Dolby gets into eyewear

Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO at Dreamworks SKG, speaking at the IBC electronics trade show in Amsterdam, predicted that a new breed of optician was about to emerge, catering for high-quality 3D-suitable eyewear. Dolby is ready with its branded 3D specs (pictured, left).

Katzenberg told delegates that consumers would soon own their own snazzy sunglasses, optically correct, but also ready to stay in place when seeing a 3D movie.

Dolby’s have been on the market for a while and are designed for cinema owners to buy in bulk, but at IBC the company, perhaps better known for its noise-reduction and Dolby Surround Sound products, announced that its eyewear would be priced in volume at just $27.95. “The price reduction was going to make a significant difference to the exhibitor because they are buying in volume," said Dolby product manager Richard Welsh. "In Europe the idea of re-usable glasses has been popular because of environmental concerns. You can get hundreds of cycles out of each pair."

The branded specs are good for D3DDC (Dolby 3D Digital Cinema) technology, where a spinning CD-size wheel between the lamp and the digital projector alternately lets through one set of light frequencies or another - two slightly different versions of the red, green and blue primary colours for each eye. The wheel spins six times for each movie frame, with the digital projector synchronized to show the appropriate eye's image.

However, this is different from a rival 3D system (Real D). Real D (as used on Beowulf) uses an electronic filter called a Z-screen that circularly polarizes the light two different ways after it leaves the projector, also switching back and forth six times per frame to avoid flicker. Circular polarization - a complicated transformation of light's electromagnetic properties - requires the use of a special silver screen that retains the polarization as the light reflects back toward the audience.

Or to put the problem another way: we might well need a couple of sets of 3D eyewear. Answer: Buy shares in opticians!

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