Samsung warns of dangers of 3D television

Samsung warns of dangers of 3D television

www.telegraph.co.uk

“Some viewers may experience an epileptic seizure or stroke when exposed to certain flashing images or lights contained in certain television pictures or video games. If you suffer from, or have a family history of epilepsy or strokes, please consult with a medical specialist before using the 3D function.

“Even those without a personal or family history of epilepsy or stroke may have an undiagnosed condition that can cause photosensitive epileptic seizures.

“Pregnant women, the elderly, sufferers of serious medical conditions, those who are sleep deprived or under the influence of

(visit the link for the full news article)

This is big! I think.

It is so good that somenone takes the responsibility they have as "homewreckers"!

Or, is this a cover up for something else?

I don´t know, but i got very happy when i saw this as news, somone is thinking about us, the consumers!

Maybe finally the money don´t always talks!? Or they´re trying to stay out of trouble...

www.telegraph.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

The same warnings are posted inside of most video games. My little brother begged me to come over and play his video game "left 4 dead", after a few minutes of playing I got really sick. It wasn't the gore, it was the 1st person viewpoint frantically moving though hallways and such. I can see how flashing images and movements can do some damage.

I'm one of the people that 3D tech is off for. I don't have seizures. It doesn't make me nauseous.

It gives me a headache. It makes me feel tired after watching it too long.

I suspect it is something about the rate of the pictures being rendered.

I have no interest in a 3D TV like this. I watch TV to relax and entertain - not have a headache and feel like I went a round of kickboxing. I'll wait for holographic.

Ok, they have the warnings on their web site, but are they going to put all of this on the box the television will come in, for people who miss their message?

It just means to me they have done this as a preventive measure to avoid lawsuits. They will be able to say the warned consumers.

If this is what they have found, I hope they plan to share this message more ways than just on their site!

To call it 3D is a misnomer. It's not actually 3D.

This sort of media is off limits for me. I'm near sighted in one eye and far sighted in the other. It just makes my ill and hurts me head. The truth is the human brain doesn't process those images well at all because your optical center isn't made for it. The key to not getting sick is only looking at the foreground images. Do not focus on the background.

Of course I think that stinks generally. 3D is gimmicky. While Avatar might have impressed people I found it to be a generally boring rehash of Dances with Wolves set in space with explosions and blue aliens. Alice is wonderland was just terrible. I don't care if people love Johnny Depp. he couldn't save that thing is his acting was blessed by the divine. Now there is this Clash of the Titians garbage. Let's call this what it is-a gimmick (of course I had to watch in 2D so maybe I didn't get the full power of the gimmick). Hollywood is scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to ideas. Look at the proliferation of comic book movies. Video games are next. I have no idea where it will go after that? Maybe manga, remakes of remakes, Uncle John's bathroom reader? Who knows?



[edit on 21-4-2010 by antonia]

It's because their 3D TV's use shutter glasses. I went to an IMAX theater once when this technology was still being experimented with, and tried it out. About half of the people were fine, but for the other half (including me), it was not a pleasant experience.

Most 3D theaters now are using a much nicer form of 3D glasses. They project two slightly different images at the same time, by polarizing the light. The left and right lenses of the viewer will then separate the light differently depending on its polarization, resulting in a different image for the left and right eye, and thus a 3D effect.

Shutter glasses, on the other hand, synchronize with the screen and alternate blocking the vision of your eyes. The screen will show a rapid progression of images: left eye, right eye, left eye, right eye... Meanwhile, the glasses will cover your right eye while the image meant for your left eye is being shown, and then cover your left eye while the image meant for your right eye is being shown. All of this is happening over and over, extremely rapidly.

With something like Real3D (which is what the theaters are using), it's a nice experience because you're looking at a constant stream of light. But with these shutter glasses it's like wearing an eye patch that zips back and forth between your eyes, really fast. Some people don't notice it, but I do remember having a nasty headache afterwards, and I don't normally get headaches.

[edit on 21-4-2010 by Magnus47]

I think lenticular-type 3d displays will be better than the shutter-type displays.

You have the advantage of not having to use special glasses and having problems with the image alternating back and forth quickly between each eye.

Nintendo is supposed coming out with something that uses a display like this.

A friend of mine had to walk out on Avatar because he started to have seizures. He got his money back from the manager.

[edit on 21-4-2010 by Junkheap]

I feel sick playing 3rd person and 1st person games, so no way am i getting 3d tv then.

Until holograms come out cannot see the thrill.

I have a 3D monitor for gaming. it's basically two screens on top of each other, each emitting light polarized in different directions. You use glasses to view it, with each lens blocking the opposite eye's images. I imagine that this is how the 3D televisions work, as well. I love it, I don't get sick, but if the separation is turned up too high, you can get headaches.

As for seizures, every video game and video game console comes with that warning, I'm sure it's on the 3D TV just as a precaution.

Makes sense. It's a well know fact that strobe lights have been known to trigger epileptic seizures. Perhaps the flickering of the lens emulates this effect therefore causing the same effect?

3D technology just gives me a headache that persists for hours after watching it.

The last time I tried it was at Avatar, which wasnt that good as a movie, and the 3D effects in it were pretty lame anyway. I was totally surprised when the TVs came out with 3D technology. It just isnt that good. I am surprised anyone is willing to pay for it yet.

reply to post by Magnus47


Modern Movie 3D makes me so tired I need a nap after watching it. Seriously. I loathe it.

reply to post by antonia


Kind of harsh? Grouchy today?

My family and I (including the 3 year old) LOVED Avatar in 3D-Imax!

We also loved the new "How to train your Dragon." (The 2 and 3 year old watched it in 3D, but not Imax.)

Also, the 2 year old is at risk for seizures, but you know what the Neurologist does for check ups? He lays him under a strobe light!

Yes, this flashing light and motion phenomenon is very dangerous! Sometimes I get motion sick if I look at the floor while my wife is driving!

This seems like a standard warning, no different than any previous warning. It will likely affect 2 or 3% of the population, and out of those, 4 or 5 people will sue and get huge payouts, and the rest of us will suffer from it!

I was blown up by a defective paint can once. (6 weeks in burn unit) Didn't even realize that I could sue.

I cut badly in an IHOP in Memphis. Reached for syrup, had broken glass from previous nights brawl stuck to the side. Stitches, no lawsuit!

This country is crazy, and we cater to the few ridiculous whiners instead of the hearty stock that built the country! I am a big fan of Natural Selection. If watching TV injures you.....GOOD!!

reply to post by getreadyalready


I like how your rebuttal of Antonia turned into a talk radio rant against "frivolous lawsuits."

If you dont make companies pay for making products that harm people, they have no incentive not to make products that harm people. It is no more ridiculous to penalize companies that harm individuals with monetary judgments than it is to penalize people who harm other people with jail sentences.

If you choose not to pursue compensation for being harmed by defective products that is your choice. It doesnt make you noble, it makes you stupid. If you harmed the company that made that product, via slander, or blowing up their plant, you can bet your sweet ash that they would sue the hell out of you.

In regard to the rebuttal of Antonia, I dont think she is being grouchy. I agree with her. Now this post, this may be grouchy. But only because I am really, really tired of people who cant reason their way out of a paper bag repeating things they have heard on talk radio. Dont we have a forum for parroting right wing talking heads somewhere?

Since when is hearty stock of the country the people who enjoy watching 3D?

Seriously? That's....epic. I don't use the Internet slogan of silliness often but that qualifies. "Why, when I was a youngun we could watch TV all day and not get sick like these wussy people calling themselves godfearing Americans today."

Yep. Just like them hearty pioneers you are.

If you suffer from seizures why would you watch TV at all unless you enjoy getting them? I mean it's essentially a bright box filled with flashing images.

Yep it's not really a warning about any dangers of 3d tv. It will have the same risks as any other format of tv/video games with flashing images for those people who are sensitive to them. It's all down to the frequency of flashes that effects people. If you consider the frequency of the 'shutter type' glasses, it's very similar to the refresh rates of any digital tv or computer monitor really. Nothing particularly new or dangerous about it.

The only thing that gives me head aches is old monitors with a 50-60hz refresh rate, really hurts my head and makes me feel sick after as little as 30m. But that isn;t really an issue with todays tech, would be interesting to see what the cycle rate of these glasses is though.

I have no problem with the RealD type 3d at cinemas, but would be very interested to see how these TVs look. To be honest though, I can;t see and form of tv where you have to wear glasses taking off. Yeah it's fine for short periods of a few hours at the cinema... but not really practical for in the house. Talking to friends, getting up to get a drink, or watching tv while you work on the computer as I do regularly would mean CONSTANTLY taking the glasses on and off all the time. Not something that appeals, and I'm a major tech head!!

I don't see why they can;t make a TV set that refreshes like the glasses do? There's loads of random images on the web that cycle between 2 frames extremely quickly to give the 3D effect, so surely once TV sets get quick enough in refresh rates this could be possible? That way it would be accessible to all, and not really any different to a normal film rate.

Originally posted by getreadyalready
reply to post by antonia

 

My family and I (including the 3 year old) LOVED Avatar in 3D-Imax!

We also loved the new "How to train your Dragon." (The 2 and 3 year old watched it in 3D, but not Imax.)

Good for you.

Also, the 2 year old is at risk for seizures, but you know what the Neurologist does for check ups? He lays him under a strobe light!

Yes, this flashing light and motion phenomenon is very dangerous! Sometimes I get motion sick if I look at the floor while my wife is driving!

What does this have to do with what I said?

This seems like a standard warning, no different than any previous warning. It will likely affect 2 or 3% of the population, and out of those, 4 or 5 people will sue and get huge payouts, and the rest of us will suffer from it!

MMMkkk, i don't remember whining about the warning. I do not remember ever seeing a warning when I watched the 3D travesty that made me sick. Not that is has anything to do with this. I don't know what you are whining about. Are you one of those people refereed to as "Avatards", you just get angry when someone doesn't like what you like? I don't call for the ban of 3D TV or movies. I just don't watch them. I don't care if you watch them.

This country is crazy, and we cater to the few ridiculous whiners instead of the hearty stock that built the country! I am a big fan of Natural Selection. If watching TV injures you.....GOOD!!

Mmmhmm, cause watching TV is such a healthy activity. You are so macho. I shiver in fear because you, like millions of Americans, can watch TV while drinking copious amounts of soda, eating junk and do this for hours on end.

I'm so jealous.