Mobile 3-D

Smart phones will take 3-D mainstream.

The Samsung B710 phone looks like a typical smart phone, but something unexpected happens when the screen is moved from a vertical to a horizontal orientation: the image jumps from 2-D to 3-D. The technology that produces this perception of depth is the work of Julien Flack, CTO of Dynamic Digital Depth, who has spent more than a decade perfecting software that can convert 2-D content to 3-D in real time. It could help solve the biggest problem with 3-D: the need for special glasses that deliver a separate image to each eye.

Flack's software synthesizes 3-D scenes from existing 2-D video by estimating the depth of objects using various cues; a band of sky at the top of a frame probably belongs in the far background, for example. It then creates pairs of slightly different images that the viewer's brain combines to produce the sensation of depth.

The technology can be used with the much-hyped 3-D televisions announced in January (which require glasses), but its biggest impact will be as a way to create content for mobile devices with auto­stereoscopic 3-D displays, which work by directing light to deliver different versions of an image directly to each of a viewer's eyes. The effect works best over a narrow range of viewing angles, so it is ill suited to television or cinema screens. But phones are generally used by one person at a time and are easily held at the optimum angle. That's why mobile multimedia devices are likely to win the race to bring 3-D into the mainstream.

The most exciting area for Flack right now is games. Hundreds of games actually simulate 3-D spaces internally to handle mechanics such as the path of a missile, and then convert those 3-D spaces into 2-D to display to the player. With his technology, he says, the 3-D geometry "available inside the game itself" can be made accessible to the display. DDD has already released software that converts games to 3-D on PCs and expects to have similar software running on mobile devices in the next year or two.

PHILIPS 9000

Good
Extremely deep black levels
Rich, vivid colours
Great picture-processing
Full internet access

Bad
Awkward remote and menu system
No 3D or HD tuner
The price


Bright lights

The telly certainly looks like a premium set thanks to the attractive brushed-aluminium finish and the thin transparent strip that runs around the outer edge of the screen. Philips' new three-sided Ambilight system can be seen when you peak around the rear of the TV. You'll find strips of lights arranged across the two sides and top of the telly. The Ambilight system, which projects colours onto a wall behind the set to match what's on screen, may sound like a gimmick, but once you've used it you'll appreciate just what an effective feature it is.

So far, it may sound like the set isn't worth the asking price, but where the 32PFL9705 really shines is in terms of picture and audio quality. On the picture front, its key feature is its direct LED backlighting. Most LED TVs have edge-mounted backlights that offer limited dimming control, but this set is lit by 1,000 LEDs behind the screen that are grouped into 224 individually controllable zones.

As a result, it allows one area of the picture to be completely black, while another adjacent area is operating at full brightness. It's as near to OLED technology as you can get from an LCD screen and the results are stunning. The set really is able to deliver the deep black levels of plasma displays, while retaining the aggressive brightness and colour of LCD screens. Subsequently, movies on Blu-ray look beautifully cinematic thanks to the filmic feel that the boost in contrast affords. There's a convincing amount of shadow detail in darker scenes, too, while skin tones and colours in outdoor scenes appear astonishingly rich and natural.

Sounds expensive

It's not just the pictures that are impressive on this telly, the audio is excellent, too. This seems to be partly due to the fact that Philips has a added a mini subwoofer to the rear of the set to boost the TV's ability to recreate bassier sound. It certainly works a treat. The TV really does have a surprising amount of low-end punch, while retaining exceptional clarity of dialogue.

Conclusion

There's no doubt that £1,300 is an outrageous asking price for a 32-inch TV, especially as it lacks 3D support and an HD tuner, but the Philips 32PFL9705 produces the most stunningly rich and cinematic pictures we've seen on a 32-inch set. Sometimes, if you want the best, you just have to pay for it.


SAMSUNG C8000

Good
Good 3D performance
Deep black levels
Sharp HD pictures
Great range of internet features
Gorgeous design

Bad
2D-to-3D conversion doesn't work very well
No 3D glasses included
Backlighting is not

Samsung has garnered a reputation for creating some of the most eye-catching sets around, and the UE46C8000 doesn't tarnish its good name. It uses LED backlighting, and Samsung has managed to make the telly super slim. In fact, it's a mere 24mm deep, which is pretty incredible for a TV of this screen size. It's not just the sheer slimness of the chassis that's impressive, it's also the classy design. The screen is edged by a brushed-aluminium bezel that's finished with a glass surround. The stand also looks gorgeous thanks to its distinctive X-shaped design and chrome finish. What's more, Samsung has graced the set with one of the best-looking remote controls we've come across. It has the same brushed-aluminium feature as the TV bezel, which sits above a membrane of buttons to give it a very industrial look. The remote is also backlit, so it's easy to see the buttons even when you've got the lights off.

The TV's range of picture-processing features is highly impressive, too. It includes Samsung's 3D Hyper Engine, which includes 200Hz picture-processing and a scanning backlight for smooth motion. There's also Smart LED backlighting, which dynamically adjusts the edge LEDs to deliver richer contrast and deeper black levels, while Samsung's Wide Colour Enhancer Plus technology helps to produce richer, more lifelike colours.

It's perhaps not surprising, then, that the TV puts in such an accomplished performance with both standard and high-definition material. Colours are rendered in a beautifully realistic way and motion is handled superbly -- although you do have to be careful with the smooth motion controls not to overly flatten the picture, especially on films.

Perhaps the set's key selling point is its 3D capabilities. The TV uses active 3D glasses, which are quite pricey. Glasses aren't included with the set as standard, and with each pair costing around £80, you're looking at shelling out a total of £320 on eyewear for an average family of four! Cost aside, the 3D performance is very good. The glasses are comfortable to wear, even over normal spectacles.

Conclusion

Nevertheless, the Samsung UE46C8000 is an easy TV to recommend. It looks absolutely gorgeous and is packed with great features. Its 2D performance is first-rate -- it delivers deep black levels and impressively vivid colours, and it also puts in the best 3D performance we've seen yet from an LED set.