will 2d to 3D converter box work on 3d monitor

[Silversurfer]

I'm looking for a stopgap solution to turn my Acer 27 inch (Acer HN274 3D LCD monitor) into a virgin media v+ cable box 3-D channel output source.
Having googled for a solution to this issue I was only mainly able to find solutions for DLP projectors and 2-D to 3-D converter boxes for existing 3-D TVs.
So I was wondering if any of you guys and girls know of a reasonable solution as I know these 2-D to 3-D converter boxes obviously can't compete one-on-one with the 2-D to 3-D converters built into some of the 3-D TVs.
I already have a Buffalo 3-D Blu-ray external USB 3.0 drive for upscaling 2-D to 3-D on my PC that that covers disc media conversion using cyberlink software but I was about to rush out and buy a £729 32 inch Samsung 3-D TV just to watch the French open on Eurosport 3-D when I got to thinking, "surely there is a way of using this Acer 27 inch monitor. In the meantime, as I want to eventually wait for passive 3-D or autostereoscopic TV's to become mainstream in the next couple of years?" Also, there is such a small percentage of programs (especially in the UK) this converter box solution seems to make sense to me now.
The main contender is this VideoEFX Converter box but I'm not sure whether it would work with a 3-D monitor as opposed to a 3-D TV?

any suggestions much appreciated

[cybereality]

Honestly, I've never seen any good automatic 2D to 3D. Hollywood movies take teams of dozens of artists 6 months or longer to convert an entire film. And even then, the results can be questionable. What makes you think some magic black-box can do better in real-time?

With that out of the way, maybe this VideoEFX box actually does something? You never know. I couldn't find any specs for it, though. It just said it used HDMI, but not the 3D format (ie frame-packing, side-by-side). If it uses frame-packing then it should certainly work with the Acer HN274H. If its side-by-side, I am not sure. I had previously thought it wouldn't work (since you can't manually set that mode) but maybe the monitor is able to detect that and switch into 3D. Not sure really. I bet if it didn't work for you, you'd have no problem selling it (either here, on AVS, eBay, etc.).

[Silversurfer]

i wasn't really looking for the 2d to 3d conversion feature, don't forget the virgin media cable channel is already broadcast in 3d, but I'm looking for a side-by-side decoder between the cable box and acer 27 inch 3d monitor? the 2d - 3d is of no interest to me relatively.
maybe my topic should have read can this 3d projector/TV decoder do side-by-side as well as sequential output to a side-by-side ONLY 3d monitor? But there's never been enough room for long subject topic titles in any forums I have ever subscribe to, .
I got a quick (especially considering I sent him an e-mail on Saturday, and non-working day) and precise e-mail from the company selling the 2d to 3D converter box ( 3D-Bee seems to be its official name, @ videoefx.com or @ http://www.3d-bee.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, here's what it said,
"Broadcast 3D tends to be left/right 60Hz 3D frame structure. Consequently, our 3D-Bee http://www.3D-Bee.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; home theater box outputs left/right 60Hz 3D format. Computer 3D has tended to be frame sequential. So monitors and most projectors tend to be frame sequential. I looked at some specs on the Acer HN274 that I found available and it mentioned frame sequential, but I didn't see anything about left/right. However, more and more monitors and TVs are handling both. Also, I know some projectors, not sure about monitors, won't even enable the 3D option unless the video stream is 120Hz. If you can check your documentation and find that it will support L/R 60Hz 1080p HDMI 1.3, then it will likely work.
We do have a 3D-Bee Classroom oriented model that will support L/R 60Hz 1080p, and also Frame Sequential 120Hz, but at 720p. Classroom projectors are more commonly bright 720p high-lumen frame sequential.
Best Regards,"
looks like I'll have to contact Acer on Tuesday after the bank holiday, and report back once, but to be truthful I'm not hopeful as i think NVIDIA don't need side-by-side.

[Fredz]

As the Acer HN274N is HDMI 1.4a it should be able to handle side-by-side content without a problem since it's required by this specification.

[cybereality]

Ah yes, I think it is indeed supported. Its on page 11 of the manual, but it doesn't mention side/side or frame-packing by name. In the review I had said it didn't work, simply because the monitor does not allow you to manually enable this mode (so, for example, Xbox360 games will not work in 3D). But I guess if you have 3D cable/satellite channels then it should work.

Acer_HN274H_Modes.jpg

[cybereality]

Well I just had the chance to test with 3D cable channels, and the Acer HN274H does NOT work, as I suspected initially. At least with my local cable provider, they only use over/under (top/bottom) format and it does not seem to be supported. I tried two different channels. The instructions on the cable box said it would automatically go into 3D (they did not prompt to manually switch modes). However, nothing happened. I was using an HDMI cable that has worked for 3D before (Nvidia 3DTV Play) so I guess it should have worked if it was going to. Really disappointing that they couldn't have put a 3D menu option to choose over/under, side-by-side, etc. Isn't top/bottom a mandatory HDMI 1.4a mode?

[Fredz]

Yes it's mandatory in HDMI 1.4a, maybe this monitor needs the source to send the signature (frame packing, side-by-side, top-and-bottom) to be able to switch to the 3D mode.