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Media players have reached the point where free ones all offer pretty much the same performance and features, and, in many cases, the same source code and codecs. To stand out from the crowd, you've got to break out of the box, and in video that means 3D. Ramka's 3D Video Player is a shareware video player than not only plays regular and 3D videos but also converts videos to 3D anaglyph stereoscopic playback. You'll need your 3D glasses to view video in 3D, of course. The trial version of 3D Video Player is free, but the … Read more

While we may never think the world of 3D movies, at least the 3D printing ecosystem continues to evolve rapidly in a good direction. With interest in 3D printers, as well as accessibility to them, becoming more commonplace, an increasing number of artists use these machines -- capable of making nearly anything -- to stretch the limits of design.

The first 3D Print Show, held in London's Brewery next month -- October 19-21 -- gives those in the 3D printing industry a centralized venue for collaborating and educating, as well as showing off some mind-bending 3D creations.… Read more

The current wave of 3D films is a sucker's bet.

You've probably experienced it yourself: After slapping down a significant premium on movie tickets and sliding on your 3D glasses, you're treated not to a visual feast but a feeling of intense dissatisfaction. For many films, the 3D effects are barely there; in others, the post-production conversion actually makes it worse. … Read more

Not going to beat around the bush here: the HP 2311gt offers passive 3D for only $260 (at the time of this review). From my experience, that's a pretty good price for a 3D monitor.

Sure, the 3D effect requires that you sit at least 2.5 feet away from the screen, but when it works, it's actually surprisingly convincing.

The question is: is it worth it?… Read more

Here's a happy fact: 3D-capable HDTVs now cost little more than their non-3D counterparts.

Here's another happy fact: 3D-capable Blu-ray players now cost little more than their non-3D counterparts.

And, finally, a sad fact: You can't rent 3D movies from Netflix. Or your local Redbox kiosk. Nor can you stream or download them from Amazon, Netflix, or iTunes.

So now what? What good is the gear if there's no content? Turns out there are a few sources that can deliver 3D goodness to your home, either through the mail or over the Interwebs. Here are your … Read more

We're sure there are many of you who are anxiously awaiting for Nikon's newest flagship SLR, the Nikon D4, and for some, the wait is finally over and for others, well, hang in there.

Unfortunately, the U.S. is part of the latter group as Nikon moved the D4's original February ship date to some time this month, but here's something to tide you over till then. Our friends from CNET Australia got their hands on the Nikon D3S's successor today, as it goes on sale Down Under tomorrow, and put together an unboxing gallery. … Read more

I hope to review the coming batch of preassembled 3D printers, but first I need to build one.

That's the idea, anyway. Thanks to MakerGear, an expansive online 3D-printing resource, I have a DIY kit for a Mosaic 3D printer. I also have the help of Matt Fitzgerald, an editor on CNET's digital-imaging reviews team. Not only can Matt take a decent picture, I also intend to lean on his mechanical expertise that comes from his hobby restoring motorcycles.

It can't hurt, but you don't need that experience to build a 3D printer. Still, I've never done it. I hope once we get through the building process, I'll have a better idea of what to look for when it comes time to review a premade printer like those announced at CES this year. The goal with this series of posts is to share what we find out.… Read more

Wondershare's Video Converter Ultimate is, as its name suggests, the ultimate video utility for Windows users. But more than just a file converter, the program is a DVD ripper, DVD burner, Web video downloader, 2D-to-3D converter, audio ripper, and even a bare-bones video editor.

It's interface is simple and straightforward, as it has all the major functions laid out as icons along the top of the window. All of the controls are intuitive, and it even lets you drag-and-drop video files.

For the most part, Video Converter Ultimate performs exceptionally well. Exactly as advertised, it lets you quickly … Read more

I reviewed the first version of Nvidia's 3D Vision technology more than two years ago. Since then, 3D has become synonymous with controversy. Whether it's higher movie ticket prices, 2D-to-3D conversions, or the home 3D TV dilemma, 3D definitely sparks interest.

According to Nvidia, the number of 3D-capable monitors increased by 112 percent from the first quarter to the second quarter in 2011 and the number of 3D notebooks increased by 126 percent in the same period. And with more than 550 3D games available on the PC. So, it would seem that at least hard-core gamers are taken with the tech.

The technology isn't perfect, though, and Nvidia seeks to improve the 3D experience in a couple of key ways with its new 3D Vision 2. … Read more