ITRI's display manages 2D and 3D at once, set to challenge Toshiba for hybrid supremacy

We're still not really sure how Toshiba managed to do both 2D and glasses-free 3D in a single display, but we do now know that it isn't the only company to have achieved this stereoscopic feat. Engadget Chinese caught sight of ITRI's similar composite display, which is able to add depth to individual sections of the screen whilst leaving the rest of it stuck in Flatland. It's a 22-inch, 1680 x 1050 panel and, while 3D content is said to be rendered in much lower resolution than the rest of the display, SecondLife doesn't really require that many pixels to freak you out anyhow. No word on a possible retail release, so you'll just have to keep crossing your eyes at your current monitor.

[EL MAESTRO Posted Jun 11th 2010 11:34AM]

I don't know but I'm still not looking forward to 3d sets. I tried it in best buy and it's just not that impressive. When I first heard of 3d sets I thought it was going to be something like hologramic 3d. To pay 3k-5k for something that pops out and still requires glasses is just stupid. Thus is at least a step forward, dropping the glasses. Maybe then I'll think about jumping in. Till then I don't think this is taking off.

[mavoric Posted Jun 11th 2010 11:40AM]

@EL MAESTRO

Read the post, it says you don't need glasses

" ... managed to do both 2D and glasses-free 3D ... "

[seeloesix Posted Jun 11th 2010 11:49AM]

@EL MAESTRO

I just received Nvidia's 3D vision kit. I thought it was going to be gimmicky and not all its cracked up to be. With or without glasses, I was COMPLETELY wrong, gaming in 3D is ridiculous. seriously ridiculous. And with the help of a simple script, you can convert 2d movies to 3d on the fly...outstanding...

[EL MAESTRO Posted Jun 11th 2010 12:08PM]

@seeloesix I have not been able to try it in gaming, it seems it makes more sence there. But all it is a 2d in the back and certain part of the 2d image poppedto the front, at least that's the way it looked like. I know it says it's done without glasses which is why I said it was a step forward. Maybe the 3dtv I saw was a crappy version.

[MagnetMan Posted Jun 11th 2010 12:13PM]

@seeloesix

Agreed. It's not just a fad or a gimmick. 3D is a step towards future tech which will not go away. This is especially true for gaming in which 3D adds much more immersion to the experience.

Oh, and the price will inevitably fall, just as it did when LCDs were first released.

It would be great if there was a push for true 3D audio (binaural recordings). It would require headphones, but the effect is out of this world (beats the pants off of 'surround sound'). If you haven't listened to Binaural audio yet, check the link below, but you MUST USE HEADPHONES! Close your eyes. It sounds like you're in the room!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecOrBqQAuXg&feature=related

I can only imagine the immersion that an ultra-large 3D display with binaural audio would produce. Even cheesy horror movies would be down right frightening!

There is an open project to bring realtime 3D audio to gaming which should be cool when it becomes real. Together with 3D video, it's a completely different experience!

[MagnetMan Posted Jun 11th 2010 12:14PM]

@MagnetMan

Whoops! The project for 3D audio is:
http://connect.creativelabs.com/openal/default.aspx

[seeloesix Posted Jun 11th 2010 12:25PM]

@MagnetMan

that's pretty awesome, definitely sounds like your sitting next to those guys. I have seen some audio books recorded with the dummy head or Binaural in the past, always wondered why everything wasn't recorded that way! truly immersed in the sound, I can only imagine coupled with 3D what that would be like...+10 for the idea.

[MagnetMan Posted Jun 11th 2010 1:51PM]

@seeloesix

Totally! With blu-ray, it would be possible to include a Binaural Audio track, which would be a neat option for 3D movies!

I wonder when this tech is going to come to handheld phones?! ;)

[tosvus Posted Jun 11th 2010 11:51AM]

This is 3D that does not require glasses, similar to the upcoming nintendo 3ds

[kaZoo Posted Jun 11th 2010 11:53AM]

Woah,...look it's Ubuntu,...Maybe that Ubuntu tablet in 2011 will be 3d-2d capable,...couple that with multi-touch :D

[Drybones5 Posted Jun 11th 2010 1:05PM]

@kaZoo

I was about to say, I spy with my Linux eye, UBUNTU! and it looks like 9.10 I think

[MagnetMan Posted Jun 11th 2010 12:02PM]

It doesn't seem that complicated. Just have the same pixels displayed for each eye behind the parallax barrier for 2D, and different for 3D (according to the scene).

Just because the tech allows you to produce content for each eye in stereo, doesn't mean it *has* to.

[Khav Posted Jun 11th 2010 12:47PM]

@MagnetMan Exactly. It's easy to show flat things in 3D, same as you can show black and white images inside a colour display.

[Plothole Posted Jun 11th 2010 2:12PM]

@MagnetMan
True, but as the article mentions when displaying in 3D on an autostereographic display the resolution drops (because it's diverting half the pixels to one eye, half to the other). The difference here is that it gives the full resolution in areas that aren't showing a 3D image.

[MagnetMan Posted Jun 11th 2010 2:20PM]

@Plothole

Good observation! Thanks for the correction.

[Chris Aversa Posted Jun 11th 2010 12:07PM]

"while 3D content is said to be rendered in much lower *content* than the rest of the display, SecondLife doesn't really require that many pixels to freak you out anyhow."

You mean resolution I think? Sorry, just the editor in me

[TimStevens Posted Jun 11th 2010 12:47PM]

@Chris Aversa I sure did, thanks. Fixed it.

[walsho Posted Jun 11th 2010 1:00PM]

Hey Engadget, it would be totally awesome if on some of these 3D-tech articles, you actually had a 3D pic to show it off for those of us nerds who actually have a pair of anaglyph specs at the ready.

Even a headache inducing cross-eyed pic would be welcome!