First off, it's important to understand what's happening. Several television manufacturers recently announced they were going to release a raft of flat-panel HD LCD and plasma TVs that are capable of showing high-quality three-dimensional images.
In most cases the viewer will be required to don the usual shuttered, polarised glasses, and most units will use HD Blu-ray equipment to generate the 3D image. But there are exceptions (see below). So who are the manufacturers and what are they going to sell?
Panasonic 3D TVs
Of all the TV makers, Panasonic has made the biggest song and dance about 3D, and unveiled the TC-PVT25 3D Plasma TV at CES 2010 in Las Vegas. Each 1080p set will be sold with one pair of 3D shutter glasses and uses a LC shutter system, although it doesn't feature 2D to 3D upscaling, so will need to be attached to a 3D source, such as a suitable Blu-ray player. Each set features Infinite Black Pro, Skype, optional wi-fi, VieraCast Interactive and ISFcc.
The Viera TC-PVT25 series is available in several sizes: the 50-inch TC-P50VT25; the 54-inch TC-P54VT25; the 58-inch TC-P54VT25; and the 65-inch TC-P65VT25. Each set will some with a single pair of TY-EW3D10U Eyewear glasses that have been designed to be worn over prescription glasses.
Panasonic is now selling a 3D package, which includes a TC-P50VT20 3D TV, one pair of 3D glasses and a BDT300 3D Blu-ray Disc Player for $2899.99 from Best Buy Stores.
LG 3D TVs
As with LG's latest conventional flat-panel LCDs, its LE9500 3D LED TV, also launched at CES 2010, has an incredibly thin bezel, so it almost looks as if it has no frame. It features a 480Hz refresh rate, optional wi-fi, DLNA compatibility, Netcast Interactive, a Magic Wand remote (operates like a Wiimote) and backlit LEDs with local dimming. The LE9500 is available in two sizes: the 470inch 47LE9500 and the 55-inch 55LE9500, and will be available from the fall (autumn) of 2010.
Samsung 3D TVs
Samsung announced two LCD series at CES: the UNC7000 and the UNC9000, and two plasma series (the ultra-thin PNC7000 and PNC8000), although none are planned to be sold with suitable glasses. Like Toshiba, these sets will be able to upscale 2D to 3D in real time, thereby avoiding the need to go out and spend more money on new Blu-ray kit and 3D discs. The LCD sets also feature edge-lit LED backlighting, have a 240Hz refresh rate and features Samsung Internet @ TV and Samsung Apps.The UNC9000 will also have a touch-screen remote with wi-fi. The UE40C7000, a 40-inch 3D TV, is went on sale in the spring of 2010 for a RRP of £1800.
Sony 3D TVs
The big news at CES from Sony was LED backlights - the Sony Bravia XBR-HX900 has local dimming with full-array LED backlight and will be available in 46-inch (XBR-46HX900) and 52-inch (XBR-52HX900) sizes. Both sets are 3D compatible, have a 240Hz refresh rate, optional wi-fi and come with the Bravia Video interactive suite. The XBR-LX900 is also 3D-compatible but does not have local LED dimming.
Toshiba 3D TVs
Toshiba's Cells processor will probably be familiar to Sony PlayStation 3 owners, but now it's featuring in TVs. Toshiba says the chip is 10 times faster than an Intel Core 2 Duo and the Cell TV has a 1TB hard drive, built-in wireless HD, 802.11N wi-fi, Digital Media Server (DLNA), USB movie playback, internet TV and a built-in videophone. The Cell's processing power will be needed for real-time 2D to 3D upscaling, and the flagship model, the ZX900, has a 480Hz refresh rate, local dimming and comes with a separate media box, in which the processor sits. A detachable sound bar is mounted beneath the screen.
The ZX900 Genesis series will be available in 55-inch (55ZX900) and 65-inch (65ZX900) sizes, while the Illusion series, which doesn't get local dimming, is available in 46-inch, 55-inch and 62-inch sizes.
3D broadcasts
British satellite broadcaster Sky announced early in 2010 that it would begin transmitting bespoke 3D footage to public bars. 3D content is also planned to be transmitted to customers with a Sky+HD box, free of charge, later in the year. In addition, Sky and the BBC plan to broadcast the football World Cup in 3D.
3D or Not 3D?
Why do viewers need to buy a new TV when everyone knows that existing tellies, even CRT units, can produce images that can be viewed in 3D with glasses? The answer lies in the higher frame rate that 3D TVs produce.
They generate frames at twice the speed of a standard high definition TV - the first frame is generated for one eye, the next is produced for the other eye, and so on. Which image each eye sees is determined by those shuttered glasses. The higher frame rate demands greater processor power, which these TVs also have.
Robert Keenan - Professional UK-based magazine sub editor and writer. Rob was one of the lucky few who knew what they wanted to do for a living from an ...
