What is cheapest 3D media player

[rajudhs]

What is cheapest media player with 3D support??

- I am not particular about ISO format
- need not have internal hdd
- need not have wifi

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[manoj.p]

If not care for 3D ISO support, then any media player capable of playing 1080p mkv will do. All you need to do is play the mkv encoded either in SBS or TNB format.

 

[rajudhs]

i was not aware that any 1080p MKV player can play 3D as well

since all latest media players advertise 3D, i thought it needs special encoding/decoding.

So you mean, xtreamer -1 and WD Live also will be able to play a 3D mkv?

 

[koushikp]

I doubt whether it will be automatic as it requires licensing, if you want problem free experience you should go for a Realtek 1186 based player, best bet is xtreamer sidewinder 3 if you can import it, price is 99 euro, or go for himedia 900b which is available at detna.com for 11k

 

[manoj.p]

Realtek 1186 based player is needed if one wants to play 3D blurays/ISO images. The OP does not want it, so any other player capable of 1080p mkv will do.

As for me, I would spend extra and get the 1186 based player. Who knows, down the line, I may need 3D iso support.

 

[Kittu]

There is measy X5 player available with almost the same specs and realtek 1186 chipset for close to 9k price.

Here is the link

Measy X5 - 3D Media and Internet Player + Streamer Prodigy | eBay

 

[rajudhs]

did some research and got clarify on the 3D formats, hope this helps everyone who was confused like me

There are 3 types of 3D formats that players support usually and most popular

1: Frame packing/frame Sequencing

- Its a Full HD - 3D, Supported by Bluray Players
- It needs HDMI 1.3 (with High Speed) or HDMI 1.4 cables
- Needs higher processing power
- Needs bandwidth for 1080p x 2 times
- Frame sequencing is displaying left and right frames once after other
- 3D bluray players display the above with both frames in Full HD, which is heavy on processing and on HDMI Bandwidth
- Hence the need for a Realtek 1186 processor or equivalent
- Each frame of this contains L + R images both at 1080 resolutions, one below the other separated by a 45 pixel padding , so its 1080 x 2 times + 45 something pixels padding

2: Side by side
- In this both the left and right images are displayed in the same single frame
- L+R image in same frame left and right
- The vertical resolution of L & R images are not compromised
- The Horizontal resolution of L & R images are reduced by half, as it fits both images on the same frame splitting it right in the middle

- A 1080p side by side, essentially will be a 720p image
- less processing/bandwidth over load and works on older HDMI cables and receivers.

- so this can be easily supported by any HD player, due to extra processing from its side, it just renders what it gets
- The 3D Display then takes this L+R images, its gets side by side
- upscales them to full native resolution of its display
- frame sequences it like (option 1 above, of 3D bluray players) and sync them with 3D Glasses

3: Top & Bottom

- In this both the left and right images are displayed in the same single frame, top and below
- L+R image in same frame top and below
- The Horizontal resolution of L & R images are not compromised
- The vertical resolution of L & R images are reduced by half, as it fits both images on the same frame splitting it right in the middle, between top and bottom of the image

- A 1080p Top & Bottom, essentially will be a 720p image
- less processing/bandwidth over load and works on older HDMI cables and receivers.

- so this can be easily supported by any HD player, due to extra processing from its side, it just renders what it gets
- The 3D Display then takes this L+R images, it gets top and bottom
- upscales them to full native resolution of its display
- frame sequences it like (option 1 above, of 3D bluray players) and sync them with 3D Glasses

The typical uses of these formats in different applications is likely to be:

1: Blu-ray movie content: 1080p24 Frame Packing

2: Gaming consoles: 720p50/60 Frame Packing

3: Cable, satellite, broadcast transmissions:
- 1080i50/60 Side-by-Side (Half) (documentaries)
- 1080p24 Top-and-Bottom (movies) and
- 720p50/60 Top-and-Bottom (sports)

So both "side by side" and "top and bottom" are standards for broadcast networks, due to limited bandwidth
(this is what will be supported by most HD players)

"Frame Packing" is standard for Blurays/Games Consoles due to high bandwidth availability
(This will be only supported by new HD Players with powerfull processors and HDMI 1.4)

- The HDMI 1.4 spec says, players need to tell the 3D Display in the "information Header" of HDMI, which of the 3 types above is the format that is getting played, so that 3D display can act accordingly.
- The "information Header" of HDMI is available for each frame sent from the player , as 3D shouldn't be displayed for commercials and some movies have only specific scenes in 3D
(so bascially what portions of video are in 3D and what not? in the same movie or transmission is controlled by the info in this header)


- Also as part of HDCP signalling, the player and 3D display exchange the capabilities and if player doesn't detect 3D display, it wont send 3D images at all.


So essentially, if u want to play 3D MKV files then old HD players will do the Job, no need to upgrade.

if u want to play 3D ISO them u need new HD players with realtek 1186 or equivallent.

Most 3D displays today, support all these above 3 types of 3D formats.