Would it be possible to make a hybrid 4K 3D movie?

[thestrangestick]

I've been wondering if it would be possible to bump up the perceived quality of a 3D movie to near 4K levels by taking the left eye image (for movies where the left eye image is identical to the normal 2D stream) and replacing it with the 4K stream from the 4K blu-ray.

Either by using a full screen Top and Bottom 3D layout (for a 4K 3D TV) or by using a normal frame packed container but limiting to films that were released on 4K bluray with a 2K DI (but that still had a noticeable improvement in detail level over the 3D or standard blu).

My assumption is that the brain would blend the image together seamlessly with the less detailed right eye image, and the result would be the same 3D image but with slightly more detail.

Has anyone ever attempted this? Is it even possible? My assumption is based on the understanding that right eye images are already lesser in quality to the left eye image, but the brain resolves the images together in desirable quality regardless.

[tomtastic]

You could do it. It would look awful and uncomfortable. Most 3D films now are converted. The left eye view does not always equal the 2D 4K/2D blu ray data. The conversion process changes alignment as well as depth cues.

And if you did take the 4K disc data for the left eye and use the right eye from the 3D disc, the two images would not blend together in 3D. One would be higher resolution (the left). You would be better off running the left 4K source thru some conversion first (which would again look awful and not as authentic as the 3D disc itself).

The right eye image on Blu ray 3D is not less detailed than the left. The data stream can be up to 50 percent less data with MVC compression, but that is the compression algorithm at work to save space by discarding redundant information. The dependent stream (right) shares data when viewing the disc where it needs to but you never have a less detailed stream because of it.

[Blu-Ray 3D President]

They better give us 4K 3D TVs first.

[thestrangestick]

Originally Posted by tomtastic

The right eye image on Blu ray 3D is not less detailed than the left. The data stream can be up to 50 percent less data with MVC compression, but that is the compression algorithm at work to save space by discarding redundant information. The dependent stream (right) shares data when viewing the disc where it needs to but you never have a less detailed stream because of it.

Aaaaah thanks for clarifying that!

I still would be curious how much the human brain would accommodate for the differences. Case in point: the MI:Fallout copy that came from streaming services. If you stretched out the right eye from the SBS and used the left eye from standard blu-ray, (assuming the left eye is same as 2D, I understand it often isn't) would it increase the quality or just make your brain have a stroke? Guess I might try it one of these days!

[SillyG]

It sounds like something that could very well be done but it also sounds like a bit of a headache for something that will likely yield an imperceptible benefit.

I just wish that 3D generally wasn't phased out. There was a thunder storm that claimed two of our TVs (both 3D/HD LCD TVs), and we now only have one working 3D TV in the house (our insurance replaced the two destroyed TVs with UHD ones as HD alternatives were no longer available).

The Nintendo 3DS was also a unique piece of kit that hasn't been replicated since. It's hard to pinpoint where it had all gone wrong, but I think the lack of content and the majority of "3D" movies being post-converted (which would have underwhelmed audiences) would have been the primary reasons for its demise. I generally avoided post-converted rubbish and have only bought 3D films that were natively shot as such.

[Gellert]

The newest 4k version of the Darbee processor will make 3D discs extremely close to 4K UHD quality.