3-D TV sets

Ok, so, this is a technology post, not a movie post, but since a lot of people are starting to look at these things for watching movies at home (or dreaming about having them), What do people think?
Will this be the new Plasma/Flatscreen that everyone will have in 10 years, or is it a fad that will go away?

A friend of mine just blew $5000 (plus tax) on a set. I think he's nuts, but it's his $. Was interesting to see the results. Makes a lot of movies looks like SoapOpera lighting, but the Iron-Man armor looked amazing. Some pretty effects with certain video games.
Don't need the 3D myself, but I'm a dinosaur. Maybe in 5 months or so, I'll catch up with 10 years ago and buy a flatscreen HDTV. Or not.

Anyone else?

 

It's a fad.

The theaters have been rolling out the 3D craze once every 15-20 years since the 50s...and now it's the "home theater" market's turn.

I think one or more the following will assist with it's downfall:

1. Not all programming is suitable to it. I've already heard people complain that stuff isn't in 3D, just like they did about HD...except...does the news need to be in 3D? Are they going to embed war correspondents with 3D cameras? etc.

2. The glasses will get tired. People who don't wear glasses won't want to reach for the things every time they turn the box on. People who DO wear glasses won't want to switch glasses, or worse, put the 3D ones on over their normal pair, just to watch a half hour of sitcoms.

3. Cheap 3D...it's already begun from what I hear of "Last Airbender". 3D done on the cheap that is ill designed and disinteresting...this is usually what stalls out the previous 3D crazes.

4. Cost...mostly the question of how quickly the price can come down...unlike HD...which programming is providing a gradual opportunity to adopt, 3D will simply be "in or out"...early adopters pay a premium, but ride the high of the content...if costs come down fast enough, general adoption will provide a similar experience...if not...cheap knockoff 3D equipment allied with #3 above will ruin it.

5. HD is not complete. Only like 1 in 4 homes have a HD ready equipment, let alone the service...it seems premature to usher in the "next" big thing when the last one...which is far easier for the masses to adopt, is not widespread.

6. New technology...3D is OLD...and despite the hype, I don't think it's the direction most entertainment and media venues are going. More PC/TV integration is on the horizon, which will open up more multitasking television experiences...not the kind of venue for 3D, which is a "stop everything and put on your glasses and just take it in". 3D, despite some efforts I'm sure, will never be "on the go", which is the real trend of the world now.

7. Accessibility...You will NEVER have enough glasses...I can just imagine a Superbowl party or such, where 15 people crowd around a box with glasses on, and 3 people sit at a table without them. As soon as you buy the extra 3 pair, it won't be enough. I don't anticipate 3D ever getting popular enough that people limit their guest lists based on pairs of the 3D glasses. Additionally...what about smaller TVs, or TVs for public use, or office use...what about hotels? You going to use hotel glasses?

It's a fad...a strong one, riding on the coattails of Avatar, but sooner or later it's going to run it's course...even the hardcore tech geeks will yawn at one too many "Clash of the Titans" or "Last Airbender" throw togethers...and if they lose that crowd, the general public is certainly not going to adopt it...and certainly no faster then HD has come on.

Save your money...it'll be a niche market novelty for years to come...but that's all.

 

Im going to ditto Quest here. I dont think by this time next yr or the one after 3D will be in the past again. I think it will be rubbed in our faces litterally.....

 

I agree 100% with jedimarine. The problem is so many people in America are sheep and will buy anything they are told to. As long as Hollywood keeps saying it's the next "big thing", people will think it is, and act accordingly.

 

I'm glad I'm not the one who shelled out over $5 grand.
Suppose that HDTV will have to take presidnece over the larger monitor...

 

get a nice large HD monitor.

My monitor isn't huge, but it's HD ready...I could patch in HD signal if I had it.

Similar, my HDTV has every freaking input under the sun...I could connect my tower to it in 7 or 8 ways.

Depending on your needs...you could get one device to do both.

From personal experience...visiting the board on a 46" screen is AWESOME.

 

I really think we need more focus on getting all our channels in HD first before TV goes off into other realms.

 

My first 3D TV experience was a bit disappointing. I saw one being demoed in an electronic store, so asked the salesman if he had some glasses for me to try it out. He pulls out these huge nerdy looking things and tries them on himself at first. Pulls them away, checks it, tries again. Still not working he says. Tries it again, adjusts some buttons, checks the TV settings, mumbles something about maybe the lighting is poor... then I started to get bored.

He never did figure out why it wasn't working. So I said, "look, don't worry about it" and walked away.

I think I'll hold off for now.

 

I tried out one of the Samsung ones and it was meh. The glasses are like a hundred bucks a pair too.

 

This is what I don't get. Is the 3D technology on these TVs so different from the stuff in theaters that they really need to raise the price of glasses by more than three thousand percent?

 

It's a different technology all together. The Real D 3D that you see in theaters over laps the images to create the 3D. The glasses do all the work on the tv 3D. That's why you see the glasses need batteries and use back lighting inside them.

 

Koohii, if you are a bit choosy about the TV you go for, you will find one with all the inputs you need to be able to plug your computer into it.

TV's are coming with the VGA input (old, blue 15 pin plug), DVI (digital video only signal) and HDMI which means computers 10 years old can be plugged in.

With the resolution these new TVs support, if you have a laptop I recommend using the TV as a secondary display, or if not a primary display for a media center-type PC is a good option.

Editing photos could be a bit easier

 

sadly I still have a 19 inch regular tv without flat screen and yes it is a dinosaur. But I still can watch the news and other programs and not worry about paying a million dollars for a tv that will cost a tenth of the its price in one year or more. Sorry but hD tv is only good for live events you can't get to.

and if you want the real experience like on national geographic or discovery channel then go out and get off your butt and see nature before its too late.

Last I checked nature put on the best picture.

 

Lions huh...

They're not so good to get close to...

Besides, have you SEEN a proper, well-encoded HD movie? It's super-seriously-freakin good.

I know you think 3D is a fad but with the fact that it is much more mass market now, with sports bars and pubs showing HD 3D, it might not take off in the home for a few more years but it's a serious option now.

 

How will that work? Bring your own glasses? Or will bars actually trust $100 glasses to their drunken patrons? Sure, they could say "You break it, you bought it" but that won't replace the glasses right away. That doesn't even account for people who will steal them. And try supplying dozens of patrons at a sports bar with glasses. Not gonna be easy. I don't see this happening until they can do it without the glasses.

 

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/7/12/

And once again, the "Penny Arcade" guys nail it on the head.

 

I haven't witnessed it but it's already happening here throughout the UK. Cinemas and pubs / bars have been showing "Soccer" and international rugby (I think) in 3D.

The photos I've seen suggest that the expensive glasses ain't needed so I take it they're using projectors? I'm not up on the differences between TV tech and cinema tech at the moment.

 

Lots of pubs and such have had projectors and screens...particularly older places that tried to show big events in the era before 40-60"+ flat panels.

I'm assuming the "new 3D" in theaters is a digital presentation...which just means that these places need access to that kind of signal...it certainly must be different from what appears on a 3D tv...then you can use disposable glasses.

What I could see would be glasses "chained" to booths in some cases...but what would be more likely, would be a credit card on file and serial numbers on the glasses...glasses go missing at the end of the night, your card is charged.

What I suspect is coming "if" this really makes the mainstream, will be a secondary market trying to sell you on carrying your own glasses with you everywhere you go. Personalized and Stylized, and always with you.

I shudder at the possibility.

 

But imagine the fun of all the different 3D glasses skins and pads, and other distinguishing add-ons and padded cases and whatnot. Why It could be like the new iPod or cell phone craze! Wouldn't that be spiffy galore? Can't you just see some marketing schmucks drooling at the possibilities?

 

They tend to.

 

Here's a list of 3D ready TV's: http://www.3dmovielist.com/3dhdtvs.html I know, not many of them yet. You might want to wait until this summer because there's there's only 2 "flat panel" plasma 3D ready TV's on that site but they are not full HD either.