Frame Interpolation - a must have for a digital pj!

About a year ago I casually walked by a Samsung LCD T.V. while it was displaying an animated feature. I stopped dead in my tracks - I was shocked! O.K. I thought, the industry just snuck 3D technology past me and apparently everyone on the AVS Forum. As it turned out what I was seeing was the aggressive use of Frame Interpolation. I've seen several 3D presentations at the IMAX and always found the results to be somewhat gimmicky - things were being thrown off the screen at the audience for effect. Frame Interpolation on the other hand seems to add enormous depth to the image. In other words, scenes seem to stretch back behind the screen rather than being suspended out in front of it, which is much more natural IMO. The effect seems to work best for animation when applied aggressively. When applied less aggressively it works well for live action movies giving the action a smooth liquid flow without the usual judder and blurriness. When applied aggressively to live action film it can be distracting with that soap opera look; however, the liquid smooth flow of movement and huge apparent resolution (detail to the extreme) is intriguing.

I really enjoy animated films like: Kung Foo Panda, Horton Hears a Who; Cars; Bolt and so on, so when considering a digital projector I looked around for something with FI and I'm glad I did! For me a least, frame interpolation is the biggest technological breakthrough for display devices in the last several years. Nothing has garnered more positive comments from guests to my home theatre than animation displayed with FI! When I look round my HT at my guests while they watch an animated feature (with FI on) I am somewhat amused at just how transfixed they are. I also have a Sony G90 gamma corrected CRT projector that does full fade to black while retaining full shadow detail and its very impressive. Nonetheless, its the digital projector with FI that gets all the superlative comments about the image. For me that's pretty telling!

When I go back to animation with no FI, on either my Epson 7500 or G90, it looks flat and lifeless (relatively speaking) and no longer holds any appeal for me. I also find that FI allows me to appreciate the artistry involved in the creation of the image. For me the "film look" tends to hide or obscure the intricate detail (in other words the talent) that went into the creation of the image.

I don't watch movies (live action) with FI on normal or high, only on low where the "film like look" is retained. FI on low is very subtle. I'm in agreement with you with respect to "film" and aggressive FI; however, I personally really like FI on normal or high for live concerts and animation - in fact, so much so, that I wouldn't purchase a projector without it!

Polar express (HD DVD) was the first movie I showed anyone with frame interpolation turned on and everyone was mesmerized. It looks good without FI, but with FI its kind of scary (in a good way).

I also have have a gamma corrected G90 (and a gamma corrected Marquee 8500 LC in a second HT) which has a black level that no consumer digital projector can touch and has amazing depth. The depth from my 7500 with animation and FI on is in a different league. I've now watched lots of different material with FI on and off. For me its a must have for animation and live concerts. I usually watch live action movies with the G90 or the 8500; however, the 7500 looks really good with FI on low for live action movies. If the 7500 had the G90's black level then I would use it for everything.

I think FI is here to stay and that it will evolve and ultimately become widely accepted, at least for some applications. Some people like certain foods while others don't! I doubt that there's a right or wrong - just personal preference. For some applications I find myself becoming an advocate for FI.

There seems to be a misunderstanding here as to what FI in its various incarnations actually does! FI isn't simply an "off" or "on" feature. The recent upgrade to the Epson's FI is a clear indication of this and I think the FI on the Panasonic 3000 is similar. FI on "low" DOES NOT produce a soap opera or hand held video camera look, but rather a highly detailed very smooth film look. FI on "normal" or "high" with live action film does strip away the film look leaving a very "soap opera" look which I find distracting; however, both animation and live concerts, IMO, benefit from this look due to the added realism and amazing 3D quality added, especially for animation. I don't particularly like the soap opera look so I don't watch movies with FI on "normal" or "high"; however, "low" looks very much like 1080p/24, but smoother and with more apparent resolution. To dismiss FI, carte blanche, because one application of it produces a "video" look is a mistake IMO.

I think "low" adds fewer interpolated frames smoothing out the image without other noticeable side effects.