After a few false starts over the last nine decades (the first 3D movies was show in the 1920s!), 3D video is now making a serious impact on entertainment. Both movies and TV have embraced the medium, and now computer users can too — thanks to the ASUS VG23AH 3D LED Monitor.
Superlative image, comprehensive connections
A 23” LED-backlit display with a Full HD resolution, the VG23AH delivers a bright and vibrant image, no matter what the viewing material. ASUS Splendid Video Intelligence automatically optimises the image quality to suit what’s being watched too, while the IPS display technology with a 178° viewing angle ensures what’s on screen won’t disappear when viewed from an off-centre position.
The ASUS VG23AH 3D LED Monitor is designed for desktop computer use, but it has a comprehensive selection of inputs that suit a variety of applications. Dual HDMI 1.4 ports mean it can be used with a 3D Blu-ray player as well as a 3D graphics card, while DVI-D and D-SUB VGA ports support more traditional computer connections. 3D is where the VG23AH 3D LED Monitor really shines, though.
The basics of 3D displays
There are two ways to display a three-dimensional image on a two-dimensional display, like a computer or cinema screen, and both involve a technique called stereoscopy. First developed in the early days of photography, stereoscopy uses two subtly different images of the same scene, each taken from a slightly different angle — just like the two subtly different images seen by our eyes, in fact.
When these ‘left’ and ‘right’ images are viewed by the appropriate eye, our brain combines them and uses the slightly different visual cues in each to create a single image that looks three-dimensional. This trick, however, lies in making sure that only one eye sees its intended image and this isn’t so easy when it’s a moving image on a screen.
Active 3D technology solves this problem by displaying each pair of images in rapid sequence and to see them properly, the view must wear a paid of ‘shutter’ glasses whose LCD lenses blink in the same sequence. In other words, the left eye only ever sees the left image, while the right eye only ever sees the right image — the brain works out the rest.
Passive 3D technology, on the other hand, displays both stereoscopic images at the same time and a polarising screen filter separates them into left and right-hand images. When viewed normally, a single super-imposed pair of images is seen.
When viewed with glasses that have appropriately polarised lenses, however, the two images are separated into each eye and again, the brain combines them into one single 3D image.
Advantages of FPR
The key advantage of passive 3D display technology is that by displaying both stereoscopic images at the same time, it eliminates the flicker that’s associated with active 3D technology. This makes passive displays much more comfortable to view for long periods, such as when watching a movie or playing a game.
The glasses required for passive polarised 3D require no power source either, which makes them lightweight and comfortable to wear. ASUS supplies one standard pair with the VG23AH 3D LED Monitor, along with a clip-on set for people who wear spectacles.
Passive 3D technology does have one problem and that’s screen brightness. Polarised lenses are dark and this means the screen image must be much brighter to compensate, which in turn can reduce the colour range and contrast. The Film-type Patterned Retarder (FPR) technology used by the VG23AH 3D LED Monitor, however, uses a special film to increase the image brightness that avoids image degradation.
Converting 2D to 3D
Displaying a 3D image needs a suitable 3D source, which is usually a Blu-ray player or graphics card with dual HDMI outputs (one for each stereoscopic image). Although the availability of 3D content is on the rise (YouTube offers a comprehensive selection of 3D video, for example), ASUS recognises that most computer users will still be viewing 2D material for a while yet.
To deal with this, the VG23AH 3D LED Monitor can also up convert a 2D image to convincing 3D at the touch of a button. No special hardware or software is installed, so the effect can be applied to any kind of viewing material and the 3D depth can be adjusted for best results.
So, if the increasing popularity of 3D at the cinema has made you hungry for the same experience at home for movies, video and games, the ASUS VG23AH 3D LED Monitor delivers — and it doesn’t even need a 3D image to work with.
James Kidder