'I refused to let 3D die!': Someone built a custom player for all 3D movie formats and is even futureproofing it to preserve the grandeur of 3D for whatever the future of projectors and TVs holds

Date:
Wed, 29 Jul 2026 01:00:00 +0000

Description:
An intrepid Redditor has built a 3D movie player that supports three
different generations of 3D, with an eye to the future of TV and projector tech.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter SyLC 3D Player supports everything from 3D Blu-ray to Apple spatial videos, and it can convert 3D video to display it on Apple Vision Pro headsets It's backwards and forwards compatible and the creator says it can get dual-HDMI output for dual projection, for future-proofing The app runs on Windows, and is free via Github 'because this format deserves better than a slow death' One of the great tech disappointments of the last few decades was 3D TV. Like many movie fans I was excited by the possibilities, invested in a 3D TV, and watched the entertainment industry ensure that yet again, 3D movies were a short-lived trend. By 2013, it was already generally agreed that 3D TV was dead and that smart TVs and 4K were the way ahead.

Not everyone got the memo [I had mine until 2020 -Ed]. Over on the r/audiovisual subreddit , Jarod-The_Centre is determined to ensure 3D never dies so they have been making a free player that now "plays EVERYTHING in
3D" from Blu-ray to Apple spatial videos. And that's just the beginning of
its talents. If you're a fan of things pointing out of the screen for no good reason, Jarod's player is fascinating. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch
full video here: I refused to let 3D die ! So I spent months building a free player that plays EVERYTHING in 3D: Blu-ray MVC, 4K HDR side-by-side, even Apple spatial videos. And it converts your 3D Blu-rays to Vision Pro
format... from r/audiovisual What does the 3D player do? What doesn't it do? The player, called SyLC 3D Player, is a Windows app that's now in its fifth release. It's designed to play three different generations of 3D content: Blu-ray 3D/ISO/MVC MKV; HEVC/H.265 3D up to 4K 10-bit HDR ; and Apple's MV-HEVC spatial videos. "The MVC of the 2020s, playing on your 2010s 3D TV," Jarod writes. "There's something poetic about that."

The app outputs in frame-packed 3D for compatible 3D TVs and projectors, and it can do something else that's really impressive: it can export 3D content
as MV-HEVC, so you can take a 3D Blu-ray and turn it into a spatial video for Vision Pro. You may like Is Kaleidescapes new 'Cinematic 4K' movie format the next big thing after 4K Blu-rays? I love this virtual Criterion Closet, where you can explore the Blu-ray range in 3D in your browser 'We've seen an increase in Blu-ray orders of 10,000%': There's hope for physical media, says agency

I love Jarod's explanation for making the app. "It exists because this format deserves better than a slow death, and because apparently I don't know when
to stop."

Jarod's in good company. Reddit's response to the latest announcement has
been really positive and packed with good ideas, so for example Acceptable-Rise8783 suggests that for future-proofing, the app should be able to "send the two fields separately but in sync through two HDMI outputs." Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

With 3D TVs and projectors becoming increasingly hard to find as they point out, "projectors are dropping support left and right because the chips that
do 3D are becoming hard to come by" the choice of viewing platforms will be reduced to dual-projector 3D or VR headsets.

The creator says this is something likely to appear in the player in a future version as the player already drives two windows simultaneously and it means that dual projectors is the most 'future-proof' option for 3D, and the app supports it as best it can.

The whole discussion is fascinating, and I think Jarod sums it up
beautifully. "Keep the faith. The format's not dead while we're still
building for it ". Thinking of buying a new TV? Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/televisions/i-refused-to-let-3d-die-someone-built-a- custom-player-for-all-3d-movie-formats


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