back in January may be the TV you are looking for. Slated for an autumn release we honestly can’t see many of these being sold with the monstrous $500,000 (approx £350,000) price tag.

A better and slightly more affordable option may be something like the 75 inch Mitsubishi LaserVue (right). Availability of this model has been confirmed for the Japanese market, so it would presumably follow that it will be made available in the UK over the coming months. At 750,000 Yen (approximately £6,000) it will still make a nice dent in your bank balance but will sit happily on the walls of most living rooms and on the plus side think of what you’ll save on decorating costs with one less wall to worry about!

Being the the incredibly popular video sharing site that it is YouTube obviously has to keep pushing the boundaries and stay at the forefront of things and that is why, as the latest of many ventures it has come up with lately, YouTube has been working on the concept of 3D TV for sometime as the technology has developed and grown around the world.

YouTube already have 3D videos available such as the one below, but they can only be viewed using the old style Red and Green 3D glasses or bizarrely by crossing your eyes!

A statement released by a Sony executive stated that YouTube would be part of the upcoming 3D offering authored by Sony. Specifically that YouTube 3D footage would be available in less than a year and that PlayStation 3 owners would be able to enjoy them on their systems. PlayStation 3 will also offer playback of 3D pictures and movies that you take with your 3D Sony camcorder.

One of the obstacles that has possibly stood in the way of the spread of 3DTV has been the fact that everyone needs their own pair of glasses and not just that, but that largely those glasses are only compatible with televisions produced by one manufacturer. This is obviously fine as long as it is just you and the family who want to watch TV, but what happens when you have friends or family over for an occasion such as Christmas, with numerous heads all wanting to see the TV in 3D?

Of course you might be wealthy enough to be able to afford umpteen pairs of 3D glasses. Or the rest of your family may also own a 3D TV made by the same manufacturer and have their own glasses to bring. Unfortunately neither of these two options are going to cover very many of the 3D TV buying public.

Until Auto Stereoscopic displays are further developed to the extent they become a realistic 3D solution in homes, one of the best options are Universal 3D glasses such as the XpanD X103 Universal 3D Glasses. These particular glasses are able to function perfectly with almost every 3D TV platform currently available.

According to their website “XpanD’s patented technology has the fastest shutter speed in the market today. This guarantees optimal Stereoscopic 3D images without any ghosting, minimal light loss and no visual distortion.”

Although not currently on the XpanD site, at a reported $125 – $150 these are still expensive to be buying spares for all your visitors, but then maybe making this your only pair of 3D TV glasses to take with you and use with any TV might be a more attractive route to go down. For now at least.

There is no doubt that 3D TV divides people. Some see it as gimmicky and a fad that will soon pass so they can get back to enjoying all the big blockbuster films. Then there are those who see it as the only way cinema can progress, and a way for the medium to engage a new audience, who expect something more than they can easily get on pretty much any HD TV at home.

One of the major bugbears for the naysayers is the requirement that you wear 3D glasses. No matter how cool or trendy you make them look, just like normal glasses required for people who are long or short sighted, there will be those who don’t want to wear them. So what are the alternatives? Contact lenses? Not for the foreseeable future due to the technology involved. The hope to resolving this particular issue is to produce auto-stereoscopic images, that is 3D images which don’t require glasses.

Nintendo are already headed down this path to show it is possible on a small screen with the Nintendo 3DS. Of course, that is a very small screen, and unless you are the one playing the game, you probably won’t be able to sit in the ‘sweet spot’ to get the 3D effect. Of course in theory, a bigger display would have a bigger sweet spot. Various companies have already shown off autostereoscopic televisions in various stages of development, but Sony took centre stage at this year’s SIGGRAPH 2010 to show off their own auto-stereoscopic 3D display that produces a 360 degree image with a resolution of 96 x 128, and 24bits of colour.

Reuters have reported that the Nikkei Business Daily Paper in Japan has advised Panasonic are going to launch the world’s first television capable of recording and playing 3D images, whilst also making 3D a standard feature across their flat panel TVs.

According to Panasonic’s Executive Office, Shiro Nishiguchi:

“Panasonic expects Japanese demand for 1 million 3-D TV sets this fiscal, and is hoping to have a 50% market share by new launches”

The latest additions to the Viera RT2B 3D TV series packs either a 42 or 46 inch screen as well as, somehow, stuffing its slim frame fit to burst with not only an internal 500GB HDD, but also an integrated Blu-Ray recorder, allowing you to record TV programmes before later burning them to disk.

The new Panasonic 3D Viera TH-P46RT2B and TH-P42RT2B will start shipping in August for sale in Japan. It is not known yet whether or not they will bring integrated 3D TVs to territories outside of Japan, but you would think it is only a matter of time.

As yet further evidence that Sony is at the forefront of championing the cause for 3D TV they have just unveiled two Cybershot digital cameras capable of snapping 3D digital images.

The two Cybershot models (DSC-TX9, and DSC-WX5) are billed as being the world’s smallest 3D cameras, and measuring just 98 x 60 x 18mm, and 92 x 52 x 22mm the measurements certainly look to back up that particular claim. Both models can capture images that can be viewed in 3D on a compatible 3D TV, but also feature 3D “Sweep Panorama”. This function lets you take panoramic pictures in one press and sweep motion. The high speed image burst is then stitched together into one 3D effect image.

With a current expected release date of September both 12.2 megapixel cameras support the “Sweep Multi Angle” feature, which lets you view the images moving in simulated 3D right on the camera’s LCD screen by tilting the camera back and forth, kind of like those 3D pictures you used to get on cereal boxes and birthday cards but in HD. Both camera also have the ability to shoot full 1920 x 1080 HD video resolution. Three dimensional imagery is getting more exciting as each week passes!

If there is one company out there who are seemingly doing more to champion the cause of 3DTV entertainment, it is Sony. Already bringing us some top specification 3D TVs, 3D Blu-ray players, and of course 3D gaming through the PS3, Sony are now looking to take advantage of that pre-installed Blu-ray user base by announcing a new firmware update enabling 3D Blu-ray playback will be available as early as September 2010.

There is no doubt that a substantial percentage of uptake of the Blu-ray system was due to the Playstation 3. With many consumers opting for the more expensive system over the XBox 360, or Wii because of its inbuilt Blu-ray player. As such by bringing 3D Blu-ray playback to an already existing user base through means of a simple free firmware update would look to be a master stroke on Sony’s part. It also ensures that with HD playback largely accessible to the XBox 360 already through an online connection, it ensures that the Sony entertainment system still has an ace up its sleeve.

In what is sure to get the mouths of all early 3D TV adopters watering, Sky have today announced the fixtures they will be televising for the first period of the new football season up until November. Going forward this season they will have all televised matches available in HD, and selected matches available in 3D. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come for 3D broadcasts with coverage matching that of HD broadcasts within a year or two once demand for the service picks up. Although exact fixtures that will be shown in Sky 3D have not yet been announced, I think it is safe to assume that all the ‘headline’ games such as the North London, Merseyside, and Manchester derbies are likely to be shown in 3D.

The 3D service will work with all existing Sky+ HD boxes, and will even initially be introduced at no extra cost for customers subscribing to Sky’s top TV package and the Sky HD pack.

Samsung has officially launched their new C9000 3D TV with the world’s first touch screen remote control. The 9000 is said to be the perfect union between elegant design and high-end technology.

Designed to be as visually stunning as the images you’ll view on the television the C9000 is 55″ across but just 7.98mm thick, making it the world’s sleekest TV, and crafted with a stainless steel bezel. This design is complimented by details such as speakers embedded in the stand, and an auto sliding touchpad supported by a translucent stem, and will fit in to any home either wall mounted or standing.

The C9000 uses an 800 Clear Motion Rate through its 3D Hyper Real Engine to produce sharper and more life-like images, and to help tide you over until 3D content becomes common place its embedded 2D-to-3D engine can process and convert 2D HD high resolution broadcasts into 3D images in real time and when not in 3D mode viewers can still experience one of the best quality full feature HD TVs on the market, with a push of a button switching effortlessly between modes.

Of course, in the modern household connectivity is key, and the C9000 produces on this front as well, giving users easier accessibility and making content more convenient. Samsung’s Internet@TV feature users are able access content online to view videos through apps such as You Tube. Samsung’s Allshare also allows the television to share multimedia content wirelessly with all DNLA compatible devices. Alternatively you could always use the traditional USB port to connect a thumb drive or digital camera quickly and directly.

One feature that really helps the C9000 take home entertainment to the next level is the touch screen remote control. A world first the remote features a 3 inch full colour display as well as the touch screen. This display features a live feed of the channel currently being watched, or even another channel whilst watching a DVD or Blu-Ray title. The remote control is designed to resemble a smart phone and allow quick and easy navigation. It even features a headphone jack for instances when a user wishes to watch content different to that being displayed on the television itself.

“With the introduction of the C9000 3D LED TV, Samsung reinforces its position as the only manufacturer with a full range of 3D TVs in the Singapore market, as well as its undisputed TV market leadership here”

said Mr. Moon Sung Hyun, Managing Director, Samsung Asia.