XpanD 3D
Encyclopedia
XPAND 3D is a brand name of a system for presenting three-dimensional films
in a digital cinema
, home theater
, video games and other applications. XPAND utilizes active-shutter 3D glasses
. The company is the only current purveyor of active-shutter glass 3D for movie theaters with over 1000 cinemas currently using this technology.
lenses alternate between clear and opaque to admit only the correct image at the correct time for each eye. An invisible infrared
signal is broadcast in the auditorium which is picked up by electronics in the glasses to synchronize the shutter effect.
and 3DTV respectively.
In August 2011 Panasonic
, Samsung
and Sony
along with X6D Limited (XpanD's parent) announced an agreement called the "Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative" to develop the XpanD technology to create a standard for 3D glasses on consumer products including televisions, computers and projectors. Previously the companies had their own standards for 3D glasses and they were incompatible with each other. The press release in the announcement said, "Universal glasses with the new IR/RF protocols will be made available in 2012, and are targeted to be backward compatible with 2011 3D active TVs."
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
in a digital cinema
Digital cinema
Digital cinema refers to the use of digital technology to distribute and project motion pictures. A movie can be distributed via hard drives, optical disks or satellite and projected using a digital projector instead of a conventional film projector...
, home theater
Home cinema
Home cinema, also commonly called home theater, are home entertainment set-ups that seek to reproduce a movie theater experience and mood with the help of video and audio equipment in a private home....
, video games and other applications. XPAND utilizes active-shutter 3D glasses
LCD shutter glasses
Liquid crystal shutter glasses are glasses used in conjunction with a display screen to create the illusion of a three dimensional image, an example of stereoscopy. Each eye's glass contains a liquid crystal layer which has the property of becoming dark when voltage is applied, being otherwise...
. The company is the only current purveyor of active-shutter glass 3D for movie theaters with over 1000 cinemas currently using this technology.
Technology
The XPAND 3D system is arranged to alternately flash the images for each eye at high speed. The viewer wears electronic glasses whose LCSLCS
-Schools and organizations:* Lake Country School a montessori school in Minneapolis, Minnesota* Lakefield College School an independent school in Lakefield, Ontario, Canada* Language Creation Society, a nonprofit for people who make conlangs...
lenses alternate between clear and opaque to admit only the correct image at the correct time for each eye. An invisible infrared
Infrared
Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
signal is broadcast in the auditorium which is picked up by electronics in the glasses to synchronize the shutter effect.
Advantages and Disadvantages For Cinema Use
The active LC shutter technology does not require a silver screen and the uneven illumination issues they bring. However, the glasses are much more costly and must be recycled and sanitized for reuse rather than given out as disposable. Some theaters use anti-theft technologies to deter patrons from walking out with the glasses, however the vendor of the anti-theft devices will not guarantee their operation due to interference within the glasses themselves. The glasses contain small batteries which must be replaced periodically. As with any active electronic device sometimes they simply fail.Home Use
XPAND 3D glasses are currently the only 3D shutter glasses that can be used in both in theaters and at home, in both Digital cinemaDigital cinema
Digital cinema refers to the use of digital technology to distribute and project motion pictures. A movie can be distributed via hard drives, optical disks or satellite and projected using a digital projector instead of a conventional film projector...
and 3DTV respectively.
In August 2011 Panasonic
Panasonic
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...
, Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
and Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
along with X6D Limited (XpanD's parent) announced an agreement called the "Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative" to develop the XpanD technology to create a standard for 3D glasses on consumer products including televisions, computers and projectors. Previously the companies had their own standards for 3D glasses and they were incompatible with each other. The press release in the announcement said, "Universal glasses with the new IR/RF protocols will be made available in 2012, and are targeted to be backward compatible with 2011 3D active TVs."
See also
- 3-D film3-D filmA 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
- Digital cinemaDigital cinemaDigital cinema refers to the use of digital technology to distribute and project motion pictures. A movie can be distributed via hard drives, optical disks or satellite and projected using a digital projector instead of a conventional film projector...
- Digital cinematographyDigital cinematographyDigital cinematography is the process of capturing motion pictures as digital images, rather than on film. Digital capture may occur on video tape, hard disks, flash memory, or other media which can record digital data. As digital technology has improved, this practice has become increasingly common...
- Movie theaterMovie theaterA movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
- Dolby 3DDolby 3DDolby 3D is a marketing name for a system from Dolby Laboratories, Inc. to show three-dimensional motion pictures in a digital cinema.- Technology :...
- RealD Cinema
- MasterImage 3DMasterImage 3DMasterImage 3D is a company that develops stereoscopic 3D systems for theaters and auto-stereoscopic 3D displays for mobile devices.-Technology:...