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3-D television sets are all over the place these days, and more and more people are coming to like them. Despite the effort time and money makers of 3D TVs are devoting to them, customers are not yet lining up for these televisions.
A few reasons for this are as follows.
To start, 3D HDTVs can be significantly more expensive than standard HD televisions. The Samsung UN55D8000 is a good case in point: only a serious enthusiast would pony up the more than $3000 price tag. Cost is something most people consider carefully, and our current economic crisis makes this even more true. Hence, many will have second thoughts about buying a 3D television.
Nevertheless, lots of people are still doing well and have plenty of money, but there are fewer folks like this in our recession. And some of the 3D televisions out now are fairly inexpensive, like the LG 42PW350, priced at around $550.
Secondly, you’ll have to get the right 3D glasses to watch 3D programs. It can be a further deterrent to potential buyers that you have to first pay for the TV and then turn around and spend more on 3D glasses, which can be expensive if they’re active shutter. The good news is that: (a) active shutter glasses are getting lighter, smaller, and more comfortable, and are likely to continue doing so; (b) several manufacturers have opted for passive polarized technology instead, and these glasses are cheaper and lighter; (c) in the near future we can expect to be able to buy 3D TV sets that don’t need glasses.
Thirdly, the selection of 3D programs and movies is still fairly small. This can seem disappointing and serve as a barrier to your desire to buy a 3D TV. Notably, HD programming was pretty scarce until pretty recently, and now it’s common. 3D programming will also become common before long. Interestingly, upconversion of typical 2D fare to 3D is now possible with several of the 3D sets you can buy, and most find this effect to be excellent.
In the fourth place, you will need a 3D capable DVD and BluRay player to play 3D content. However, the same argument about HD content applies here. 3D-capable devices are getting less expensive as well, and they can handle 2D programming just fine.
Number five, makers of 3D televisions have yet to standardize playback and viewing technology. Currently, for active shutter glasses particularly, one manufacturer’s may not work on another’s TV. Fortunately, some of the manufacturers of 3D TV sets are collaborating to standardize ther application of this technology.
Although these things might indeed seem like stumbling blocks, chances are that each will be redressed by advances in the industry, just as we saw with hi-def technology. We see new 3D sets coming to market all the time, and everything about them is getting better: quality, price, and quantity of 3D material. No doubt 3D HDTV will, in the end, be the dominant technology.
Tags: 3D, 3D HDTV, television, TV