At the moment, anyone watching a 3D TV needs a pair of 3D glasses, but with a development from Toshiba set to arrive later this year, that may change.
Toshiba Japan has said that three models of 3D TVs that will not require glasses will be arriving before Christmas for “several thousand dollars” each. Given that the current crop of 3D TVs from competing manufacturers already cost past a couple of thousand, expect these to be a little higher.
Glasses-less 3D or “autostereoscopy” is often seen as more difficult to engineer, with viewing angles being the chief problem. In the past, panels by other manufacturers have required viewers to sit in dead centre to see the 3D effect, with anything other than that resulting in a visual that is fairly unwatchable.
An example of Toshiba’s glasses-less 3D TV technology shown in April.
Toshiba’s technology is said to offer more viewing angles and less eye fatigue, a result we’re hoping means no more glasses with future TVs.
Sadly the news is strictly for Japan at this time, but we’re sure if you find someone willing to send you one early, that could work too (with the. We’ll be doing our best to persuade Toshiba to sell them early here.
UPDATE (26/08/2010): Toshiba Australia has come back and told us that there will be news regarding Australian release dates and prices “within the next few months”.
