We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Electronics

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Stereo Video?

John Lister
By
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 10,494
Share

Stereo video, or stereoscopic video, is the practice of producing the illusion of a 3D image in moving form. There are a variety of methods used to achieve this effect, usually classified by whether the viewer needs to wear glasses, and, in turn, whether these glasses play an active role in the effect. The phrase stereo video could also refer to VHS equipment that records and plays two audio channels, rather than one.

The basic concept of stereo video is the same as 3D imaging. The viewer is shown a picture that combines two images, one viewed by each eye. These images show the same scene, but from slightly differing perspectives. The brain's attempts to reconcile this difference creates an illusion of depth. The concept of stereo video is to simply recreate this effect for every frame of the movie.

There are three main types of stereo video, the first two of which involve the viewer wearing glasses. The most well known in the 20th century was passive glasses, which mean the glasses are entirely static. One example of this is polarized glasses, which use one red lens and one green lens. The two images are shown on the screen simultaneously, with the lens for each eye filtering out the "wrong" image.

In the 21st century, active glasses have become more popular. One example is liquid crystal shutter glasses. These contain a liquid crystal layer in each lens that can quickly switch between being transparent and blocking light. The lenses switch back and forth in synchronization with the video, which displays images from alternating perspectives.

The final type of stereo video is autostereoscopy, or glasses-free 3D. Most variants involve a screen that has tiny ridges rather than being totally flat. This means that each eye can only see part of the screen, meaning different images can be shown simultaneously to the two eyes. The main drawback is that it has proven difficult to make this effect work well on large screens, or to cope with multiple viewers sitting in different locations.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the term stereo video was most closely associated with video cassette recorder, particularly the VHS format. In this context, stereo referred to audio rather than the video. During the heyday of VHS, stereo equipment became more popular than mono-only video recorders. In later years, movies were released in Dolby Pro Logic, which used the two audio channels to encode a multi-channel surround sound effect that could be played back on compatible sound systems.

Share
EasyTechJunkie is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
John Lister
By John Lister
John Lister, an experienced freelance writer, excels in crafting compelling copy, web content, articles, and more. With a relevant degree, John brings a keen eye for detail, a strong understanding of content strategy, and an ability to adapt to different writing styles and formats to ensure that his work meets the highest standards.
Discussion Comments
By anon1006305 — On Feb 26, 2022

I'm surprised that you say that polarized glasses have one red and one green lens (which is the anaglyph system), particularly since you have an article here about anaglyph 3D. Polarized glasses have one lens polarized at 90 degrees to the other, and the video display is polarized to match so that each eye sees the correct side. Polarized lenses have no color of their own. This system is used in medical 3D vision.

John Lister
John Lister
John Lister, an experienced freelance writer, excels in crafting compelling copy, web content, articles, and more. With...
Learn more
Share
https://www.easytechjunkie.com/what-is-stereo-video.htm
Copy this link
EasyTechJunkie, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

EasyTechJunkie, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.