Lenticular Filter for Windows?

[tavueni]

Hi All.

I've got a photo filter/graphics question and I'm not sure where this best sits so I'll ask here and see if anyone can point me in the right direction.

While I was on holiday in India, I was walking in one of the big shopping malls and they were using big plasma TV's for advertising. Now what I saw that struck me as VERY cool and clever is that they had some sort of lenticular filter running on the display that made all imagery look 3D (like the rulers you get as a kid)

Now when I say filter, I don't mean that they had the plastic thing on the TV but more like a graphic filter that mimics it on Windows so everything looks 3D and it struck me as something that'd be GREAT for advertising.

Does anyone have an idea what this software/filter might be and where I can get it? Google isn't giving me as much help as I'd have hoped.

I'd appreciate any advice and direction.

Thanks all (in advance),

Tav

[stevelup]

The display must surely have had an actual lenticular filter on it? I can't see how else it could work...

The panels were probably something like these.

Steve

[tavueni]

Hey Steve,

Thanks for the reply. Surprisingly, there didn't seem to be any filter that I could see or feel (unless it was exceptionally smooth and transparent). I actually went and pressed the screen because even I though it had something on it to make it look like that. It was just a NEC 42" Flat Panel TV connected to a PC. Of that I'm sure because there were a pair of 2 of these TV's, one of which must have crashed or rebooted because it was stuck on a Windows XP logon screen that was NOT blurred.

When you were really up close to the screen, you could see the "lenticulation" (if such as word exists) and it made your eyes feel wonky. When you look it at from say 5'-6' away or more, the effect was quite remarkable.

I wish I could have found out from someone what it was. It was damn cool

tav

[stevelup]

Hi

The Plasma's with per pixel lenticular filters have the lens bonded to the PDP surface - there is then the usual air gap and the outer glass protective cover so you won't have been able to feel it.

Because of the gap between a PDP and the front glass, you can't stick the lens to the outside or it won't work. LCD's on the other hand can have the lens stuck to the panel.

Given that you couldn't feel it, and that it made you feel odd when you were right next to it, I'm now 99% convinced it was a plasma with a per pixel lenticular.

The Windows BSOD won't have looked blurry because it's very low resolution compared with the native resolution of the panel - therefore each pixel will have been spanning many of the elements of the lenticular - so both of your eyes will have seen the same image.

Steve

[tavueni]

That sounds like it makes complete sense Steve.

What I might do is see if a relative can take a photo of that NEC screen or find the model number when they're next at the mall (the Select Citywalk in Saket, New Delhi) If I find out, I'll post up and let the forums know. I can think of some useful applications for that kind of thing at my company. Also makes me wonder what you can do with it home

Thanks for the advice and reasoning Steve! Much appreciated
tav