Convert 2D Movies to Side-by-Side 3D Movies

[ClarkWedner]

If you have 3D glasses that supports Side by Side 3D mode and a 3D TV, you can enjoy the vivid 3D Side by Side video. You never need to worry about the 3D Side-by-Side movie sources, as you could convert 2D movie to 3D Side-by-Side movies. This guide helps you easily convert 2D movies to 3D Side by Side movies on your PC.

Basic Knowledge about Side by Side 3D
What is Side by Side 3D?
Side by side 3D content is one of the many 3D content format types, and it is one of the most popular yet. While DLP 3D ready projectors and newest 3D TVs prefer sequential 3D content, side by side 3D content can be used too.

Where side by side 3D content can be used?
While projector and TV manufacturers recommend sequential 3D content, side by side 3D can be used too in newest 3D TVs, most modern 3D ready DLP projectors (like BenQ projectors), Plasma televisions. Blu-ray players adopt sequential 3D content format, but side by side content is suitable for cable or air television and is in fact the most popular choice. For the latest news some television providers in the U.S. have already started first 3D transmissions using side by side content. It is suitable for cable or air transmissions because it uses the same bandwidth.

How does side by side 3D content work?
Like in sequential 3D, in side by side 3D the content consists of frames, but opposite to sequential 3D, in side by side one frame is not intended for both eyes at the same time. The frame is splitted vertically in two parts: left part is intended for the left eye, right part – for the right one. So if we have 720p frame (which is 1280 x 800 resolution), the left part of the frame is 640 x 800 pixels of resolution, and the same resolution has the right part of the frame. In that way each of the eye receives image which is horizontally downsized in half.

Advantages and disadvantages of side by side 3D:
Advantages: On one hand, such content is so popular because of its bandwidth, which is suitable for cable or air television, and also it can be used in most of TVs (and some projectors). On the other hand, 3D glasses to view side by side content is much cheaper. Opposite to sequential 3D, you don’t have to use active shutter glasses (which are expensive), so you can save up some cash. To view such content you have to use passive 3D glasses: anaglyph (one red and one cyan lenses) or polarized 3D glasses.

Disadvantages: Quality is compromised. If you have 1280 x 800 pixels resolution content, each of eye will get only 640 x 800 pixels of native resolution content. It can be (and will be) upscaled, but it will never be as good in quality as sequential 3D content.

How to Convert 2D Video to 3D Side by Side
To convert 2D movie to 3D Side-by-Side movies, you need to use 2D to 3D converter. Leawo Video Converter is just what you need to carry out 2D to 3D Side-by-Side movie conversion. Built in with a 2D to 3D video converter, Leawo Video Converter offers high quality 2D movie to 3D conversion solutions. It provides you 6 different 3D movie effects: Red/Cyan, Red/Green, Red/Blue, Blue/Yellow, Interleaved, Side by Side. Thus you could easily convert any 2D movie to 3D Side-by-Side movies for 3D movie enjoyment. Follow the below guide and learn how to add 3D SBS (Side-by-Side) effect onto 2D movies.

Download and install this video converter on your PC. Mac users should switch to its Mac counterpart – Leawo Video Converter for Mac for help.

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Step 1: Add 2D movies
Launch this 2D to 3D side by side converter to enter the main program interface, and click “Add Video” button on the sub-menu under “Convert” module to browse and add source 2D movies into this 2D to 3D converter.

Step 2: Set 3D SBS effect
Right click loaded 2D movie and then select “Edit” option. On the popup window, open “3D” tab to enter the built-in 2D to 3D converter panel, and activate the 2D to 3D conversion function by sliding the “3D Mode” to green. There’re in total 6 different 3D effects for you to choose. To create 3D side by side video, please select “Side-by-Side”. You can also adjust the 3D Depth and get instant preview.

Step 3: Set output profile
After setting the 3D effect, click “OK” button to return to the main interface. You could keep the final 3D SBS movie in original format or convert it to other formats for diverse devices. On the main interface, next to the “Add Photo” button, click the drop-down box and then select “Change” option to set output profile under “Format” group, like MP4, MKV, MOV, etc.

Note: Click the “Edit” button on the drop-down profile setting box to adjust video and audio parameters like video codec, aspect ratio, frame rate, resolution, audio codec, bit rate, channel, sample rate, etc. (optional)

Step 4: Convert 2D movie to Side-by-Side 3D
At last, click the big green “Convert” button. On the following popup window, set output directory and then click the bottom “Convert” button to start 2D movie to 3D SBS movie conversion.