Mitsubishi, Aspen Media, Nvidia Roll Out 3D HD Gaming

By Andrew Lippe

Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America is the latest set manufacturer to tackle 3D HDTV in the living room, giving sports networks another reason to eye 3D HD. Three new 1080p DLP sets offer 3D capability when tied to an Aspen Media Products server outfitted with an NVIDIA GeForce FX graphics card. Sets from its new division, LaserVue TV, will also be 3D capable. “Nobody believes they can have 3D in their home,” says John Oliver, Aspen Media Products CEO. “ Our relationship with Mitsubishi makes it real.”

The technologies from three companies are currently focused on the 3D gaming market as videogamers look for the next hot product. While Sony and Microsoft have yet to announce any 3D gaming plans for PS3 or Xbox 360 PC games are ready for the next dimension.

Games are loaded into the Aspen Media Server and the NVIDIA graphics card has the power to render 3D images. “We believe NVIDIA has the best technology to bring the game experience in 3D to the home,” says David Naranjo, director of product development, Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America.

The Aspen server has 1.5 TV of storage and also has a cable tuner built into allowing it to also operate as a DVR. “Downloadable distribution is the wave of the future,” adds Naranjo.

The system does require the viewer to wear glasses as it syncs the 3D HDTV signal with the glasses to split the 60 frames per second between the left and right eye to create a stereoscopic effect. “There is technology that does not use glasses but the problem is you have to be dead center and five feet away and even then it is not true HD,” says Oliver. “This is a really nice marriage that makes it possible for the consumer to have 3D today.”