What is the largest 3D television?

Is 3D television a technology that people want and that they'll buy en masse?

• I've heard varying opinions about this. Some folks say that, in 10 years, EVERYONE will have 3D television sets. Others have said that people are simply not buying them and that television manufacturers are going to have to face up to the fact that 3D televisions will never be the huge moneymaker that they were counting on them being. We all know that just because technology is more advanced does not mean that it will be successful. Forty years ago we had Supersonic Transport airplanes and quadraphonic sound systems. Fifteen years ago we had minidiscs and digital tapes. Where are they now? Will 3D TVs go the same way as those things did? Or is it too early to tell? I DO know that one major television manufacturer is planning to have half of their catalog of TVs be 3D TVs by the start of next year. And they're being advertised like crazy. But is it too early to tell how they'll do? Could it be a backlash against the Alvin Toffler Future Shock Syndrome, too many changes in technology over too short a time? After all, most people have only just now made the switch to high definition television. I DO know that you can watch ANY channel on a 3D TV, not just 3D television channels. So I suppose that, if one wanted a new television, they might as well buy a 3D TV in case that IS the way that technology goes in the future. What do YOU think?

• Answer:

  The price differential betwen a 3D TV and a 2D is gradually dropping, as more and more manufacturers make a large number of their models 3D capable (in particular their top of the range models). This combination is likely to result in exponential increases of sales of 3D TVs. But not necessarily because everyone wants one, more because most sets will actually have the capability (and be priced attractively). The reality is there are 3 main reasons why 3D TV hasn't taken off in the way originally anticipated. 1. The glasses. People in general don't like them.They're uncomfortable to wear for longish periods. The active shutter ones are expensive. Passive glasses models are better placed with passive glasses being very cheap and much lighter, but they're still glasses. And no glasses models (at a reasonable price and good quality) are still some way off. Toshiba seem to be leading the way with a few models released in Japan. There's a remote possibility we might see a released model in the US or Europe this year, but it'll be expensive if we do. 2. Content (or perceived lack of it) Most sets will do 2D to 3D conversion, but this currently doesn't give results anywhere near as good as watching properly shot native 3D content. To get good 3D to watch, you need to be subscribing to a 3D TV channel, or have a Blu Ray or games console that can display 3D images. I don't personally subscribe to the 'lack of content' reasoning. There are many 3D good quality 3D movies out on Blu Ray or DVD..there are dozens of 3D games to play. More and more are getting released. 3. It doesn't actually add anything to the experience of watching. Many 3D dislikers cite this reason, and it appears to be especially true of 3D games. For every one who does feel like this though, there will be someone else who loves it. Someone who loves the immersion and gets something extra out of the experience. I could give a 4th reason as the worries over sickness, nausea etc. There's no doubt that some watchers do experience these. But equally trus that many do not. In the death I think it's down to whether you personally want 3D. Whether you enjoy the different experience from 2D viewing. Anyone who's seen a 3D movie at the cinema and thought it was great is highly likely to get the same, o similar, enjoyment from watching at home. To summarise: given most 3D TVs now are the manufacturers top of the range models, then as long as you can afford any price difference it seems almost a no brainer to go 3D. You're guaranteed a superb quality 2D picture, with the added option of 3D thrown in. The downside is whether to wait for no glasses models, but it's likely to be a longish wait.