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 There’s a lot of discussion and gnashing of teeth about crosstalk happening on some 3DTV sets at the moment. Crosstalk is one of the technical teething issues for 3DTV that all new technology seems to go through.

What Is 3DTV Crosstalk And Where Does Crosstalk Come From?

Basically, 3DTV in the home environment use LCD panels for the active shutter glasses (unlike the polarised glasses used in the cinema). When the LCD glasses are synchronised with an emitter inside the TV, they alternately darken one eye then the other so that each eye rapidly sees sequential images. When the LCD glasses aren’t in perfect synch with the 3DTV, one eye can see part of the image which should’ve been seen only by the other eye. This situation, where right- and left- images “overlap” gives rise to “ghosting” where the composite 3D image is not perfect.

Why Is Crosstalk A Big Deal?

Well, to be blunt, it causes a less-than-pefect 3D image which can spoil your enjoyment of the 3D experience, but, more problematic is the fact that the “trick” to fool your brain into thinking you’re seeing a 3D image fails which can give rise to eye strain. In the worst circumstances, you may not want to watch your 3DTV anymore!

What’s Being Done To Counter Crosstalk/Ghosting?

Toshbia have already announced improved 3D glasses, with faster refresh times. As the refresh rate on 3DTV’s improves (120Hz was thought to me a minimum, but sets already have 200Hz chips and the refresh rate will almost certainly increase), the refresh rate of the LCD glasses will also increase and the problem of crosstalk/ghosting will probably be resolved.

Does Plasma Or LCD Avoid Crosstalk/Ghosting?

At the moment it seems like plasma 3DTV’s have less cross-talk than LCD/LED. I’m not sure if this is due to the refresh rate or something else that makes plasma superior when displaying 3D images.

A new study printed in the Telegraph, polled 4,199 Brits and found that just 89 were “likely” to buy a 3DTV in the next 12 months.

OK. So… in a recession, with people worried about their jobs and high inflation eating into their wages, they’re not likely to buy a shiny new 3DTV? wow.

When you break it down, this section is interesting…

Those aged between 25 and 34 were the most likely to say they were planning to buy a set, with five per cent saying they would invest in a set over the next 12 months

So, isn’t that good news for the 3DTV manufacturers? One in twenty of people aged 23-34 polled were likely to buy a 3DTV? Aren’t they likely to be the early adopters?

Also, this seems positive…

Last month John Lewis revealed that 15 per cent of all TVs over 40in sold in their stores are 3D TVs

“3D TVs have been selling very well at Comet since their launch, with the biggest spike in May, which we can attribute to the World Cup.

Here’s what I posted in the comments section…

People will get 3DTV’s when…

1: 3DTV’s become cheaper (I’ve seen a 40-inch samsung for under £800)

2: There’s more 3D content (Sky 3D channel kicks off soon… 3D games are appearing, 3D Blu Ray movies)

3: The teething issues (ghosting) are ironed out

4: More and more TV’s are released as 3D ready. (soon 3D will be a standard feature… it doesn’t add much to the price of a telly)

Richer Sounds (@richersounds) sends out a newsletter via email with special deals. One of the best price deals for this Bank Holiday weekend is the SAMSUNG LE40C750 (40 inch 3D LCD TV 1080p HD Ready Freeview HD) at just £799.95! (exclusive for in-store customers). That compares well to the price at Amazon, which is £879.98.

If you visit this page, print it and take it in to your local store, you can claim a free pair of headphones too!

They also have the UE40C7000 (£1499.95) and LE46C750 (1099.95).

Sony have a new 3DTV commerical ad for TV. Check it out. What do you think? It certainly makes me want a 3DTV!

I’m not too keen on the out-of-focus images, but I can appreciate that they add impact value to the ad. It just goes to show that there’s no easy way to convey how 3DTV will look to people watching 2D screens. It’s a tricky marketing puzzle for sure!

If you like Super Stardust HD, and have a 3DTV, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. According to posts at the AVForums, the game is already available in 3D from the Playstation Network. Here are some quotes from the forum thread by people who have experienced the game in 3D…

Well colour me corrected…

Super Stardust HD is already ‘proper’ 3D – and it looks GORGEOUS!

I start up the full game and it tells my TV (via amp) that it’s a 3D game and the TV asks me to turn my 3D glasses on (none of this pressing the 3D button).

I quite liked this game as an early PS3 release, and now it looks incredible. More just a sense of depth than anything, but some explosions really come out of the screen and feel as though the pixels are coming right for ya.

I can’t wait for the patch for Wipeout HD!!

… and…

3D works automatically as described.

And it looks err…. WOW!

… and…

Thankyou, it works and it’s superb! Definitely should make people realise 3D is here to stay,

Roll on the other updates!

… also…

I’m not a big gamer, but the 3D effect is simply stunning with all sorts of stuff flying out of the screen and hitting your between the eyes! It’s really quite brilliant.

A friend of mine who was very sceptical about the whole 3D thing came over and had a look. After he’d stopped “whooping” with excitement he stated that it was 100 x better than he imagined it would be. Praise indeed.

So, as we always predicted here at 3dtvreviewer, it could well be games that are the “killer app” for 3DTV and drive its adoption. Sony’s version 3.3 firmware update for the PS3 back in April laid the groundwork for 3D games which were announced for June 10th (Wipeout HD, MotorStorm Pacific Rift, Super Stardust HD and PAIN). Judging from the comments above, Super Stardust HD seems to already be available in 3D and getting rave reviews! The four games will also be available to anyone who buys a 3D Bravia TV.