TriDef Control Panel
Terminology
2-D Source Image
An image stored in a standard graphics file, such as a .BMP, .JPEG, or .PNG format file.
3-D Displays
Glasses-free 3-D Displays are modified TV screens and monitors which display specially-formatted images and movies in 3-D. They do not make ordinary 2-D image look like 3-D (although DDD provides hardware and software solutions that are able to do this).
Before you try out your TriDef software with your 3-D Display you should calibrate it according to manufacturer's instructions first. Many 3-D Displays also require recalibration after shipping. This can make all the difference to the quality of the 3-D effect.
Whenever you use a TriDef tool to view 3-D, you have to know what type of 3-D Display you have, and select it from the TriDef Control Panel.
Anaglyph display mode is included to allow you to preview 3-D effects when your 3-D Display is not available. You should note that Anaglyph will give you a higher resolution 3-D effect than all 3-D Displays. In this mode you may see flaws in the 3-D effect that would not be noticed on a 3-D Display.
If your best 3-D view is off center, in most cases this can be fixed with the TriDef Control Panel.
3-D Settings
3-D Settings are used to adjust the 3D effect relative to the physical location of the 3-D Display screen. Depending on the type of media in use, the following 3D Settings mayb be available.
The model in following animation will be used in subsequent sections to describe these settings:
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| Item | Meaning |
|---|
| Green clouds | The position of the physical screen. |
 | An object in the foreground. |
 | An object in the middle. |
 | An object in the background. |
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3-D Focal Point
The 3-D Focal Point is the part of the image that is at the 3-D Display screen level: everything behind the 3-D Focal Point seems to be behind the screen; everything in front of this point seems to be in front of the screen. So, in the animation above, the middle of is at the 3-D Focal Point.
3-D Focal Point is set by choosing a depth value between the Background and the Foreground of the image. 3-D Focal Point can also be viewed as the percentage of the image that seems to be behind the screen.
This is what happens when you change the 3-D Focal Point:
The entire image moves either closer to the viewer (the 3-D Focal Point is in the Background so a small percentage of the image is behind the screen) or further away (the 3-D Focal Point is in the Foreground so a large percentage of the image is behind the screen).
3-D Scene Depth
3-D Scene Depth is the amount of space between the objects in the Foreground and the Background of an image. You can 'Compress' or 'Expand' 3-D Scene Depth. When you Compress, you squeeze the objects in the image flat and move them closer together. When you Expand, you stretch the objects and move them further apart.
Using the same example as above, the 3-D Scene Depth is the space between in the Foreground and in the Background.
The 3-D Scene Depth can be increased (Expanded) to a built-in maximum value or decreased (Compressed) all the way down to 2-D (completely flat with all objects at screen level).
When you change 3-D Scene Depth, the 3-D Focal Point stays the same.
Adaptive 3-D Focus
Adaptive 3-D Focus ensures that the same relative 3-D Settings are applied to a model or data set, even when you change the view to a different angle or distance. This allows you to zoom and navigate freely while maintaining a high impact yet comfortable 3-D effect. It will also improve the 3-D effect when there is a lot of empty space around your data.
This per-application setting is available on the Visulizer tab of the TriDef Control Panel.
The Adaptive 3-D Focus options reflect how quickly the 3-D Settings in an image are updated. If the model is moving quickly, then choose faster settings. Here are some recommended starting values:
- For 1st person navigation, choose Slow or Off
- For automatic model rotation, choose Medium
- For manual model manipulation and navigation, choose Fast or Instant
Anaglyph
Anaglyph is a 3-D format which involves displaying the left and right views of an image in different colors, in this case Red/Cyan (blue). To view anaglyph 3-D you require a set of RedBlue Eyeware.
Aspect Ratio
The ratio of image width to image height. Common motion-picture ratios are 1.85:1 and 2.35:1. Television screens are usually 1.33:1 (also known as 4:3), which is similar to the Academy standard for films in the '50s. HDTV is 1.78:1, or 16:9. When widescreen movies (films with aspect ratios wider than 1.33:1) are displayed on 1.33:1 televisions, the image must be letterboxed, anamorphically squeezed, or panned-and-scanned to fit the screen.
3-D Display Calibration
All 3-D Displays generally require some form of calibration to produce the best 3-D effect possible. There are two forms of calibration to be aware of: manufacturer's calibration (which should always be done first) and TriDef calibration (only available for some 3-D Display types).
Manufacturer's calibration
Manufacturer's calibration refers to the use of hardware buttons, switches or an on screen display (OSD) and remote control to adjust the functioning of the display itself. 'Horizontal Position' is an example of a setting which is commonly adjusted in this way.
If this calibration is not correct it is not possible to guarantee the quality of the 3-D effect.
Please refer to the manuals provided with your 3-D Display for calibration instructiions.
TriDef calibration or 'fine tuning'
With some types of 3-D Displays you can use TriDef calibration to fine tune the way that 3-D effects are produced by the TriDef applications. This form of calibration is performed via the TriDef Control Panel. You must calibrate your 3-D Display according to the manufacturer's instructions before attempting TriDef calibration (specified above).
See Calibrating a 3-D Display for TriDef software.
Maximum Image Crop
Specifies the maximum percentage of the image that may be cropped (removed), if necessary, in order to better fit on the display. This cropping always occurs evenly, and only at the edges of the image (top and bottom, or left and right). For example, a value of 10% means that no more than 10% of the image can be removed.
Maximum Image Stretch
After an image has been cropped according to the "Maximum Image Crop" setting, it may still not fit on a given display. In this case, the image may also be stretched, up to the specified amount. For example, a value of 5% means that the image can be stretched in one direction by 5% (ie, to 105% of its original width/height), if necessary. Such stretching will distort the image, though small stretches are usually not noticable.
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