3D TV SCREEN

Consumer electronics companies and broadcasters are talking up the prospects of 3D TV – but is it worth splashing out on?
First it was flatscreens; then it was high definition – now the must-have TV technology is 3D. Sitting in a cinema or, manufacturers hope, your own living room, will once again involve wearing special glasses. Avatar may be making all the headlines, but that last bit feels more like Back to the Future.
                                 
So the key question for consumers is a simple one, in two parts: what’s the big deal about 3D TV, and is it worth spending money on?

This week four major manufacturers have unveiled the British versions of their flagship sets. LG, Samsung, Sony and Panasonic are betting the house on this new technology eventually becoming ubiquitous. And long-term they’re probably right to do so – who now goes out to buy a TV and can even find one that isn’t at least HD-ready? But a recent survey suggested that Britons have paid for £52 billion’s worth of features on their gadgets that they’re not using.

Anyone who has watched Avatar, James Cameron’s 3D blockbuster that was nominated for nine Oscars, or Alice in Wonderland, Tim Burton’s reimagining of Lewis Carroll’s classic novel, knows that a 3D image can be remarkably impressive. Sky, who will launch a service in pubs next month and a broadcast channel later this year, demonstrates startlingly good footage of sport in 3D. There should be no doubt that, in the right circumstances, 3D can provide the best TV experience currently available, though some people have complained of headaches and tired eyes after watching a 3D movie.

But the country’s biggest TV shows are some way off being filmed in 3D – and few argue that X Factor in 3D will be enhanced immeasurably.
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EXPANSION OF 3D TV

                                      
The market for consumer 3D television has expanded by leaps and bounds over the last 12 months.

The end of 2009 and start of 2010 saw a slew of announcements regarding plans for the year which included 3D television channels from Sky in the UK and Discovery and ESPN in the US, and a full launch schedule of 3D televisions, glasses, and movies to watch.

March saw the release of the first 3D screens to consumers, Samsung models starting at £1300 for a 32-inch LED and rising to just under £5000 for a 65-inch version.

Sony pointed out that 3D Tvs will be good for gaming.

March and April then see LG outline plans to own 25% of the global 3D TV market and Panasonic admits a price war will ensue because manufacturers have set over ambitious sales targets leaving them with a glut of screens to ship.

May saw releases from manufacturers from Panasonic, LG, Sony, Toshiba amongst others. And then the debate started regarding 3D glasses. David Attenborough opines that 3D tv won’t catch on because it’s inherently anti-social. Toshiba announces it’s glasses-less technology.

As always the porn industry is an early adopter of the technology.

Some begin to speculate that "Every home may have 3D TV within 3 years" but UK Survey’s suggest far slower rate of adoption should be expected.

Models keep coming from the manufacturers, and 3D content is promised to explode this year.

If you’re considering buying a new TV then it makes sense to ensure you get one with 3D capabilities. Otherwise you might regret it later. Increasingly, 3D support is becoming a standard feature in all HD TVs.

We’ve got a range of 3d TVs to buy which we highly recommend. Take a look!

Any conversation around the subject of 3D television inevitably covers the topic of the cumbersome glasses required to take advantage of this renewed technology. Many believe 3D TV won’t truly take off until the 3D sets function without the glasses.
                                              
Recently the Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming device has launched which has a glasses free 3D display. There are also a number of mobile telephones entering the market that also offer a 3D experience without glasses. These devices can achieve this glasses free experience because of their relatively small screen size and requirement to support only one viewer.

The problem for larger televisions arises from the requirement to support a wide viewing angle and large numbers of viewers. Because 3D technology requires different images to be viewed by each eye 3D glasses are currently the only way to ensure a large number of people can view the images in the same way.

Current technology for displaying a 3D movie to many people without glasses involves the use of 16 projectors and isn’t currently a practical solution for home entertainment.

It’ll be a while before you can buy a glasses free TV for your living room.

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