Buying a 3D TV Guide – Part One
Let the revolution begin. 3D TV is set to haul our gaze into the most exciting evolution in television since its inception. This is the era of 3D TV; and the decision to showcase everything from Coronation Street to the Premier League is at the click of a button. If you thought Avatar was good, ‘you ain’t seen nothing yet’. Find out more about this exciting technology in part one of our comprehensive 3D TV Buying Guide.
Samsung, LG, Sony, Panasonic and others have all set out their stalls for the advent of 3D television, and while their innovation will be quickly absorbed by consumer demand, other major manufacturers will be quick to follow suit throughout 2010 and 2011. Consider bookmarking this 3D TV Buying Guide, as we’ll be updating it organically as the very latest in 3D HDTV explodes from our screens.
Who should buy a 3D TV?
3D TV is in its infancy, it’s mostly pioneering technology that’s merely dipping its toes in the water, and as with all releases of this scale, things are set to progress quickly. If you’re a fan of new technology and — like us — you’re keen to get in on the action early and learn everything you can, then yes, you should buy a 3D TV and reap the benefits of the special offers being flung at consumers.
Sports fans are currently one of the most targeted audiences for 3D TV, not least because Sky Sports are already broadcasting in the new technology and, in case you haven’t heard, there’s a World Cup going on.
Another exciting recipient for these early days in 3D TV is the gaming market. The gaming industry represents huge business for major manufacturers, and they are scrambling over themselves to satisfy the high demand for 3D gaming. If you’re neither a technophile, nor a gamer or sports fan then it’s perfectly acceptable for you to wait until content makers and broadcasters are fully on board.
Is everything in 3D?
Thankfully not. The absolute beauty of 3D, is the major manufacturers are incorporating 3D into what are essentially their leading 2D panels. This essentially means, if you’re in the market for a new TV, you can invest in a 3D version by default, or upgrade your 2D panel with the requisite technology. It isn’t a choice between 2D and 3D HD TV. It’s 2D, with added 3D capabilities.
Another thing worth knowing, is that 3D TV isn’t just available for native content, it can reproduce the illusion with original 2D content. This technology is built into most 3D TVs, which means anything from your family photos to the Internet could be viewed in 3D. Critics rightly point out that the quality isn’t the same as native 3D content, but from our experience, it isn’t too far from it.
Do I have to wear the glasses?
Yes. Although there have been early demonstrations of naked-3D (that’s to say, 3D without the need for glasses), as an early adopter of 3D TV you will need the active glasses to use the technology. Most new models include a set of active-shutter LCD glasses (or simply active glasses, for short), but should you need an extra set (which we’re guessing you will) the prices currently start from around £60.
The active glasses are inbuilt with technology, which communicates with the 3D TV, and actually tells the glasses which lens to activate and deactivate in correlation with the picture. This is because the image on the screen is actually two images (which is why it looks a bit blurred when viewing without the 3D glasses), and the wireless technology used between the glasses and sync transmitter tells the glasses which lens to shut off depending on the frame.
The technology is housed within the stylish frames, which is usually powered by a replaceable lithium battery so it does add a bit of weight. Perhaps the biggest kicker for consumers is that you need the specific manufacturers glasses to view their 3D TV, so if your Sony 3D neighbour wants to come round to watch the World Cup on your Panasonic, they’re going to need to invest in a pair of Sony specs.
Can I watch 3D films?
One of the biggest pushes in the 3D content market is the huge stride forward in 3D Blu-ray technology. To be able to watch their content however, you will need to buy a separate 3D compatible player as well as your 3D compatible TV. This market is expected to grow in relation to the 3D HDTV market.
That concludes part one in the buying guide for 3D TV. We hope we’ve answered some of the more general questions regarding the news technology, in part two we’ll be looking at the buzz words in the market, and giving you some more pointers on what to look out for when investing in a new 3D TV.
> TO READ OUR BUYING A 3D TV GUIDE – PART 2 FOLLOW THIS LINK.
Category: 3D TV
