FEATURES OF MANUFACTURE 3DTV

This is the year for affordable 3D TV. However, just because you can get a good deal on a new set doesn't mean that you don't deserve a few freebies. Fortunately, there are still plenty of manufacturers out there wanting to hook you up with a little something, just for flipping over into the third dimension.

Several manufacturers are offering bundles, with select 3D purchases. That means if you buy a certain 3D TV, you may be able to get a Blu-ray 3D player, glasses, movies, or possibly all of the above.

Deals come and go very quickly, so if you see something you're interested in, you'd better jump on it. We've scoured the web to find some of the best 3D TV bundles. Read on to find out what your favorite manufacturer is currently offering (as of May 2011).

LG

In the past, there haven't been too many bundles from LG. Now they seem to be making a major push for your 3D dollars. They are currently offering three different deals, on select LG 3D TVs.

To help push passive 3D technology this year, LG is offering a whopping eight pairs of passive 3D glasses with select LG 3D Cinema 3D HDTVs. Remember that these are passive sets, so the glasses are very similar to what you get at your local cineplex. That also means that they won't work with LG's active 3D TVs or any other active 3D TVs, for that matter.

To get the eight pairs of free 3D glasses, you will need to buy one of the two TVs in LG's LW5600 Series (a 47-inch or a 55-inch model). Besides the 3D, both models feature a 1080p 2D image, LED Pluswith local dimming technology, TruMotion 120Hz for smoother moving images, 2D to 3D conversion, DLNA support, and LG's SmartTV service. Both models come with four pairs of passive 3D glasses inside the box, so technically, you are getting a second four pairs for free with this purchase. To get the extra four pairs, you need to add both the TV and the glasses to your shopping cart, then change the quantity of the glasses to two (2) during checkout. (There are two pairs in each pack of glasses.). When you check out, they will come up free! This offer is only good through May 21, 2011, so you'd better be quick! Find out more on Amazon's promotion page:

    Buy an LG LW5600 Cinema 3D HDTV, Get Eight Pairs of 3D Glasses on Amazon

LG-LW5600.jpg
LG's LW5600 Series features passive 3D technology and four pairs of 3D glasses inside the box.

LG hasn't forgotten about the plasma TV fan, throwing in free 3D glasses with some of those purchases as well. Because these are entry-level active 3D TV sets, they don't come packing any free glasses in the box. That said, if you buy one of the two PW350 Plasma 3D TVs being offered (in both a 42-inch and 50-inch size), you will get two free pairs of active 3D glasses. These are 720p HDTVs, so you can get a 42-incher for just $649.99 and a 50-inch model for $799. Talk about an inexpensive, instant 3D setup! Again, make sure you change the quantity of the glasses to two (2) in your shopping cart. This deal is only good through May 21, so click over to the main promotion page now for more info:

    Buy one of LG's PW350 Plasma 3D TVs, Get Two Pairs of 3D Glasses on Amazon

If glasses aren't your bag baby, you can still score something free with an LG purchase. OneCall is currently offering a free LG Blu-ray 3D player with two LW5600 3D LED TVs and two models from the LW6500 3D LED Series. The LW5600 has 47- and 55-inch sizes, with the higher-end LW6500 available in 55- and 65-inch models.

Both lines offer a 1080p 2D image, 2D-to-3D conversion, and DLNA support. The main difference here is that the LW5600 has a 120Hz refresh rate and comes with four pairs of 3D glasses in the box as well as a Wi-Fi adapter. The LW6500 bumps the refresh rate up to 240Hz. It's ready for wireless connectivity, includes the glasses but does not include the adapter in the box. Find out more about each model on their respective OneCall product page:

W5600 Series:

    LG 47-inch 47LW5600 1080p 120Hz 3D LED HDTV: $1529.99 with Free Blu-ray 3D Player on OneCall
    LG 55-inch 55LW5600 1080p 120Hz 3D LED HDTV: $2159.99 with Free Blu-ray 3D Player on OneCall

W6500 Series:

    LG 55-inch 55LW6500 1080p 240Hz 3D LED HDTV: $2229.99 with Free Blu-ray 3D Player on OneCall
    LG 65-inch 65LW6500 1080p 240Hz 3D LED HDTV: $4499.99 with Free Blu-ray 3D Player on OneCall

Samsung

Samsung still has the exclusive on the Blu-ray 3D Disc of MEGAMIND as well as the Shrek series, as part of Samsung's 3D Starter Kit. That kit is very cool, packing in two pairs of active 3D glasses, the first three Shrek movies on Blu-ray 3D, and mail-in coupons for Shrek Forever After and MEGAMIND on Blu-ray 3D Disc. Amazon is offering this kit, as well as the Samsung BD-D5500 Blu-ray 3D Player free with select Samsung 3D LED TV purchases.

A total of six models are eligible for this offer, including the UN46D7000, UN55D7000, UN46D7900, UN55D7900, UN46D8000, and UN55D8000. Just add the TV, the Blu-ray 3D player and the kit into your shopping cart; the discount will be applied during checkout. The offer is good through June 4, 2011. Find out more about each model and this deal on Amazon's promotion page:

    Buy a Select Samsung 3D LED TV, Get a Free BD-D5500 Blu-ray 3D Player and 3D Starter Kit on Amazon

OneCall has two very similar deals going for Samsung. They are offering the same BD-D5500 Blu-ray 3D player and the same 3D starter kit with the same six 3D LED TVs. Again, the models being offered here are the UN46D7000, UN55D7000, UN46D7900, UN55D7900, UN46D8000, and UN55D8000. The deadline on this is also June 4, 2011, so click over to OneCall to do some comparison shopping:

    Buy a Select Samsung 3D LED TV, Get a Free BD-D5500 Blu-ray 3D Player and 3D Starter Kit on OneCall

If you are a plasma fan, there's a deal to be had as well. OneCall is offering the 3D Starter Kit with the purchase of one of three plasmas. Know that this deal does not include a Blu-ray 3D player. However, you can get two pairs of active 3D glasses and all of the movies with the purchase of Samsung's PN51D6500, PN51D7000, or PN51D8000. All three are 51-inch TVs with a 1080p image in both 2D and 3D modes. This deal is also good through June 4, 2011. Find out more on OneCall's website:

    Buy a Select Qualifying Samsung 3D Plasma TV, Get a Free Samsung 3D Starter Kit on OneCall

SamsungMegamind-bundle.jpg
Samsung's 3D Starter Kit features the entire Shrek franchise on Blu-ray 3D and a mail-in coupon for Megamind.

Panasonic

If you've already got the 3D TV, the next logical step would be a Blu-ray 3D player. If you've been holding out, Panasonic offers some excellent 3D-compatible players this year, including the DMP-BDT110 that we reviewed last month and the BDT210 and BDT310 which are currently in pur labs.  Panasonic also still has an exclusive (until 2012) on the 3D version of Avatar, which you can get absolutely free with the purchase of any of Panasonic's current Blu-ray 3D players or Blu-ray home theater systems.

All you need to do is buy a Panasonic Blu-ray 3D player from an authorized dealer (yes, Amazon is an authorized dealer) and send in the rebate form, receipt and UPC code to receive your Avatar 3D disc by mail. Qualifying models include the DMP-BDT110, DMP-BDT210 or DMP-BDT310 Blu-ray players, as well as the SC-BTT270, SC-BTT370, and the SC-BTT770 Blu-ray 3D home theater systems. This offer is expected to be available through February 29, 2012, but pricing may change so if you see a good price on these, then snag one while they have it:

    Buy Select Panasonic Blu-ray 3D Players or Blu-ray Home Theater Systems, Get the Avatar Blu-ray 3D Disc

Just remember that some of the above bundles may require you to add more than one item into your shopping cart. Also, Amazon's deals are only good on purchases made directly through Amazon (with Amazon.com as the seller), and not any of its third-party merchants. Bundles and sale prices are usually only good while supplies last, so make sure to check the details of each deal before you make your final purchase. And remember to read ALL of the fine print, as well as check your shopping cart for discounts before you complete each order.

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VIEWING OF 3DTV SALES GROWING

Reports suggest that around five times as many 3D televisions will be shipped in 2011 as the previous year, although growing from a very small base. In a few years, half of all large television screens sold may be 3D capable, but that does not necessarily mean there will be much to watch or that people will want to wear special glasses to watch stereoscopic television. The future may be displays that do not require special glasses, but they are still some way away.
Market research company iSuppli, now part of IHS, as is Screen Digest, estimates that worldwide shipments of 3D TV displays will grow to 23.4 million units in 2011, up from 4.2 million the previous year. It further forecasts shipments of 54.2 million units in 2012, continuing to grow at the same rate, reaching 159.2 million in 2015.
 
To put those numbers in perspective, this suggests that 11% of flat panels sold worldwide in 2011 will be 3D capable, doubling to 22% in 2012 and 52% in 2015.
Riddhi Patel of IHS describes “a lukewarm response to 3D in 2010 when consumers balked at the high price of sets and the lack of 3D content.” In 2011 “brands are marketing 3D not as a must-have technology but as a desirable feature, similar to the approach they have taken with internet connectivity.”
In another report, In-Stat forecasts that Europe will see the highest number of shipments, with over 7 million 3D TV units in 2011. It suggests there will be 300 million households with 3D TV sets in 2015.
“Over the next few years, a greater percentage of large-screen TV sets will ship with the 3D feature,” says research director Michelle Abraham. “We expect 100% of all 40-inch and above DTV sets will eventually be 3D-enabled. This will not only cause shipments of 3D TV sets to increase, but will also grow the number of households worldwide with 3D TV sets. 3D content providers need not worry that consumers will be unable to view their content.”
Ovum, now part of Datamonitor, has found that 3D is a low priority for most broadcasters. In a report on The State of 3D, based on a survey of industry executives, 3D production or launching 3D channels was rated as the lowest priority for strategic investment.
“Several broadcasters, such as BSkyB, have launched 3D channels, but the high cost of 3D production, particularly live content, has limited content availability and delayed some channel launches,” commented Tim Renowden of Ovum. “Given the lack of enthusiasm for investing in 3D content production and delivery expressed by broadcasters, this situation is unlikely to change rapidly.”
It is relatively easy for manufacturers to make displays that can show 3D, either by adding polarizing filters to simply updating the firmware in the screen. That does not necessarily mean that there will be much to see or that consumers will want to watch 3D programming, at least while they have to wear dark glasses to do so.
Speaking at the 3DTV World Forum in London, Kevin O’Neil, head of video on demand at Virgin Media, said that displays that did not require viewers to wear special glasses should be brought into homes “as soon as possible”.
“Glasses-free would be a great boost for the industry,” echoed John Cassy, the director of Sky Arts was recently given responsibility for Sky 3D programming. “However, there is a lot of opportunity in the meantime.” He said that Sky wanted to make 3D a mass-market proposition, much like it did with high-definition.
Although manufacturers have shown autostereoscopic displays that do not require special spectacles, and some are bringing them to market, the viewing experience is currently limited and it will be many years before they are widely available. Which is not to say that they will not get better, but meanwhile 3D TV simply compromises the quality that can be delivered through high-definition in order to achieve its illusion of depth.
 

That said, some programming might benefit from 3D, tennis possibly being one. The French Open tennis is once again be covered in 3D and carried by a number of operators, with Eurosport coverage of the entire tournament available on Virgin Media in the United Kingdom, both live and on demand. The Wimbledon tennis finals will be shot in 3D, although the BBC has yet to reveal its plans for the coverage.
Daniel Nagler, who is responsible for 3D and HD at the BBC, told the 3DTV World Forum that 3D is “as far away from the mainstream today as a year ago”.
“To understand 3D, we need to see if it can truly enhance television,” she said. “We don’t know this yet and we need to learn this, learn what audiences take from a 2D and a 3D experience. It may be beneficial, but it may well be a gimmick and we need to work together to figure this out.”
At this stage it is not clear whether the caution of the BBC is well-founded, or it is handing responsibility for market innovation to other providers like Sky, as it did with high-definition.
With many broadcasters apparently ambivalent about 3D TV, the market is likely to be driven by movies and games. “This leaves a heavy burden on packaged content, such as Blu-Ray DVDs, and streaming content as the primary source of 3D content for consumers who have purchased or intend to purchase 3D TVs,” adds the author of the Ovum report. Games are likely to provide an important driver of adoption, he said, as the incremental costs of 3D production are relatively low.

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QUICK TIPS OF 3DTV BUYER'S GUIDE

If you’re thinking about buying an HDTV, now is a great time to get one. HD sets come in sizes from 5 inches to more than 100 inches and are priced to fit almost any budget – and that’s all you need to know. Today, any HD set from a major manufacturer will display a wonderful HD picture. You can ignore almost every specification and all the geek speak. I promise you, you won’t be able to tell the difference between a 1080p and a 720p picture when you get it home; especially if you are a cable television customer. Don’t worry about refresh rate, pay no attention to the Energy Star rating, forget the contrast ratio — all of these specifications are for engineers and you can just ignore them.

What about LED vs. Plasma vs. LCD vs. DLP? 60 Hz, 120Hz? Also a non-issue for most people. You can tell the difference between these pictures when you see them side by side in the store, but hooked up to your cable set-top box, the differences will be imperceptible to all but the most sophisticated videophile eyes. (Several of you are going to argue this point with me, don’t. If you think that you can tell the difference between any $2,000 HDTV set that is hooked up to a 6 MHz cable overstuffed with programming, you are just kidding yourself.)

What should you think about? First and foremost is size. A good rule of thumb is 32-40 inches for an average bedroom and 46-55 inches for an average living room. Can you buy a set that’s too big? No, not really. If you like to sit in the back of the movie theater, get a smaller set, if you like to sit in the 3rd row, the sky’s the limit.

Another important thing to think about is the number of inputs. Do you have a Blu-Ray Disc player? A video game console? Do you want to use your TV as a computer monitor? Make sure the set your thinking about has all the inputs you need.

Now, Thin is In!!! How thin? Maybe too thin. As you can imagine, thin is sexy … thin is cool and, thin is expensive. Just remember, you’re probably going to hang this set on a wall. Do you really need the thinnest one in the store? If you do, you’re in luck, because there are plenty to choose from. Make sure the one you buy can be mounted the way you want it mounted. Many of the super-thin sets cannot be mounted on an articulated arm because they bend under their own weight. Again, size and installation preferences will be hugely important when they come to install your 63″ flatscreen in a space that can only fit a 60″ set.

Internet connected TV’s are all the rage. Do you really need one? You bet. In fact, I would not consider buying a television set this year that didn’t include some kind of Internet connectivity. Most of the major manufacturers offer Internet-ready TVs. And, although it’s early days, the sets give you all kinds of great benefits. You can watch videos from YouTube, rent movies directly from Netflix. And most sets have widgets built in for Facebook, Flickr and hundreds of other sites and services. Just remember, you need a good, high-speed broadband connection to fully enjoy Internet Connected TV. There’s no point in getting an Internet-ready TV, if you’re not Internet ready.

Can you blow off the Internet-connected TV and just use a Roku, Vudu, TiVo, AppleTV or GoogleTV box? Absolutely. Can you blow off all of the above a just run a cable from your laptop to your HDTV, yep! Will your significant other appreciate the ball of cables in the living room? Just asking.

There’s a lot of talk about 3D and there are a few 3DTV sets available for this holiday season. Before you shell out some very big money for a 3DTV set consider the following. If you want a real 3D experience, you need a very big screen and that means very big bucks. The bigger the screen, the better the 3D. Should you buy one? There’s not much 3D content available, but if you are willing to purchase a new Blu-Ray Disc player (players older than 2009 are not upgradable and not 3D compatible), or if you have a Sony PS3 Game Console (3D firmware upgrades are coming), you can get several Hollywood movies in Blu-Ray 3D.

You’re also need 3D glasses for everyone who wants to watch. And, you’re going to have to buy them. At the moment each manufacturer has their own standards for 3D glasses and they won’t work with other sets — with one notable exception. While Samsung and Panasonic 3D glasses are not compatible, you can use your Samsung glasses to watch 3D on a Panasonic set, you just have to turn the glasses upside down. And that pretty much sums up the state of the 3DTV business.

All kidding aside, it’s early days for 3DTV, but there may be a killer app … home movies! Both Sony and Panasonic are about to offer 3D cameras for stills and video and I can’t think of anything cooler than watching your kid’s school play or a high school sporting event in 3D. To say nothing of your regular home movies and digital stills.

If you’re an early adopter … and you know who you are, you will certainly be the first kid on your block to own a 3DTV and we’ll all come over to your house to watch the big game, so make sure you buy extra glasses!

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INTRODUCTION OF 3D TV BUNDLES

This is the year for affordable 3D TV. However, just because you can get a good deal on a new set doesn't mean that you don't deserve a few freebies. Fortunately, there are still plenty of manufacturers out there wanting to hook you up with a little something, just for flipping over into the third dimension.

Several manufacturers are offering bundles, with select 3D purchases. That means if you buy a certain 3D TV, you may be able to get a Blu-ray 3D player, glasses, movies, or possibly all of the above.

Deals come and go very quickly, so if you see something you're interested in, you'd better jump on it. We've scoured the web to find some of the best 3D TV bundles. Read on to find out what your favorite manufacturer is currently offering (as of May 2011).

LG

In the past, there haven't been too many bundles from LG. Now they seem to be making a major push for your 3D dollars. They are currently offering three different deals, on select LG 3D TVs.

To help push passive 3D technology this year, LG is offering a whopping eight pairs of passive 3D glasses with select LG 3D Cinema 3D HDTVs. Remember that these are passive sets, so the glasses are very similar to what you get at your local cineplex. That also means that they won't work with LG's active 3D TVs or any other active 3D TVs, for that matter.

To get the eight pairs of free 3D glasses, you will need to buy one of the two TVs in LG's LW5600 Series (a 47-inch or a 55-inch model). Besides the 3D, both models feature a 1080p 2D image, LED Pluswith local dimming technology, TruMotion 120Hz for smoother moving images, 2D to 3D conversion, DLNA support, and LG's SmartTV service. Both models come with four pairs of passive 3D glasses inside the box, so technically, you are getting a second four pairs for free with this purchase. To get the extra four pairs, you need to add both the TV and the glasses to your shopping cart, then change the quantity of the glasses to two (2) during checkout. (There are two pairs in each pack of glasses.). When you check out, they will come up free! This offer is only good through May 21, 2011, so you'd better be quick! Find out more on Amazon's promotion page:

    Buy an LG LW5600 Cinema 3D HDTV, Get Eight Pairs of 3D Glasses on Amazon

LG-LW5600.jpg
LG's LW5600 Series features passive 3D technology and four pairs of 3D glasses inside the box.

LG hasn't forgotten about the plasma TV fan, throwing in free 3D glasses with some of those purchases as well. Because these are entry-level active 3D TV sets, they don't come packing any free glasses in the box. That said, if you buy one of the two PW350 Plasma 3D TVs being offered (in both a 42-inch and 50-inch size), you will get two free pairs of active 3D glasses. These are 720p HDTVs, so you can get a 42-incher for just $649.99 and a 50-inch model for $799. Talk about an inexpensive, instant 3D setup! Again, make sure you change the quantity of the glasses to two (2) in your shopping cart. This deal is only good through May 21, so click over to the main promotion page now for more info:

    Buy one of LG's PW350 Plasma 3D TVs, Get Two Pairs of 3D Glasses on Amazon

If glasses aren't your bag baby, you can still score something free with an LG purchase. OneCall is currently offering a free LG Blu-ray 3D player with two LW5600 3D LED TVs and two models from the LW6500 3D LED Series. The LW5600 has 47- and 55-inch sizes, with the higher-end LW6500 available in 55- and 65-inch models.

Both lines offer a 1080p 2D image, 2D-to-3D conversion, and DLNA support. The main difference here is that the LW5600 has a 120Hz refresh rate and comes with four pairs of 3D glasses in the box as well as a Wi-Fi adapter. The LW6500 bumps the refresh rate up to 240Hz. It's ready for wireless connectivity, includes the glasses but does not include the adapter in the box. Find out more about each model on their respective OneCall product page:

W5600 Series:

    LG 47-inch 47LW5600 1080p 120Hz 3D LED HDTV: $1529.99 with Free Blu-ray 3D Player on OneCall
    LG 55-inch 55LW5600 1080p 120Hz 3D LED HDTV: $2159.99 with Free Blu-ray 3D Player on OneCall

W6500 Series:

    LG 55-inch 55LW6500 1080p 240Hz 3D LED HDTV: $2229.99 with Free Blu-ray 3D Player on OneCall
    LG 65-inch 65LW6500 1080p 240Hz 3D LED HDTV: $4499.99 with Free Blu-ray 3D Player on OneCall

Samsung

Samsung still has the exclusive on the Blu-ray 3D Disc of MEGAMIND as well as the Shrek series, as part of Samsung's 3D Starter Kit. That kit is very cool, packing in two pairs of active 3D glasses, the first three Shrek movies on Blu-ray 3D, and mail-in coupons for Shrek Forever After and MEGAMIND on Blu-ray 3D Disc. Amazon is offering this kit, as well as the Samsung BD-D5500 Blu-ray 3D Player free with select Samsung 3D LED TV purchases.
 
A total of six models are eligible for this offer, including the UN46D7000, UN55D7000, UN46D7900, UN55D7900, UN46D8000, and UN55D8000. Just add the TV, the Blu-ray 3D player and the kit into your shopping cart; the discount will be applied during checkout. The offer is good through June 4, 2011. Find out more about each model and this deal on Amazon's promotion page:

    Buy a Select Samsung 3D LED TV, Get a Free BD-D5500 Blu-ray 3D Player and 3D Starter Kit on Amazon

OneCall has two very similar deals going for Samsung. They are offering the same BD-D5500 Blu-ray 3D player and the same 3D starter kit with the same six 3D LED TVs. Again, the models being offered here are the UN46D7000, UN55D7000, UN46D7900, UN55D7900, UN46D8000, and UN55D8000. The deadline on this is also June 4, 2011, so click over to OneCall to do some comparison shopping:

    Buy a Select Samsung 3D LED TV, Get a Free BD-D5500 Blu-ray 3D Player and 3D Starter Kit on OneCall

If you are a plasma fan, there's a deal to be had as well. OneCall is offering the 3D Starter Kit with the purchase of one of three plasmas. Know that this deal does not include a Blu-ray 3D player. However, you can get two pairs of active 3D glasses and all of the movies with the purchase of Samsung's PN51D6500, PN51D7000, or PN51D8000. All three are 51-inch TVs with a 1080p image in both 2D and 3D modes. This deal is also good through June 4, 2011. Find out more on OneCall's website:

    Buy a Select Qualifying Samsung 3D Plasma TV, Get a Free Samsung 3D Starter Kit on OneCall

SamsungMegamind-bundle.jpg
Samsung's 3D Starter Kit features the entire Shrek franchise on Blu-ray 3D and a mail-in coupon for Megamind.

Panasonic

If you've already got the 3D TV, the next logical step would be a Blu-ray 3D player. If you've been holding out, Panasonic offers some excellent 3D-compatible players this year, including the DMP-BDT110 that we reviewed last month and the BDT210 and BDT310 which are currently in pur labs.  Panasonic also still has an exclusive (until 2012) on the 3D version of Avatar, which you can get absolutely free with the purchase of any of Panasonic's current Blu-ray 3D players or Blu-ray home theater systems.

All you need to do is buy a Panasonic Blu-ray 3D player from an authorized dealer (yes, Amazon is an authorized dealer) and send in the rebate form, receipt and UPC code to receive your Avatar 3D disc by mail. Qualifying models include the DMP-BDT110, DMP-BDT210 or DMP-BDT310 Blu-ray players, as well as the SC-BTT270, SC-BTT370, and the SC-BTT770 Blu-ray 3D home theater systems. This offer is expected to be available through February 29, 2012, but pricing may change so if you see a good price on these, then snag one while they have it:

    Buy Select Panasonic Blu-ray 3D Players or Blu-ray Home Theater Systems, Get the Avatar Blu-ray 3D Disc

Just remember that some of the above bundles may require you to add more than one item into your shopping cart. Also, Amazon's deals are only good on purchases made directly through Amazon (with Amazon.com as the seller), and not any of its third-party merchants. Bundles and sale prices are usually only good while supplies last, so make sure to check the details of each deal before you make your final purchase. And remember to read ALL of the fine print, as well as check your shopping cart for discounts before you complete each order.

Read more »

INTRODUCTION OF 3D TV BUYING GUIDE

You've worn the glasses. Seen the demos. Winced at objects flying out the screen. And you're ready to buy a 3D TV.

Congratulations, brave early adopter. Although the 3D TV maelstrom at CES 2010 generated a fair bit of skepticism, the technology also managed to floor many people, and if the commercial success of Avatar is any indication, 3D movies aren't going to disappear any time soon. Ready to get in on the ground floor? Watch out, it's still under construction. But our 3D TV buyer's guide can help show you how to set up shop in three dimensions. Follow along as we lay your questions on the new format to rest.Absolutely. All of the upcoming 3D TV models above represent flagship models from their respective manufacturers, which means they won't just play 2D television, it should look top notch. Nothing about the tech needed to make 3D-capable sacrifices 2D images quality, so even if you intend to watch 99-percent of your programming without glasses, you shouldn't think twice about buying a 3D TV.

Will I absolutely need 3D glasses? How do they work? How much will extra pairs cost?
Every consumer-grade 3D TV today requires glasses to produce a 3D effect. Although many companies have demonstrated tech demos at trade shows that show how 3D can be produced without glasses, none of them are yet ready for prime time.

Unlike movie theaters, which use polarized glasses, 3D TVs use active-shutter LCD glasses. This means a tiny transmitter inside actually communicates with the TV to block your left eye when an image for the right eye is on the screen, and vice versa, 120 times per second. This rapid-fire trickery requires electronics and a small battery, making them heavier and bulkier than the cheap polarized glasses you may have used in a 3D cinema.

Although most 3D TVs will come with one or more pairs of glasses, you should also be prepared to buy additional pairs unless you really plan on sitting in your basement watching Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs all by yourself. Although not all manufacturers have announced pricing for the glasses that will pair with the new models, don't expect them to be cheap. Samsung, which already has 3D displays on the market, charges $130 for a pair of its rather dorky 3D shades. Nvidia charges $149. Even if the TV you buy comes with a two pairs, that's another $260 to get the kids on board, and more if you want to invite the neighbors over to gloat. Make sure to factor the price into your purchase.

What will I be able to watch in 3D?
To be frank, not that much, right off the bat. Although standards for generating and distributing video in 3D have expanded, the market is still pretty slim at the moment.

Your best bet for the time being lies in 3D Blu-ray movies. Manufacturers only recently ratified a 3D standard for Blu-ray, but a few titles are already available. Samsung throws a 3D copy of Monsters vs. Aliens in its Blu-ray starter kit, and Panasonic recently sweetened the deal for its buyers with Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and Coraline in 3D with the purchase of any Panasonic 3D TV.

Some TVs, such as Toshiba's ZX900 Cell TVs and Samsung's LED9000, will actually be able to generate 3D content from 2D content as well. Although the artificial 3D effect from this method clearly won't look as good as native 3D (in our demo at CES, it looked a bit like cutouts from a pop-up book, and the rendering tech causes some people to have halos around them), we still think it will be an extremely useful feature while 3D remains immature, and content scarce.

Television stations will start to offer 3D content soon, too. DirecTV will fire up three 3D stations in 2010, ESPN will broadcast select games in 3D, and Sony and IMAX are slated to start their own 3D nature channel. Unfortunately, many of the specifics remain quite vague now, so you may be better off waiting for more information before committing to any one provider.

Do I need a special Blu-ray player for those 3D Blu-ray discs?
Unfortunately, yes. The same companies pushing 3D TVs have committed to producing 3D-capable Blu-ray players this year as well. Here's a quick list:
So far, it doesn't look like any previous Blu-ray players will be upgradable, except Sony's PlayStation 3, which should get a firmware update to make it happen this summer, along with stereoscopic gaming.

What is HDMI 1.4?
At the moment, a certified HMDI 1.4 cable is the only way to carry a 3D signal. That means that your existing HDMI 1.3 cables (which have been the standard since 2006) won't do the job. A new cable isn't much of an upgrade investment, but keep in mind that other HDMI accessories won't work, either, including A/V receivers. If you plan to pass your video signal through a receiver with HDMI, Sony's STR-DN1010 is currently the only model that will fit your needs.

How big of a screen do I need?
You may recall from our HDTV buyer's guide that we dismissed the caveman "bigger is better" mentality when it comes to TVs, favoring one that fits the room instead. Well, grow out your unibrow and grab yourself a club, because the reverse is true with 3D. Let's state this bluntly: You need a big TV to appreciate 3D. Immersion is the name of the game, and the more the screen fills your field of view, the more you feel like you're "there." Fortunately, TV manufacturers seem to realize this as well, since we haven't seen a single 3D set under 42 inches. If you have the extra money to throw at a luxury like 3D TV, make sure to go all the way and buy the largest screen you can reasonably afford or fit in a room, because it will drastically affect your 3D experience.

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