stereomultiplexing

Stereomultiplexing refers to techniques used to encode and transmit two or more distinct video signals that can be decoded to create a stereoscopic image. The goal is to present a different image to each eye, simulating depth perception. This is commonly employed in 3D television, 3D cinema, and virtual reality displays.

Several methods exist for stereomultiplexing. One approach is frame-sequential stereoscopy, where full frames of the left-eye and right-eye images are alternated rapidly. The display device then synchronizes with the signal to present the correct frame to each eye at the appropriate time. Another method is field-sequential stereoscopy, which is similar but alternates between the fields of interlaced video frames.

Anaglyphic stereoscopy uses color filtering, typically red and cyan, to separate the left and right eye images. Viewers wear glasses with corresponding colored lenses, allowing each eye to perceive only its intended image. Polarization is another popular technique, often used in cinemas. It involves transmitting polarized light for each eye's image, and viewers wear glasses with polarizing filters that match the screen's polarization. Side-by-side or top-and-bottom formats are also used, where the left and right eye images are compressed and placed next to each other or one above the other within a single video frame. These require the display device to decompress and separate the images before presenting them.