what's with that vague 3-D effect on The O'Reilly Factor?

[Syrinx]

Has anyone else noticed this? It's the strange way that O'Reilly's guests seem to jump out at you from the background. I assume it's a lighting trick of some sort, but it seems new to me. I don't remember ever seeing it before. And it only started pretty recently on O'Reilly's show.

Has anyone else noticed this, and, if so, how do they do it? It's probably something very simple and obvious, that I'm just being a numbskull about. (I have a casual interest in graphics and lighting and such things, and am curious about the technique being used.)

Thanks.

[fasttense]

1. No, I noticed nothing. I think it's just your TV.

Naw, just kidding. I never watch whats his name, too boring.

[Warpy]

2. TV always back lights people

It's the only way to make them look like something besides cardboard cutouts. They tend to merge with the background if they're only lit from the front.

Maybe they're trying out something besides blue, special lavender, chocolate, or white and it's jarring enough that you picked up on it.

[Syrinx]

3. I know what you're talking about

But this is something slightly different.

[Warpy]

4. They could be sitting in front of a blue or green screen, too

like local weather forecasters use so it looks like they're standing in front of a huge, animated map.

Incompetence on behalf of the production staff might be causing a little dithering around the edges and that could be what you're picking up.

Look at their hair, though. That will tell you if they're using some funky color to jazz up the backlighting.

[Syrinx]

5. if it's incompetence it's still pretty cool :)

It only works on the guests that are in studio against a fancy blue background. The ones on remote don't work.

Maybe it's a missing synapse in my brain or something, but it seems like a fairly decent three-dimensional effect for regular tv. I don't even have HD. :D

I've been reading that very soon we will have 3-D television sets. You won't even have to wear glasses or anything. It'll be almost like "holidecks." And I'm talking soon. Maybe they're already selling them in Japan. Seems Japan usually gets the new, cool stuff first. :shrug:

When they come out here, I'll probably camp out at Sears, drooling, for a year or two, until the economies of scale kick in. :P

Sorry. I was in a smilie mood.

[KyleA]

6. 3-D tv?

Ralph Kramden's dream come true