Pent Up Demand for 3D TVs

**Wesley** · 03-17-2010, 10:12 AM

Panasonic 3-D TVs Sell Out as ?Avatar? Technology Reaches Homes - Bloomberg.com

TV makers are betting movies such as James Cameron’s “Avatar,” the highest-grossing film of all time, and sports events such as the 2010 FIFA World Cup will help drive demand for 3-D sets using improved technology. Still, a lack of programs and the need to use special eyewear, a reason that thwarted previous attempts to push adoption, may deter consumers.
“There are always people who want to buy high-end products,” said Kazuharu Miura, an analyst at Daiwa Securities Capital Markets Co. in Tokyo, said by phone today. “That’s probably what’s driving sales.”
Panasonic became the first major TV maker to sell 3-D sets in the U.S. when its 50-inch full high-definition plasma TV went on sale at outlets of Best Buy Co. with a pair of glasses and a 3-D Blu-ray player for $2,899.99 on March 10. Samsung Electronics Co., the world’s largest TV maker, began offering a 55-inch 3-D model there for $3,299.99 on March 14, while Sony Corp. plans to start selling 3-D Bravia TVs from June.

**alarson** · 03-17-2010, 10:17 AM

3-D tvs.... just an excuse to try to get us to buy something new and expensive, now that you can get pretty good lcds at low prices, and the differences between those and higher end lcds are getting less and less, or harder and harder to detect by the human eye...

**bos** · 03-17-2010, 10:23 AM

I have no intention of ever buying a 3d tv. I think its a huge gimick.

**aeroclone** · 03-17-2010, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by alarson

3-D tvs.... just an excuse to try to get us to buy something new and expensive, now that you can get pretty good lcds at low prices, and the differences between those and higher end lcds are getting less and less, or harder and harder to detect by the human eye...

Which is also the reason you now see more large LCD's on the market than plasmas. The prices and margins on plasma were dropping fast, so manufacturers went to LCD. Now they charge you extra for features such as LED back lighting for improved black levels and 120Hz refresh rates to improve motion blur. Forget the fact that you can buy a plasma for half the cost that has better black levels than an LED and refreshes at 600Hz...

Bring on the 3D, lol.

**BryceC** · 03-17-2010, 10:25 AM

I can't imagine sitting down and putting on glasses every time I want to watch TV.

**brianhos** · 03-17-2010, 10:30 AM

Vizio has a 72" LCD 3d coming out next month for $3299. I think I need that.

**3TrueFans** · 03-17-2010, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by bos

I have no intention of ever buying a 3d tv. I think its a huge gimick.

I think YOU'RE a huge gimick!

**iowast8fan** · 03-17-2010, 10:31 AM

As I read it a couple weeks ago, 3D TVs will require that each viewer have an electronic set of glasses. The glasses are synched to the TV so they know when to shutter the alternating left and right lenses to create the 3D effect. The glasses are $400 per set, if I remember correctly. These aren't the same glasses you wear at the movie theater.

**RyCy04** · 03-17-2010, 10:32 AM

Combine this with XBox's Project Natal. Frickin awesome. (I don't know if Project Natal is planning/could handle 3D gaming)

**bos** · 03-17-2010, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by 3TrueFans

I think YOU'RE a huge gimick!

Fun at first but then collects dust later on? My wife would agree.

**Jay_Clone** · 03-17-2010, 10:44 AM

Honey have you seen my 3D glasses?

Check the couch coushions!

**3GenClone** · 03-17-2010, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by RyCy04

Combine this with XBox's Project Natal. Frickin awesome. (I don't know if Project Natal is planning/could handle 3D gaming)

I know PS3 is working on a firmware upgrade to enable 3D gaming on that system. I would assume that Project Natal is working on it as well.

**ISUKyro** · 03-17-2010, 10:58 AM

Has anyone here personally used a 3D tv?

I guess to me I just can't image it adding enough to push me over the edge to get a new set. But I think I said that about HD until I saw that for the first time too!

**tman24** · 03-17-2010, 11:05 AM

I would rather have 4k or 8k resolution tvs then 3d. A full 4k movie wouldnt fit on a 50 gig blu ray. Talk about detail.

Panasonic 150-inch plasma: 4k definition is here - Crave at CNET UK

**JY07** · 03-17-2010, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by ISUKyro

Has anyone here personally used a 3D tv?

I guess to me I just can't image it adding enough to push me over the edge to get a new set. But I think I said that about HD until I saw that for the first time too!

We saw a lot of them at CES in january, but i wasn't really impressed... I think I'll wait a few years to find out how everything plans out, opposed to paying $2,500+ for a tv, and $200 x how ever many glasses I'd need

I think samsung had a 3d tv that didn't require glasses, but if you weren't standing right in front of it it looked awful