1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve camera. 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:08,840 Speaker 1: It's ready. Are you get in touch with technology? With 3 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:14,440 Speaker 1: tech stuff from how stuff works dot com. Hi, everybody, 4 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: welcome to the podcast. My name is Chris Pullette. I'm 5 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 1: an editor here at How Stuff Works. Sitting next to 6 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 1: me in all three dimensions as usual as senior writer 7 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 1: Jonathan Strickland. I'd like to point out, it's actually four dimensions. 8 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 1: The dimension of time is also in play. Oh, I 9 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: was just thinking, you know, height was just not in there. Oh, 10 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:37,599 Speaker 1: burn not like I'm taller than it's about to say. 11 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: I think I'm actually a little taller than you are. 12 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: So moving right into our topic today. We we touched 13 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: on this on a recent podcast when we talked about 14 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:49,919 Speaker 1: c E S and then we realize that, you know, 15 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 1: three D technology. It's something that has been around for 16 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: for many decades actually, but it's starting to come back now. 17 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 1: It's like it seems weird. It's like every like the 18 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: nineteen fifties it got really big for a little while 19 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:04,680 Speaker 1: and then it kind of died away. And then in 20 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 1: nineteen eighties it got big for a little while, and 21 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: then it kind of died away. And this looks like 22 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 1: it's another one of those, um those moments sort of 23 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: like the Yo Yo where it just comes back in 24 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: vogue and who knows, maybe this time it's here to stay. Well. Um, yeah. 25 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 1: We we have an article on the site how three 26 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 1: D glasses worked that was written by our site founder 27 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:28,959 Speaker 1: Marshall Brain and it's it's really fascinating. The according the article, 28 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: the Power of Love was the first movie to be 29 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,039 Speaker 1: done in three D and that was it's a curious thing. 30 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 1: Thank you, thanks for the news. So, you know, we're 31 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 1: coming up on a century of three D you know, 32 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: video technology, which is uh, you kind of think about it. 33 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: I always thought of it as a fifties and sixties 34 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 1: singer and it's been around for quite some time. And 35 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: you sit there and you think about that, like, okay, 36 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: so if it's almost a century old, why is it 37 00:01:56,560 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 1: still relatively rare? Um As it's a pain in the 38 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: neck to actually make it work, right, and I'm bring 39 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: on the eyes as well as it turns out. Yeah, 40 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 1: that's one of the problems is that it's there's no 41 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 1: for longest time, there was no real easy way of 42 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 1: doing this that didn't result in after you know, maybe 43 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:15,640 Speaker 1: watching something for about forty minutes feeling like your eyeballs 44 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:18,960 Speaker 1: were on fire. Um, it's a little better now, but 45 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 1: we'll we'll we'll get to that. First. We should kind 46 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 1: of talk about why we're able to perceive why or 47 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 1: why three D is important, and how we're able to 48 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 1: perceive it. It all goes down too, comes down to 49 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,639 Speaker 1: binocular vision. You know, I have a pair of binoculars 50 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: and it doesn't look like I'm looking in three D. Right, 51 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:41,080 Speaker 1: that doesn't know what it means. So we're talking about 52 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: using both eyes to see objects and then perceive depth 53 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:51,239 Speaker 1: using both of your eyes, there's this, Um, what's It's 54 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: what's called parallax. It's where you're looking at objects and 55 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 1: because your eyes are not located in the exact same 56 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: spot on your head, go figure, Um, you can actually 57 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:04,799 Speaker 1: your brain uses the difference in the angles that you're 58 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 1: perceiving to create the perception of depth. So if you 59 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 1: were to close one eye, or if you were to 60 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: lose an eye, uh, you would not be able to 61 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 1: perceive depth the same way someone with two eyes can. 62 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 1: You could still do it. Um, You mainly pick it 63 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: up from visual cues at that point, and your your 64 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: perception is not as accurate. Most humans have pretty accurate 65 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 1: depth perception to at least up to twenty feet or so. 66 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: But if you only had one eye, then you would 67 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 1: you know, some things that you might think, oh, well, 68 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: that's closer to me than that other object over there. 69 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: You might be surprised to find out hoops, I was 70 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 1: wrong because you didn't have this the second eye to 71 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: you know, to verify the information. So three D movies, 72 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: three D images, uh, they have to be able to 73 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 1: create this sense of of parallax in order for you 74 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: to to perceive them as you know, three dimensional as 75 00:03:57,440 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: opposed to two dimensional to give you that illusion of depth. 76 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: You know, like a view master for example, exactly takes 77 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 1: advantage of that because it shows you slightly different versions 78 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 1: of the same image, right, which creates the illusion of death. 79 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: And that's how those red and blue three D glasses work, right, 80 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: It's called anaglyph images um, which uses red in a 81 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 1: different color rights usually blue, but could be green or yeah, 82 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: it's usually it's usually red and blue. Those are the 83 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: classic three D glasses that a lot of us think 84 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:31,279 Speaker 1: about when we when we hear the three D glasses thing. Um, 85 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: So you you have an image that you're showing on 86 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: a screen, and it's got to say, kind of like 87 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 1: a reddish overlay on top of it, and then you 88 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: have the identical image superimposed or are shown just slightly 89 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 1: off to the side. Looks a little weird if you're 90 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 1: not wearing the glasses, which is usually in a blue 91 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: or perhaps green overlay. And then you have glasses with 92 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 1: corresponding lenses. Now, the red lens happens to block the 93 00:04:57,600 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 1: red light. It absorbs it straight through. You don't see it. 94 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 1: You just see the blue and the blue it it 95 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 1: lets through the red light. And uh, your your eyes 96 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: see these two images separately, and your brain puts the 97 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 1: information together to create the three D image. So your 98 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 1: brain is doing all the work really uh. And once 99 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: they figured out, hey, if we just put these two 100 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: images side by side really close together and do different 101 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 1: colors and have each I perceive a different color, then 102 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: we can create the illusion of depth. Uh. Then that's 103 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: that's when the three D movie craze really took off. Yeah, 104 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 1: that's um, that's why if you take off the three 105 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:37,039 Speaker 1: D glasses and look at the movie one of the 106 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:41,039 Speaker 1: classic and a glyph style three D Uh, movies. You'll 107 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 1: notice that there's a red version of the image and 108 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: there's a blue version of the image, and it looks 109 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 1: like it's out of register. Like if you've seen a 110 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 1: color picture where the printing was just off and everything 111 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:55,480 Speaker 1: seemed to be shifted in one direction and it's just 112 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 1: the red or just the yellow. Um, that means that 113 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 1: the printers didn't line up. The College's sort looks like 114 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 1: that because one of them will be just a little 115 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 1: to the left and one will be just a little 116 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:05,799 Speaker 1: to the right, and you're gonna what's up with this? Well, 117 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 1: because they're slightly different, it allows your brain to make 118 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: up that there's a three D version of that. But 119 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 1: that's not how the newer version of three D works. 120 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 1: The newer version uses polarized lenses. That's right, now, That's 121 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 1: that's interesting because polarized lenses is all about the angle 122 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:25,160 Speaker 1: of the light waves, right, true, But it achieves the 123 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,919 Speaker 1: same effect because um, the images are slightly different in direction, 124 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 1: and by shifting the polarity and using the polarized glasses 125 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 1: it uh. It also fools your eyes and you don't 126 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:36,839 Speaker 1: have to have red and blue version of the the 127 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:38,719 Speaker 1: image on the right. They look more like, you know, 128 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:42,159 Speaker 1: kind of dorky sunglasses. Um. In general, I guess you 129 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: could really if you wanted to make a very stylish pair, 130 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 1: but every pair I've ever seen looks kind of geeky. Well, 131 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:50,480 Speaker 1: if you're gonna go watch Captain EO, it doesn't really 132 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:53,160 Speaker 1: matter anyway, because you know, the glasses sort of went 133 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:55,719 Speaker 1: with the movie anyhow. Don't be talking smack about my 134 00:06:55,800 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 1: Michael Jackson. Um. So yeah, So these polarized lenses in 135 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 1: the same sense that the red and blue only allow 136 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:06,839 Speaker 1: the blue and red respectively. Uh, those light waves through 137 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 1: the polarized lenses are kind of the same way. They're 138 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 1: aligned so that the light uh, the the angles of 139 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 1: the light waves will only go through one side or 140 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 1: the other. And usually you have two projectors projecting at 141 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: the same time. They're projecting. Each one's projecting a different 142 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 1: of what's projecting the same image at the same time, 143 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 1: but in a different angle of light waves. So you're 144 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: getting both sets of images at the same time, but 145 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 1: only one eye receives each image and then your brain 146 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 1: does the work again. So it's based on a very 147 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: similar principle as the red and blue. Now I've heard 148 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 1: that people tend to experience less eye strain using this 149 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 1: method than they did when they use the red and 150 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 1: blue Um. Have you ever seen a three D movie 151 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 1: like a full three D movie with the red and 152 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 1: blue glasses like a full length feature film. I haven't 153 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: ever watched anything that long. The longest thing I have 154 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 1: in three D is Captain EO. Now that you mentioned, Okay, 155 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: well I have um as and this is one of 156 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 1: my childhood memories. So sit back and grab a coke. 157 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:13,600 Speaker 1: I went to see Jaws in three D. Jaws three 158 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 1: in three D and the theater with my dad. Uh. Hi, 159 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 1: Dad and dad and I. Um we sat there and 160 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 1: watched this movie and by the end of it we 161 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: each had splitting headaches. And uh. Also, by the way, 162 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:30,640 Speaker 1: just so you know, terrible movie. Uh. The only three 163 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 1: D effect that was really effective was when someone held 164 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 1: a syringe out towards the screen in the way that 165 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 1: absolutely no one does and then pushed the plunger. Um. 166 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:42,440 Speaker 1: That was actually pretty effective. The shark stuff not so 167 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:45,440 Speaker 1: much at any rate. But the terror didn't stop at 168 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:49,320 Speaker 1: the edge of the screen. Oh my gosh, you knew 169 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:54,320 Speaker 1: the tagline so um So anyway, anyway, it was it 170 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: was it definitely did cause eye straight Now I've warned 171 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 1: the polarized glasses uh for shure demonstrations, but nothing for 172 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 1: really any length of time. So I'm kind of curious 173 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 1: to see if if it really, if it lives up 174 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:08,800 Speaker 1: to the hype. Um. And of course there's one other 175 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 1: kind of three D glasses we can talk about, the 176 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 1: active glasses. Oh, yes, those are the ones that you 177 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 1: actually saw at CES. Yeah, I saw a couple of 178 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:20,680 Speaker 1: different instances of active glasses. Now, with these other versions 179 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: we're talking about, you usually, like I said, have two 180 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 1: projectors projecting the images at the same time. Um. Really, 181 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 1: the you know, that's the best way to show these images. Now, 182 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 1: with active glasses, you can have one projector showing or 183 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 1: one screen whatever showing these images. Um altogether. But the 184 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: difference is in this case, rather than the glasses just 185 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 1: being a piece of paper or plastic with the lenses 186 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 1: in front of your face, the glasses are doing all 187 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: the work instead the projectors. Right, The glasses have a 188 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 1: shutter where they turn on and off a polarization effect, 189 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 1: and they do it at such a fast speed that 190 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 1: you would never be able to to see it. You can't, 191 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 1: you know, consciously notice that they're shuttering on and off. 192 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 1: Um I mentioned that the vidio ones I saw shuttered 193 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:13,079 Speaker 1: at a sixty hurts refresh rate for each eye. So 194 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,200 Speaker 1: the screen, what it's doing is it's alternating the image 195 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:19,680 Speaker 1: at the same rate that your glasses are shuttering on 196 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 1: and off, and you're getting these two different images, uh 197 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 1: at at a rate of speed that's so fast that 198 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 1: your brain essentially thinks it's the same it's happening at 199 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:31,719 Speaker 1: the same time. You know from your perception it's all 200 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:34,559 Speaker 1: happening at the same time, even though in reality it's 201 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:37,240 Speaker 1: switching back and forth at this incredible rate of speed. 202 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:39,840 Speaker 1: So the effect again is that your brain puts it 203 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 1: together and says, hey, there's depth there. It's not just 204 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: a flat surface. And the effect really is pretty interesting, 205 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:48,920 Speaker 1: and that you know, you look at the screen and 206 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 1: it looks like you can actually see beyond just that 207 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 1: flat surface. Um it's it's there's some effect of the 208 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:59,319 Speaker 1: you know, oh, it's coming out toward me. But that's 209 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 1: kind of minor in comparison to just this amazing depth 210 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 1: of vision that you get in these screens. And um 211 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: you might wonder like, well, okay, so we've got all 212 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 1: this technology. Where's the big deal? Well, Hollywood is really 213 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:18,600 Speaker 1: kind of experimenting with this technology recently. There's been there's 214 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:20,839 Speaker 1: been quite a few movies that have come out with 215 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: that feature this three D tech and UH, and not 216 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 1: only just movies, but also sporting events and concerts that 217 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:31,840 Speaker 1: have have shown up either in theaters or on television 218 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 1: that use three D and UM. Part of that is 219 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: made possible by the use of digital video technology. I mean, 220 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 1: film really didn't give us the opportunity to use it 221 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 1: as much as digital does, so that just makes it, 222 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 1: you know, easier and cheaper for the studios to do. UM, 223 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:55,040 Speaker 1: which is you know, probably a good thing. And UM 224 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 1: actually is a good transition in the next part of 225 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:58,959 Speaker 1: what I was going to bring up, although I think 226 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:02,120 Speaker 1: you may have answered my option because there's so much 227 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:03,959 Speaker 1: three D at c e S. It was one of 228 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 1: the big themes of this year's show. UM, I was 229 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:08,720 Speaker 1: going to ask you if you thought three D was 230 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:12,839 Speaker 1: the next big living room phenomenon. But from what I understand, 231 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:17,840 Speaker 1: most TVs that use three D technology use the anaglyph method, 232 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: use the red and blue glasses and if it's a 233 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:24,319 Speaker 1: big eye stream and maybe it's that such. I mean, 234 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 1: people are not going to sit there and watch TV 235 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:28,200 Speaker 1: for four hours a night and get splitting headaches. If 236 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 1: you if you wanted to use uh like the active glasses, 237 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:35,679 Speaker 1: you would need a special display or special television um, 238 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:38,440 Speaker 1: something that's called three D ready. And there are only 239 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:41,920 Speaker 1: a few sets, relatively few sets out there that are 240 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:45,760 Speaker 1: three D ready, either as computer monitors or television sets 241 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 1: like the like mis Mitsubishi laser View. I keep bringing 242 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:51,199 Speaker 1: it up, but that's one of the ones that's three 243 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 1: D ready. Um. If you don't have the television that's 244 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: capable of doing that, then you're kind of stuck. You've 245 00:12:56,920 --> 00:12:58,959 Speaker 1: got a really expensive pair of glasses that don't really 246 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:01,080 Speaker 1: work very well make you look like a big dork. 247 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:05,320 Speaker 1: So um, hey congrats. But if you do have one 248 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:08,480 Speaker 1: of those sets, then you can take advantage of this technology. Now, 249 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 1: of course, that means you also have to find content 250 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:15,199 Speaker 1: that was optimized for that technology. It's not gonna just 251 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 1: work on anything. It's not like you could turn on 252 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:20,080 Speaker 1: any television like, oh way, yeah, I get full House 253 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 1: in three D um. That's that might have been scarier 254 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:28,559 Speaker 1: than the Jaws, but they're there. There's a lot of 255 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:32,000 Speaker 1: three D stuff that's just starting to uh to creep in. Like, 256 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 1: for example, this year's Super Bowl, which was you know, 257 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 1: absolutely amazing. Um, we say as we record a few 258 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:43,319 Speaker 1: days before that, but um, from what I from what 259 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: I understand, Pepsi and UH and Universal both took out 260 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:52,559 Speaker 1: ads for the Super Bowl. Um, Pepsi for Sobey's Life 261 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 1: water and UH the movie Monsters and Aliens from Universal 262 00:13:56,400 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 1: both had three d ads and UH, NBC was so 263 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 1: excited about that. They're even advertising the ads that they're 264 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:07,480 Speaker 1: coming up so you can actually get the glasses and 265 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:10,079 Speaker 1: watch the three d ads in time. It's getting a 266 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:13,480 Speaker 1: little too meta for me now. The Monsters Versus Aliens. 267 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:16,319 Speaker 1: That's a movie that's coming out later in two thousand nine, 268 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 1: and actually in three it will be in three D. Yeah, 269 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 1: it's it's a computer graphics animated film and I saw 270 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 1: clips of that when I was at c E S. 271 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:29,360 Speaker 1: That was one of the demos they did with the 272 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 1: three D technology and it looks pretty good. Um. There 273 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:35,080 Speaker 1: are several other movies that are coming out either this 274 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 1: year or in coming years that are going to be 275 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 1: using three D. That includes James Cameron's Avatar, not to 276 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: be confused with the Nickelodeon Nickelodeon cartoon show which my 277 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 1: wife loves. Hello wife. Uh there's uh, there's a rumored 278 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 1: version of a Christmas Carol that maybe in three D. 279 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 1: It's going to use the same creepy technology as Polar Express. 280 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 1: I bet it was a Dickens to make. I'm sure 281 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: it was. Then there's a There's How to Train Your 282 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 1: Dragon Crude Awakening Alice in Wonderland, which is Tim Burton's 283 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 1: take on the classic tail. Um Johnny Depp will be 284 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:15,080 Speaker 1: in that. I think he's the Mad Hatter if I'm 285 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 1: not mistaken. Um, he should be if he's not. The 286 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 1: next Trek film is supposed to be in three D Mastermind. 287 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 1: Also the one that we Are you and I will 288 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:27,720 Speaker 1: be waiting for with bated breath. Yes, the remastered three 289 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 1: D version of Star Wars. I saw clips of that 290 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 1: while I was at c E S and it was 291 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:36,520 Speaker 1: one of the two times I came close to crying. 292 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 1: Good tears are bad, Oh, just tears of joy to 293 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:44,880 Speaker 1: see to see the Karelian starship being chased by that 294 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: star destroyer and it's looming at me right there. And 295 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 1: then R two D two is right in front of 296 00:15:50,640 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 1: my face. Oh man, okay, wait wait, I'm back. I'm back. 297 00:15:57,200 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 1: So that's okay. It'll it'll be twenty more years before 298 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 1: Orge Lucas decides on the final, final, final three D 299 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 1: versions and you know, with the refinements in it, and 300 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:10,000 Speaker 1: then of course we have the video games that could 301 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:14,040 Speaker 1: come out. Um that Navidia is really pushing for. Navidias, 302 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:19,400 Speaker 1: the graphics processing card manufacturer, they have the g Force classes. Um, 303 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 1: they have a whole list of video games that are 304 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 1: already prepared to go to three D. I mean, everything 305 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:28,240 Speaker 1: is there. You just have to have the right display, 306 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 1: the graphics chip and the glasses and then you're ready 307 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:35,080 Speaker 1: to go. And among the games that they say are 308 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:39,160 Speaker 1: optimized for this include Age of Empires three, Battlefield to 309 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: Call of Duty, for Civilization for for you, said Meyer 310 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:46,680 Speaker 1: fans out there, Burnout Paradise, for you race card driving 311 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 1: fans out there, World of Warcraft. Um, if you're a 312 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 1: World of Warcraft fan, you're not listening to this. You're 313 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:56,160 Speaker 1: playing World of Warcraft, Half Life two, Left for Dead, 314 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 1: roller Coaster Tycoon. Yeah, roller Coaster ty Coon. Okay, you 315 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 1: know you may be laughing at that, but if you 316 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:10,120 Speaker 1: think about it. You know, that could be pretty pretty cool. Yeah. 317 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:11,639 Speaker 1: You get to ride the rights and you get to 318 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:16,080 Speaker 1: see your your your amusement park in three D. There's 319 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:18,399 Speaker 1: some pretty nifty things out there. So yeah, it's it. 320 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:20,880 Speaker 1: I think they're pushing for it to be the next 321 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 1: big thing. Now here's the question. Are people going to 322 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:27,520 Speaker 1: adopt it? And specifically, are people going to be willing 323 00:17:27,600 --> 00:17:30,879 Speaker 1: to spend money on it, especially in an economic downturn? 324 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:33,399 Speaker 1: Oh well, I imagine that this is the kind of 325 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:36,159 Speaker 1: thing that would cost a lot of money, even not 326 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 1: in an economic downturn. Yeah, because this is not I mean, 327 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:42,400 Speaker 1: this is using brand new technology that is different from 328 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:46,199 Speaker 1: the technology would see in a standard LCD display right right. 329 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 1: The glasses alone can cost you like two D bucks. Yeah, 330 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 1: so that's that's before you even get a graphics card 331 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 1: or the display or television. So it makes the three 332 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:58,000 Speaker 1: D super Bowl party kind of expensive. Yeah. I think 333 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:03,000 Speaker 1: the laser view was around seven grand. Um, So yeah, 334 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:06,200 Speaker 1: that's uh, that's an expensive toy. So it may be 335 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:09,360 Speaker 1: beyond our reach for a few more years. Time will tell. 336 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 1: I mean, if enough early adopters do go out and 337 00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:14,840 Speaker 1: buy this stuff, that will drive the price down, and 338 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:17,399 Speaker 1: then the rest of us can can enjoy stuff in 339 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:19,160 Speaker 1: three D as well. And of course you can still 340 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 1: go to the movie theater and see a lot of 341 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:24,680 Speaker 1: these films in three D. I mean, even movies that 342 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:27,200 Speaker 1: weren't made completely in three D, you can sometimes see 343 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 1: parts of it in three D. So now it's at 344 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:33,600 Speaker 1: least the film industry is really trying to push forward. 345 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: I think that's partly in response to UM piracy. Actually 346 00:18:38,359 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 1: when you think about it, because if you can't recreate 347 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:44,200 Speaker 1: the experience at home, you have to go to the 348 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:47,680 Speaker 1: theater to get the experience. But when you can recreate 349 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:50,119 Speaker 1: the experience at home, then they're trumped again. Yeah, you 350 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:52,119 Speaker 1: just pirate the heck out of it. Not that you 351 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:56,200 Speaker 1: would or I would, but you know, those nefarious people 352 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 1: who are not our listeners because we're all well behaved, 353 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:02,639 Speaker 1: we're we're good ones in this in this podcast. Yeah, well, 354 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,159 Speaker 1: that's a good discussion. I do have one other thing 355 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:12,879 Speaker 1: to add. Oh yes, that would be listener mail. That 356 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:16,719 Speaker 1: was great. So uh so this listener mail comes from 357 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:21,120 Speaker 1: Mike Linderer from Grayling, Michigan, and Mike wanted to give 358 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 1: us a few more UM suggestions. When we did our 359 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:26,720 Speaker 1: Tech Toys episode talking about the sort of things that 360 00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 1: keep us saying at work. He had a few more 361 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 1: to suggest, so I was just gonna run through some 362 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 1: of the ones that he listed. He listed Slacker, which 363 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:37,720 Speaker 1: is another internet radio style site. You can talk a 364 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: little bit about that, right, Chris, you know, Oh yeah, yeah, Slacker. UM. 365 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:45,159 Speaker 1: Slacker sort of like a cross between last FM and 366 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:49,680 Speaker 1: UH and ANDORRA because you do get to select your 367 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 1: stations UM. And when I say it's across, it's sort 368 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:54,920 Speaker 1: of tool wise the things you get to do with 369 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 1: the songs UM, as far as tagging them and things 370 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:00,719 Speaker 1: like that. You have some more control, more so than 371 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:03,359 Speaker 1: you might in Pandora UM. But you have more control 372 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:05,920 Speaker 1: over the station like you would in last NFM. But 373 00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:07,920 Speaker 1: it's it's one of very many. There are lots and 374 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:13,440 Speaker 1: lots of other stations out there, like Django is another example, UM, 375 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:18,119 Speaker 1: and just various radio radio one. Mama. You know, there 376 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:21,159 Speaker 1: are there are lots and lots of music sites out there, 377 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 1: and each one of them is a little bit different. 378 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: They offer something that you can't do with the others. 379 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:28,639 Speaker 1: Fine Tune is an example of that because you actually 380 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:32,080 Speaker 1: get to listen to a specific song, but you can 381 00:20:32,119 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: only put you know, three You create playlists and you 382 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:38,200 Speaker 1: can only put three songs by a particular artist or 383 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:41,400 Speaker 1: three songs by on a particular album on your playlist. 384 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:44,399 Speaker 1: So there are still restrictions and things that might You 385 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 1: might listen to one for a couple of hours ago. 386 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:48,119 Speaker 1: You know, this is driving me crazy. There restrictions on 387 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:49,760 Speaker 1: the site. And then you go in another, um, well 388 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 1: this is cool. Oh, but there are these different restrictions, 389 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:56,160 Speaker 1: so and maybe something it might end up turning onto 390 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:59,760 Speaker 1: something like the whole Twitter Pounce plerk battle and you 391 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: see which one ends up surviving. True, hopefully they all will. 392 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: They all have something different that they bring in the party. Yep. 393 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 1: And then some others that Mike mentions are he mentions 394 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:11,920 Speaker 1: line writer, which is, you know, it's kind of a 395 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 1: game and kind of an art project thing. Have you 396 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 1: ever seen this? I've seen it. I haven't used it myself. 397 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 1: It's uh, I've tried to use it, but I'm a terrible, 398 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:21,400 Speaker 1: terrible artist, so I can't make the little guy ride 399 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 1: his line for very long. He always ends up wiping 400 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: out spectacularly and then falling for about you know, forty 401 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:30,520 Speaker 1: forty five minutes. So um, but it's it's for the 402 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 1: people who are really talented. I mean there's some amazing 403 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:34,919 Speaker 1: line writer of courses that people have created that are 404 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:39,560 Speaker 1: really fun to watch. He also mentioned Homestyle Runner. Uh. 405 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:42,680 Speaker 1: This is actually kind of cool because we're talking about 406 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:45,679 Speaker 1: some some neighbors of ours in the way, the Brothers Chaps. 407 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 1: I mean they they're here, they're Atlanta locals. And actually 408 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:51,879 Speaker 1: some of the people in the office know some of 409 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:54,640 Speaker 1: the know the Brothers Chaps. Um I do not. I've 410 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:58,080 Speaker 1: seen them perform live, but I don't know them. But yeah, 411 00:21:58,119 --> 00:22:01,600 Speaker 1: that's a great, great site, very amusing. Uh mentioned jib 412 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:04,879 Speaker 1: Jab as well, also pretty funny site, very famous in 413 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 1: the elections exactly. Uh mentioned the Darwin Awards, which can 414 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:12,399 Speaker 1: be entertaining. I do recommend that you cross reference the 415 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:17,159 Speaker 1: Darwin Awards with Snopes dot com because not every story 416 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:21,879 Speaker 1: on the Darwin Awards is actually true. And then the 417 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:24,600 Speaker 1: last one he mentioned was the Daily Onion, which we 418 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 1: should mention is not necessarily safe for work, but very funny, 419 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:34,200 Speaker 1: extremely funny. So thanks, Mike. We really appreciate your email, 420 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:35,920 Speaker 1: and if you would like to write to us, you 421 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,399 Speaker 1: can write to us at tech Stuff at how stuff 422 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:41,640 Speaker 1: works dot com. We love hearing from you guys. If 423 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:43,680 Speaker 1: you want to learn more about three D technology, we 424 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:45,919 Speaker 1: have plenty of stuff up on the website that's at 425 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:48,639 Speaker 1: how stuff works dot com. And we'll talk to you 426 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:52,119 Speaker 1: again really soon for more on this and thousands of 427 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 1: other topics. Is it how stuff works dot com, brought 428 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 1: to you by the invented two thousand twelve cameras. It's ready, 429 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 1: are you