Discussed in a presentation at the IFA show in Berlin, Toshiba is diving headfirst in glasses-free technology with a 55-inch flat-panel high definition television. The Toshiba 55LZ2 doesn’t require any glasses to view images in 3D and sends separate images into each eye using a technology called “lenticular lenslets”. In order to accommodate multiple viewers (up to nine), the television uses head-tracking technology to identify faces and direct different images to all the eyes in the room via a built-in camera. In addition, the television is four times the resolution of 1080p at an astounding 3840 by 2160 pixel resolution, otherwise known at Quad-HD. The television also offers built-in Wi-Fi as well as 2D to 3D conversion.
Unfortunately, this technology isn’t priced for the mainstream market just yet. The television is scheduled to launch in the UK for a steep price of about $8000 Euros (a bit over $11,000 in the United States). Toshibs has already launched glasses-free 3D televisions in Japan, but consumers have been slow to purchase the displays due to massive prices for small screens. For instance, the Toshiba 12GL1, a 12-inch sold for about $1400 with a 20-inch version of the set selling for double that price. While Toshiba is getting a head start on previewing glasses-free displays, it will likely be years until costs are driven down for the average consumer electronics consumer.
In addition to the high-tech 3D display and massive resolution, the Toshiba 55ZL2 has many similar features to Toshiba’s currently lineup of displays. The high definition television also includes auto-calibration functionality for getting an accurate 3D image, an integrated Freeview HD tuner, USB-HDD recording and DLNA compatibility. Using the Wi-Fi connection or direct wired Ethernet port, consumers can also access the Toshiba Places platform to utilize apps for YouTube, Cartoon Network, the BBC iPlayer, Dailymotion, Viewster and Woomi.
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