Stream TV Presents Glasses-Free 3D but Does Anyone Care?

Ultra-D is a development of Stream TV Networks, in conjunction with partnering companies, to offer glasses free 3D. Their press event was a less elaborate affair than than the usual CES press event (though the awful photograph shown here is largely my fault!).

Stream TV Networks’ presentation listed the companies either selling TVs with Ultra-D technology or companies that have demoed it at trade shows. Most of these companies, however, are not well known here. The only one I recognized was Hisense, which apparently demoed Ultra-D at a Chinese trade show (they have not done so here, nor was Ultra-D mentioned in the Hisense CES press conference).

In a demo following the talk, the Ultra-D glasses-free 3D was, to my eyes, surprisingly good. But the set does need a special screen to do the job. And while the seating positions for the glasses-free 3D effect are more limited than for ordinary TV viewing, there were enough effective zones to suit most in-home situations.

But my first reaction to the process was that for consumer use the company may be a day late and a dollar short. The home 3D ship has already sailed and struck an iceburg. But the commercial applications for the technology might be huge. 3D advertising alone could make the technology profitable.

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