1. A method comprising: receiving, from an external source, 2D images and depth map data of a depth map relating to the 2D images; responsive to the receiving of the 2D images and depth map data from the external source, embedding the depth map data in a portion of a video signal including the 2D image data which does not obscure or overwrite the 2D image data, and without loss of fidelity in a relative range of values in the depth map; and transmitting the video signal to a stereoscopic viewing system that converts the 2D images to a 3D stereoscopic display; wherein said conversion of the 2D images comprises: reconstructing a depth map by filling or shading an area within an image object according to the depth map data, blurring the reconstructed depth map, determining pixel offsets of a distortion grid based on said blurred reconstructed depth map, and generating separate left and right images from the 2D image data based on said distortion grid.