The 3DS's glasses-free 3D explained

by JC Fletcher on Aug 12th 2010 9:00PM

If you're mystified by how the Nintendo 3DS could display two images, one for each eyeball, simultaneously, without relying on glasses to divide them up, you're not alone. But you will be alone after everyone else has watched this video by Kombo's Jeff Grubb, which explains not only the 3DS's parallax barrier system, and its effective range, but other stereoscopic 3D displays as well.

You'll also get to see a bit of off-screen 3DS footage, though looking at the 3D effect through a regular camera's view of the system just results in a kind of blurry image. And as a bonus, try to spot our own Ludwig Kietzmann! Surely you recognize the back of his head?

Source: Kombo

Tags: 3DS, ds, nintendo, stereoscopic-3d

Reader Comments (75)

Pretty cool tech!

I imagine it won't be long before phone manufacturers are aping this as well.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

sup Ezio, do you wait by the comp refreshing Joystiq? seems like you're always the first to comment. like the new Wiizer.

@PR0F3TA Not really, no.

Well, kinda.

I'm on the couch right now, watching some 24, laptop at my side. I multi-task a lot, I don't do well focusing my attention on just one thing, so I'm always usually browsing around and checking message boards and crap while I'm watching TV or playing games.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

Phones already do. I believe it is Sharp, they announced their glasses free 3D phones months before Nintendo announced the 3DS. This lead many to believe Nintendo was actually going to be using their technology for the 3DS. But apparently Nintendo was already working on the same technology.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

Did you even watch the video? I mean, you commented one minute after the post...just wondering.

@The Harbinger of Pie
The videos and pictures on this site usually get uploaded before the article. Few times I saw stuff on the right column and tried to figure out where the hell the article is.

And I am typing this on my cell phone. You people know that we can access websites from other devices besides our computers, right? Let people comment in peace, damn it! Ezio is pretty much on topic all the time and has a positive attitude. If only more people could be like him on the damn nega-net. Sheesh!

Why does it matter how fast he posted, or if he posts on every post? thats right, it doesnt freaking matter.. I see people become the "new victim" cause there on joystiq a lot, get over it. :/

@Faenix

Like I said, I was just wondering! I mean, I do have a pretty valid question, he commented on the technology within a minute of the post when the video was about 3 or 4 minutes. Jones has a valid point though, about how sometimes there are videos before the post.

I'm not hatin, I'm just wondering! :P

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

Must be hard to internets with 16th century technology... Surely you must have Leonardo's help.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze

I guess even assassins learn from Jack Bauer.

@Spartan117458: You deserve a trophy, a pizza trophy.

@Ezio Auditore da Firenze
Its cool going cross eyed and watching the paper mario / zelda. It actually does make a 3D effect. Looks similar to those magic eye things

Interesting video, still don't like the 3D in general though.

@buzski I agree with you about 3D ... but this is a lot better than making me wear some ridiculous glasses. Other manufacturers should take cue from Nintendo.

@buzski True that.

At least you can use the slider to turn it off if you're not feeling it.

It seems like a really impressive device, even without 3D.

@MightyTACO
I'd be much more interested in them creating innovative gameplay techniques, or making it easier for consumers to create custom content.

@MightyTACO

Video makes it seem more like a sharp thing, unless nintendo collaborated on it?

@buzski
are you a pirate?

@Faenix it's nothing to do with Nintendo, Sharp have been producing these screens for quite a while, and Ninty has always been intrested in 3D, it's only just become reasonably priced enough to include in a relatively cheap handheld.

Hmm...so that how it works...I'll stick with my initial explanation: "Magic."

@The Man with a girls name

That's my line

@The Man with a girls name That's a likely explanation, but I like the sciency approach myself.

Though I think this guy did a more thorough job of explaining the whole 3D thing, not just with the 3DS, but movies and TV as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI6rtfedFlk

I thought we all came to the conclusion that Nintendo's run by warlocks.

Oh I cant believe i didn't think of something like that

I was thinking the exact same thing..

Guys, don't put a picture of the video with the play button on it. I click it every time and it opens another page.

I knew the guy from Lost would find more work.

@jph89

Hurley lol XD

He also looked like the guy who won LCS, Felipe Esparza...

@jph89 I'm not Jorge Garcia, I'm Jorge Garcia's far less impressive cousin Roger Garcia.

@jph89
he sure found work
http://pitchfork.com/news/39699-weezer-reveal-ridiculous-album-cover/

true story, my dad is blind in one eye. He loves handheld games, has everything from an iPhone to a DS even a Neo Geo Color believe it or not. This is kinda tragic for him tho, it can be played in 2D from what i read, but hes prob thinking hes missing out on what can effect the gameplay. sorry old man

@PR0F3TA
He's already missing out on 3d in the real world, this shouldn't be much of a big deal considering that.

Now I know.. and knowing is half the battle.

Too bad us lazy-eyed folks aren't able to see the 3d magic before us. But hey, at least you don't need normal eyes to see the superior graphics and software of the 3ds!

...:(

Do eye-strengthing excercises. One of the old ways was to put a patch over the non-lazy eye for a few weeks. It strengthens the lazy eye by forcing it to work.

@Drakkenfyre

Only works up to a certain age of around 6 or 7 years old. The idea is that if the strong eye is covered then the brain relies on the lazy eye for information, otherwise the brain would just rely on the strong eye and the lazy eye ends up not sending any information to the brain at all, and as a consequence becoming inefficient and not used.

@Asok
As a kid i spent most of my time looking at small things. As a result, I usually keep one eye closed in habit. Most of the time, I can only see in 2d also, but at least if i open my eye, I can see 3d.

My eyes and brain hurt after watching that video :|

That intro tune sounded rather...Gogol Bordello.

@Freakservo

Supertheory of Super Everything.

@JeffGrubb Ooh, quite!

Thanks!

I'm yet to see the screen of a 3DS, should be interesting. I'm not a big fan of 3D but achieving the effect without glasses is intriguing.

HEY! I have, like, the same apartment.

@Yothe

Ohio here. You?

Loved Nintendo's idea of BOOBS with the system.

What a selling point(s)!

They also, quite literally, chained the systems down by strapping them to a steel cable around the women. They didn't want someone walking out with one of the demo units.

@Drakkenfyre

Ah, now I understand. I thought a DS was highly inefficient when it came to keeping nerds from stealing the women.

Wow, that's actually pretty simple. I can't wait to own one~!!

Freaking sweet, made me want a 3DS even more and while nintendo was right that seeing the 3DS on camera doesn't fully do its 3D justice ..... I'm calling hype wagon. It did enough justice to make the system look damn good especially when you realize that the awesome picture is only 52% as awesome as it would be in real life.

What I am really interested in knowing is was the screen developed specifically for 3D or was it always developed for the dual 2D displays and someone just came along and said, "you know".

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The 3DS's glasses-free 3D explained

Reader Comments (75)

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:01PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:17PM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:19PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:25PM snl25 said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:30PM The Harbinger of Pie said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:36PM Dao Jones said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:44PM Faenix said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:59PM The Harbinger of Pie said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 10:15PM Ashkental said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 11:13PM Spartan117458 said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 11:49PM SkullHydra said

Posted: Aug 13th 2010 12:57AM Brodo said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:05PM buzski said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:07PM MightyTACO said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:18PM Ezio Auditore da Firenze said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:19PM Themoreyouknow said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:31PM Faenix said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:54PM gevenstaines said

Posted: Aug 13th 2010 2:40PM WitchDrAsh said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:10PM The Man with a girls name said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:18PM PantsParty said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 10:47PM VTPhil said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:10PM Shadowbender said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:14PM evebrey said

Posted: Aug 13th 2010 4:52AM oggsy92 said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:18PM AlvinRod said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:20PM jph89 said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:23PM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:35PM Cryo said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 10:42PM JeffGrubb said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 11:03PM Ozzy said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:20PM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Aug 13th 2010 12:19AM KaBob799 said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:25PM mynameisjay said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:30PM Asok said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 10:01PM Drakkenfyre said

Posted: Aug 13th 2010 8:50AM mrmobius said

Posted: Aug 13th 2010 2:17PM s1l3n70n3 said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:33PM The Harbinger of Pie said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:40PM Freakservo said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 10:43PM JeffGrubb said

Posted: Aug 13th 2010 4:36PM Freakservo said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:42PM x2Jiggy said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:52PM Yothe said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 10:43PM JeffGrubb said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 9:53PM CaptainProtonX said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 10:02PM Drakkenfyre said

Posted: Aug 12th 2010 10:50PM Mister Darcy said

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Posted: Aug 12th 2010 10:05PM Scuffles said

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