Toshiba to release 'glasses-free' 3DTVs this year

by Steven Mostyn - Oct 5 2010, 06:39

If there’s one thing worse than shelling out thousands of dollars on a 3D television, it’s suffering the indignity of wearing cumbersome and expensive 3D glasses in order to actually enjoy the in-home 3D effect.

So, if you’re a prospective 3DTV buyer blanching at the prospect of paying hundreds of dollars extra to purchase 3D glasses for yourself and/or the various members of your family, it might be wise to hold off on splashing the cash.

In a move designed to pull in those of us left cold by 3D glasses, Japanese consumer electronics specialist Toshiba has this week announced plans to release two ‘glasses-free’ 3DTVs before the end of the year.

Although not yet available in the usual array of sprawling ‘home cinema’ sizes due to associated production costs, the new 20-inch and 12-inch Regza GL1 3DTVs sidestep looking like a fool thanks to an “integral imaging system and perpendicular lenticular sheet,” which produce a viewable 3D picture by combining nine separate 2D images.

However, while the screen sizes are small, the accompanying prices are not. The 20-inch model (which has a resolution of 1280 x 720) will cost the yen equivalent of around $2,900 USD, and the 12-inch set (466 x 350) will cost the equivalent of around $1,400 USD.

Beyond the exorbitant prices, it’s also worth noting that neither of Toshiba’s sets is perhaps best suited for providing relaxed family entertainment, not least because their 3D effects only work within a 40-degree area and when viewed from a distance of up to three feet (0.91m).  

According to Sascha Lange, Toshiba’s European marketing boss, “it will take several years to develop larger 3D TVs without glasses with screen sizes of 40 inches and more at a reasonable price point.”

Play the waiting game is our advice to those who don’t fancy crushing expensive 3D glasses (around $100 USD per pair) every time they flop down on the couch. Trust us, the technology will get cheaper over time, and in-home 3D has hardly become the entertainment standard at this point – most of us are still making the transition to HDTV.

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