Looking for a way to stroke out your boss who just committed to a major 3D play? Samsung is placing health warnings on its Australian 
website that say watching 3D programming could be hazardous to your health. OK, take a deep breath; now, breathe out slowly...
The alert is the real deal (see it here), although you have to hope it's just the product of a hyper-vigilant attorney. Some of the worries? Epileptic seizure or stroke, motion sickness and a warning that you should not be "in bad physical condition, need sleep or have been drinking alcohol." That wipes out about half the market. Here are some of the other details that appear under the heading "Photosensitive Seizure Warning and Other Health Risks":
- Children and teens may be more likely than adults to experience altered vision, lightheadedness, dizziness, involuntary movements, confusion, nausea, loss of awareness, convulsions, cramps and disorientation.
- Viewing in 3D mode may cause perceptual after effects, disorientation, eye strain, and decreased postural stability. It is recommended that users take frequent breaks to lessen the likelihood of these effects.
- Watching TV while sitting too close to the screen for an extended period of time may damage your eyesight.
- Watching TV while wearing 3D Active Glasses for an extended period of time may cause headaches or fatigue.
- Viewing in 3D mode may cause disorientation for some viewers. DO NOT place your television near open stairwells, cables, balconies or other objects that may cause you to injure yourself.
TV makers, along with the rest of the industry, have to be just a tad nervous about the possible implications. The category was a huge presence at last week's NAB show in Las Vegas, and there was a lot of mojo in the air around anything 3D. Conventional wisdom put it as "the next big thing," a far more realistic product segment than it had been at CES. Some of the biggest crowds, by far, were at any booth demoing a 3D-related product.
So far, there's no sign of the language on the U.S. website... perhaps we're just more hardy than those folks from Oz.
For more:
- see Samsung's Web warning
Related articles:
NAB 2010: Title it 'Las Vegas in 3D'
CBS: 3D broadcast of Duke-Butler game a win for network
Harmonic, DirecTV and Panasonic offer 3D TV demo at NAB
Is the world ready for 3D TV?