Re: Stereo's Future

[P3D Larry Berlin <lberlin@xxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997
>From: P3D Michael Kersenbrock writes:
>.............................(about digital image memory)..............
>Intel's new "di-bit" flash will reduce costs, but not by a hundred fold.

****  What do they predict regarding memory capacity with their
soon-to-be-developed technology? Is their data organized as planar matrixes
or multi-dimensional arrays?

>.........(about cost)........
>Even the ~1 Megapixel DC120 camera is about $800 street price, and
>it's nowhere near being better than film for general purpose use.

******  Cost is a function of several things. A fundamentally different and
simpler technology would tend to be cheaper than existing digital cameras
that are based on the CCD. Especially when miniaturized, mass produced and
carefully mass marketed. The difficult technical stuff would be software
oriented and hardware supported.

>....................
>Aunt Mildred, and everybody is going to have to have a computer and glasses
>to look at their snapshots down at the zoo?  Ick!

******  If Aunt Mildred has a computer and uses email, the internet and
various other computer tools, she will love the convenience of viewing their
Zoo shots, in full screen color stereo, with LCS glasses, or polarized
glasses. Many color printers produce very nice results and services abound
that will create better ones from your digital files. Maybe one of these
lenticular screens we hear hints of will become a reality too. The point is,
a number of choices exist now and more are on the way.

>................. However my posting consisted of 
>comments about someone else's proposal that a better-than-film camera would be
>coming soon at consumer-prices (which is at the $250 and down level nowdays).
>My general response was "I don't think so".  I wish it were true, but 
>I doubt it.  Not at that price level or quality level -- and not 3D until the
>viewing issue is solved.  Not soon.  Ten years maybe, but not soon.
>
>But then, maybe to some people twenty years from now is "soon".  :-)
>

*****  First, I gave no timeline. Merely noted that the necessary components
exist now. *If* put together now, they could become a product reality in
some reasonable time frame. Still an unknown time frame. Consumer level
pricing, yes, because other similar (in manufacturing character) products
exist at those prices. The viewing issue is currently solved and getting
better. Remember this camera system creates wonderful 2D pictures. Guess
what Grandma might choose to print out? Note that the same camera in your
hands might yield a stereoscopic self portrait with digital embellishments
to be sent to your closest friends by email less than 5 minutes later. The
same camera, different setting, same cost. Grandma will have a stereo option
that previously didn't exist so she will likely try it. Prints and a simple
viewer could guarantee 3D access. Anaglyphic or any other stereo viewing
option is supported by current digital stereo viewing systems. Digital can
be transferred to film. Most people would probably not use the highest
resolution modes anyway, except for that occasional extra special picture.
The kind you enlarge and prop somewhere in the livingroom. It's nice to have
options.

What's long or short for a time period depends on one's point of view. :-)

Larry Berlin

Email: lberlin@xxxxxxxxx
http://www.sonic.net/~lberlin/
http://3dzine.simplenet.com/


------------------------------