Efficient computation of scalar optical diffraction field due to an object is an essential issue in holographic 3D television systems. The first step in the computation process is to construct an object. As a solution for this step, we assume that an object can be represented by a set of distributed data points over a space. The second step is to determine which algorithm provides better performance. The source model whose performance is investigated is based on superposition of the diffraction fields emanated from the hypothetical light sources located at the given sample points. Its performance is evaluated according to visual quality of the reconstructed field and its algorithmic complexity. Source model provides acceptable reconstructed patterns when the region in which the samples are given has a narrow depth along the longitudinal direction and a wide extent along the transversal directions. Also, the source model gives good results when the cumulative field at the location of each point due to all other sources tends to be independent of that location. ©2008 IEEE.