Best 2D to 3D Converter: How to Convert Movie to 3D

Karen Nelson
April 4, 2023

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Since the 3D movie “Avatar” was a huge success at the box office and won a lot of awards and accolades, 3D movies have become more and more popular among audiences. However, due to the high cost of producing 3D movies, 3D movie tickets are much more expensive than 2D, which is not a small burden for movie lovers.

So, is there any way to watch 3D movies at home? You can turn 2D movies into 3D if you use a professional 2D to 3D converter. Read on as we introduce 5 top 2D to 3D movie converters so you can enjoy the amazing visual effects of 3D movies to your heart’s content.

2D vs. 3D Movie: What is the Difference?

First of all, let’s start with the basics of the definition of 2D and 3D movies and the differences between them.

2D movies refer to traditional two-dimensional movies, which are the most common type of movie you see in theaters. It is called 2D because it has two dimensions (width and height). 2D movies resemble the image you see on a flat screen, such as on your home TV or computer. In 2D, frames are created to define sequences, and an image is viewed from one perspective at a time.

When you’re watching a 2D movie, the characters and objects on the screen look like they’re on a flat surface; they don’t look like they’re going to come out of the screen or move through 3D space.

A 3D movie is a three-dimensional movie with length, height, and width. In a 3D movie, you see more than just the picture on the screen, as depth and distance are also shown. To watch a 3D movie, you must wear 3D glasses, which make the image appear to have depth.

With it, you will feel the image coming out of the screen and moving in 3D space when you watch a 3D movie. This makes you feel like you’re in the movie, which can be a very immersive and exciting way to watch a movie.

In short, for viewers like us, the key difference between 2D and 3D movies is that, visually, 2D movies look like watching a flat screen, while 3D movies look very realistic and provide a very lifelike experience.

Anaglyph 3D, Side by Side 3D, Top and Bottom 3D: Which One Do I Choose from？

There are different types of 3D movies that are used nowadays, and here we will discuss the 3 main types of 3D movies.

What is Anaglyph 3D?

Anaglyph 3D is a stereoscopic effect achieved by overlaying two images with a different color filter, usually red and cyan. An anaglyph 3D image consists of two different images: one with a red filter and the other with a cyan filter. The two images are then superimposed, and when you put on the red or blue glasses, the image appears to have a 3D effect.

As the earliest method of presenting 3D effects, this technology does not require much technology or specialized hardware. You can simply put on a typical pair of 3D glasses and watch 3D movies on your regular computer or TV without the need for more special hardware or software.

What is Side by Side 3D? (SBS 3D)

Side-by-Side 3D, also known as SBS 3D, is the most common and free 3D broadcasting system. It uses horizontal resolution to divide a frame into two subframes, scaling down the entire frame horizontally for the left and right eye to fit the left and right parts of the frame respectively.

This 3D technology is widely used in cable and air television. You can also back up 3D Blu-ray discs in this way to smaller sizes for viewing at 3D TVs, virtual reality devices or media streaming boxes, etc., although the quality of the output is not very good.

What is Top and Bottom?

Top/Bottom 3D is similar to SBS 3D, except that it splits the entire frame vertically and
scales it down for each eye to fit the top half and the bottom half of the frame respectively.

With its high-quality and high-resolution images, this 3D effect is best suited for sports and entertainment purposes. But in practice, this technology is not widely adopted and few devices support this format.

Among the above three 3D effects, SBS 3D is the most recommended and popular one. On the one hand, it has the same bandwidth as regular HD content, making it suitable for cable or over-the-air TV, as well as most TVs and some projectors. On the other hand, the 3D glasses applicable to SBS 3D are much cheaper than those for other types of 3D. What’s more, although the video quality of SBS 3D is not very good, it is suitable for copying and backing up your 3D BD and compressing it to a small size.

How to Convert 2D to 3D Video Fast & Efficiently

To convert 2D movies to 3D, here we’d like to introduce various 2D to 3D movie converters to you.

Best 2D to 3D Video converter: VideoSolo Video Converter Ultimate

VideoSolo Video Converter Ultimate is one of the best one-stop tools for users to download and convert videos. With this professional 2D to 3D converter, you can easily convert ordinary 2D videos to Anaglyph 3D, Side by Side 3D or Top and Bottom 3D.

Key Features of VideoSolo Video Converter Ultimate

Multiple 3D Modes – It offers a variety of 3D effects to meet your needs, including Anaglyph 3D, Side by Side 3D, and Top and Bottom 3D.
Lossless Output – It keeps the high quality as the original videos and supports HD, 4K, 5K, and up to 8K Ultra HD.
Various Profile Presets – It provides multiple format presets for different devices, which simplifies your format conversion process and saves you time.
50X Faster Conversion – With advanced Blu-Hyper technology, its conversion speed can be up to 50X faster. You can successfully convert a batch of 8K/5K/4K/HD videos in just a few minutes.
Powerful Editing Function – Before conversion, you can edit the video according to your needs, including cutting, rotating, cropping, splitting, merging, etc.

Try Out 3D Maker to Create SBS 3D Video (Recommended Mode)

As we said before, SBS 3D is the most recommended 3D effect which is compatible with most devices. Now you can start to use the 3D Maker function of VideoSolo Video Converter Ultimate to create SBS 3D videos.

Check the detailed tutorial below to accomplish the 2D to 3D conversion with VideoSolo Video Converter Ultimate.

Step 1. Launch VideoSolo Video Converter Ultimate

Open VideoSolo Video Converter Ultimate on your computer and then go to Toolbox > 3D Maker.

Step 2. Select 2D movies to Convert

In the next pop-up window, click the “+” button to add the 2D movies you want to convert from your computer.

Step 3. Complete All the Settings and Start the Conversion

After adding the selected files, you can customize the settings as your demand, including choosing 3D effect, setting output format, customizing storage location, editing video, etc.

Once done, tap the “Generate 3D” button to start converting the 2D movies to 3D.

When everything is done, you can pick up your 3D glasses and enjoy watching SBS SD movies at home.

Is There Any Free 2D to 3D Converter Software？

Most of the recommended 2D to 3D movie converters are paid services, but if you don’t want to pay for the service, we have handpicked a completely free software – IQmago – for you to complete the 2D-to-3D conversion easily. It is a supreme free program that supports up to 7 different types of 3D techniques and the output video is in the same high definition as the original video.

Conclusion

Now you have the basic knowledge of 2D and 3D movies, and some of the best 2D to 3D video converter software to use. Although there is no best format because people have different movie preferences, a 2D to 3D converter is worth trying for those who like the depth perception of 3D movies and want to enjoy the immersive scenes at home.

Among all the top-rated 2D to 3D converters we listed above, VideoSolo Video Converter Ultimate is definitely the most recommended one, not only because it offers comprehensive and up-to-date features, but also because it is easy to use even for beginners. Download it now to start your 3D movie journey at home!