A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions to present a plurality of unassociated media programs from a single presentation device having overlapping presentation periods, and cause the single presentation device to present a user interface for one of the plurality of unassociated media programs responsive to detecting a request for the user interface. Each of the plurality of unassociated media programs can be viewable only with a viewing apparatus. The viewing apparatus can be configured for viewing one of the unassociated media programs at a time. Other embodiments are disclosed and contemplated.

Three-dimensional display systems may include polarized displays that polarize light emitted from a first set of areas of the display with a first polarization for a first eye of the viewer and that polarizes light emitted from a second set of areas of the display with a second polarization for a second eye of the viewer. This may result in dark areas being perceived by a viewer when viewed through polarized 3D glasses. Systems and technologies according to this disclosure may include 3D glasses that have a lenses configured to redirect a portion of incoming light in a first axis to at least partially illuminate the dark areas.

A play compound includes additives, which when viewed with 3D glasses, elicit three-dimensional stereoscopic illusions. To present stereoscopic images, the additives in the play compound are viewed through different polarizing filters of low-cost eyeglasses worn by a viewer. As each filter passes only that light which is similarly polarized and blocks the light polarized in the opposite direction, each eye sees a different image. This is used to produce a three-dimensional effect by projecting the same scene into both eyes but depicted from slightly different perspectives. Multiple persons can view the stereoscopic images at the same time.

A method for receiving an input video frame is provided that generates two obscured frames from the input frame by copying odd lines interspersed with noise lines to one frame and copying even lines interspersed with noise lines to the other frame. The obscured frames are then displayed on a screen with lines polarized in different directions, and a timing signal is output to polarized active shutter glasses such that one lens allows polarized light for lines copied from the original input frame to pass through the lens and be visible to a wearer while the other lens blocks the added noise lines from the wearer's view.

A polarization conversion system separates light from an unpolarized image source into a first state of polarization (SOP) and an orthogonal second SOP, and directs the polarized light on first and second light paths. The SOP of light on only one of the light paths is transformed to an orthogonal state such that both light paths have the same SOP. A polarization modulator temporally modulates the light on the first and second light paths to first and second output states of polarization. First and second projection lenses direct light on the first and second light paths toward a projection screen to form substantially overlapping polarization encoded images. The polarization modulator may be located before or after the projection lenses. The polarization-encoded images may be viewed using eyewear with appropriate polarization filters.

Optical systems, such as 2-D and 3-D projection systems, may be configured to have a compact back focal length to allow for more compact projection lenses, lower throw ratios, improved contrast, or any combination thereof. In an embodiment, an optical system may include a relay element configured to form an intermediate image having a focal point proximate to a projection lens.

A stereoscopic imaging display. A virtual field-of-view frame or reference window is set in a field of view of a stereo camera. Standard stereoscopic video data is sent. A stereo slide or a stereo photo print is formed with left and right images from the standard stereoscopic video data. Spacing D.sub.P2 between the left and right images is determined by the equation D.sub.P2=B(1−L.sub.2/L.sub.0), where B is a human interpupillary distance, L.sub.2 is a view distance, and L.sub.0 a distance from the human interpupillary distance to a reference dimension display screen which is equivalent to the reference window at the time of photographing being taken.

A novel projection system includes first and second light sources (e.g., sets of lasers), a spatial light modulator (SLM) that receives light from the first light source, and a beam steering device that receives light from the second light source and steers the light to highlight regions of the SLM. The SLM then modulates the light from both light sources to generate a highlighted imaging beam which can then be projected on a viewing surface. The highlighted imaging beam can represent a highlighted 2D image or a highlighted left- or right-eye view of a 3D image. The projection system thus improves peak brightness in the displayed highlighted images without incorporating a separate highlight projector or other expensive equipment. Methods for highlighting projected images are also described.

A novel projection system includes first and second light sources (e.g., sets of lasers), a spatial light modulator (SLM) that receives light from the first light source, and a beam steering device that receives light from the second light source and steers the light to highlight regions of the SLM. The SLM then modulates the light from both light sources to generate a highlighted imaging beam which can then be projected on a viewing surface. The highlighted imaging beam can represent a highlighted 2D image or a highlighted left- or right-eye view of a 3D image. The projection system thus improves peak brightness in the displayed highlighted images without incorporating a separate highlight projector or other expensive equipment. Methods for highlighting projected images are also described.

A manufacturing method for a polarizing stereo electronic large screen display system, including disposing a plurality of physical pixels a display screen; disposing two individual pixels each including three primary colors inside one physical pixel for respectively emitting light for the left eye and the right eye; and disposing a plurality of polarizing films on the plurality of physical pixels. The method results in a display system having high resolution.