The primary advantage of the SBS 3D format is its universal compatibility and ease of use. Traditional 3D Blu-rays require specific, often discontinued hardware, such as 3D-capable players and specialized HDMI cables. In contrast, an SBS file encodes the left and right eye images into a single frame. This allows the film to be played on almost any modern media player, computer, or VR headset. For fans of Avatar , a film defined by its visual accessibility, SBS removes the hardware gatekeeping that often plagues the 3D medium.