RealD 3D: all I can say is WOW

I've just seen my first RealD 3D movie: Disney's "A Christmas Carol" starring Jim Carrey. $10.25 for a matinee feature crawling with kids, but even so, worth every penny.

Not only is it actually a good movie, one of the most faithful to the original Dickens text that I've ever seen, I have to say the 3D effect is an awesome addition. Only a couple of times did I notice any kind of picture quality issue and that could be attributable to my mild astigmatism. Of course there was the usual obligatory amount of 3D effect just because it's a 3D movie (several scenes where the viewer flies through the streets of London, as ordinary objects fly past), but even that did not detract from the story.

The technology is, to the best of my recollection, identical to what was being shown in demo form at EPCOT back in 1984. It blew me away back then, and I am equally awed by it now. I'm really amazed it took 25 years to become mainstream. Whenever a home version with the same quality is available, I will buy it. But I have my doubts of this happening for a while, as long as the theatres can keep it exclusive they will. The surcharge is produced purely by market forces (Mrs Pepper got her Bachelor's degree in marketing so I know a little bit about this).

1. Right now 3D is just about the only innovation that is exclusive to the movie theatres. Everything else: digital, HD, surround sound, projection, greasy popcorn, we can do all that at home, usually better and less expensive than they can. 3D will get us to go to the theatres because it's really good this time around, and it's not available at home at any price.
   
2. Even when the movie is out on DVD and BD, if it's 3D at all it will be reprocessed to use some inferior technologies. 3D with red and blue glasses is, without a doubt, absolutely awful. If you want to see it in 3D, you need to see it in the theatre.
   
3. Assuming enough quality content is produced, this technology will eventually be accepted as "mainstream" to the point that it will be produced for the home theatre demand that I alluded to (the day RealD 3D is available for my home I will go and buy one). Especially if consumers resist buying the DVD/BD releases because they are not available in 3D.
   

As far as the technology used it really doesn't look that difficult or expensive. Again the price is "whatever they want" because of the current exclusivity. While at the theatre I observed the equipment in use.

• it appears to be the exact same digital projectors they've had for a while. No gold plating that I could see (inside joke for Satelliteguys forum readers).
• a polarizing filter in front of the lens. This filter must have some electronics in it as I can see a wiring harness running from it to somewhere, probably whatever is actually playing the movie.
• The movie is apparently alternating left and right versions, with the polarizing filter synchronized to the alternating frames. And the glasses cause each eye to see only one of the two images. Remove the glasses and you see the expected distortion with "close" or "distant" objects.
  
  

I forsee a RealD 3D compatible BD player, and an addon polarizing filter for your home projector, in the not too distant future. A similar polarizing screen overlay for a flatscreen TV might also be doable, but probably quite expensive because of the necessary size. Prebuilding the polarizing technology into new TVs might eventually be a less expensive option. Here's hoping that the technology will continue to mature into something we will eventually see in our homes and used with broadcast television.

Browsing the RealD website, it does appear that some "Pro" products are available including a Mitsubishi DLP television and the 3D equipment, starting around $3800, and RealD has plans to enter the home entertainment market or work with the existing companies in that market. I'm definitely looking forward to buying one of these.