RealD logoFollow this industry and you learn to accept that manufacturers are only motivated to add new features to new products, but when we first heard that DirecTV's 3D signal wouldn't let you pass frame compatible 3D through older AV receivers, we were scratching our heads. Sure the receiver never claimed to be 3D compatible, but the entire point of using frame compatible 3D instead of doubling the HD signal for 3D like Blu-ray is so the signal can be transmitted via existing HD equipment. So while DirecTV gets away with making minimal changes to its infrastructure, you have to replace just about everything you own. What was a mystery, is now crystal clear and of course its always about money, it isn't necessarily about DirecTV's money, this time. You see RealD owns the patent on frame compatible 3D formats like side by side, and if a display or receiver manufacturer wants its EDID on the list of supported devices, they have to pay for that right. So it isn't that DirecTV wants to prevent you from using your old receiver as much as it is about preventing those who don't license RealD's patents from being able to display 3D. Nice huh, but no one ever said it was about the customer.


Follow the money; the real reason why your AVR doesn't support DirecTV's 3D