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THX, LG Bring 3D Certification To CEDIA

ATLANTA

— In recently unveiling its first 3D plasma displays,
which are on display at CEDIA Expo this week,
LG Electronics became the first
TV manufacturer to christen a new
certification program for 3D display
products from THX.

LG introduced earlier this month
two Infinia 1080p 3D plasma TVs,
carrying a certification mark signifying
the sets measure up to THX’s
stringent protocols for performance.

According to Kevin Wines, THX image
technology director, the new LG
displays, and any others that are to receive
the seal in the future, will present
images that are free of some of
the artifacts and problems for which
some rival 3D displays on the market have been criticized.

LG’s new THX plasma models are part of the PX950 series
and include the 60-inch and 50-inch screen sizes, carrying
suggested retails of $2,999 and $1,999, respectively.

Both models were said to have passed more than 400
laboratory tests evaluating left- and right-eye images for
color accuracy, cross-talk, viewing angles and video-processing
performance.

In order to pass 3D certification, both sets had to first
pass THX’s certification for 2D picture quality.

THX will certify 3D displays of any type, including video
projectors and LCDs. Although LG introduced Infinia 3D
LCD displays several weeks earlier, those models missed
THX 3D certification because they
were manufactured prior to completion
of the THX 3D certification
standards, said Tim Alessi, LG
product development director.

“The TV is built to the specification,”
explained Graham McKenna,
THX public relations director. “So,
when a set comes in we work with
the manufacturer on the prototype
development stage to lock the firmware
in before it goes into mass
production.”

After passing tests and locking
in the firmware, THX sends technicians
to the factory to QC products coming off the assembly
line, McKenna said.

In both the 2D and 3D certification processes, THX is
able to make suggestions to the product development
team for tweaks and corrections to bring the sets into compliance
with the certification standards, Wines explained.

“What THX did for our sets in 2D is taken to another
whole realm in 3D, where people are re-experiencing 3D
for the first time,” Alessi said. “This adds a new dimension in what picture quality people should
expect, and having the THX certification
on there should really help elevate”
their feeling of confidence.

Wines said the challenges faced in
home-theater displays parallels those
being faced in public theaters, as well.

Basic criteria include making brightness
of the displays much higher to
compensate for the loss of brightness
imposed by the shaded glasses.

Engineers analyze left- and righteye
images to ensure they retain the
sharpness and detail.

THX is also working with content
producers to produce 3D programming
for maximum quality in the home,
he said.

In that effort, the image-standards
firm recently announced that it has
teamed with Blufocus to offer the industry’s
first 3D certification for Bluray
movies and broadcast programs.

The THX-Blufocus Certification
program will cover all aspects of 3D
production, including onscreen characters,
graphics and subtitles, as well
as audio and authoring quality assurance.

Meanwhile, the THX 3D TV certification
is glasses-technology agnostic,
meaning THX 3D programs can be
adjusted for both active-shutter and
passive glasses systems. LG’s new
THX 3D plasma sets use an activeshutter
glasses system, Alessi said.

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