3D Blu Ray Players - Discover High Quality DVD Player Technology...

Introduction to 3D Blu-Ray Players

Advances in 3D TV technology are growing at a stunning pace, and the first of these breakthrough 3D products - including the stereoscopic 3D Blu Ray players and 3D TV models - are slowly taking pride of place in many of our homes. 2011 is likely to see further growth in sales of 3D TVs and accessories, and with new 3D content from 3D TV networks and channels getting increasing airing along with the growth of available Blu Ray 3D titles, sales of 3D Blu Ray players can be expected to increase exponentially. Japanese users, in particular, are embracing the technology wholeheartedly with a reported 57% of Blu Ray player sales being in 3D ready units. It's rapidly becoming possible that 2011 might really be the year when it became the right time to buy a 3D TV or Blu Ray.

Only recently has the 3D media form seen a resurgence in popularity, thanks to 3D movies like Avatar and Alice in Wonderland. Movie theaters continue to use polarized anaglyph images and require the use of 3D glasses, but now there's an even newer technology in these 3D Blu Ray Players capable of bringing crystal clear 3D right into your living room. In addition to high quality DVD and Blu Ray playback, these new players also support such online services as Amazon Video On Demand, and web based video services likeYouTube.

After the announcements of the first commercially available 3D televisions at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show, attention turned to the question of how we'd get the content in 3D that we wanted to watch. The answer was in the development of 3D Blu Ray players which give you the chance to get the excitement of Avatar's 3D experience in the comfort of your own living room. All of the leading 3D TV manufacturers - including Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba, and Samsung - have now either released models on to the market or have new models planned. Of course, these players still require a 3D ready TV to display movies at their full resolution.

Panasonic was first out of the gate, announcing a 3D Blu Ray player, the model DMP-BDT350, before any other company. This model is also the only standalone 3D Blu Ray player to offer dual HDMI outputs: HDMI 1.3 and the newer HDMI 1.4. All other announced Blu-Ray players only support HDMI 1.4. This means the Panasonic DMP-BDT350 was a great choice for consumers who didn't wish to upgrade their AV receivers right away.

Sony, on the other hand, is cramming everything into their 3D Blu Ray. The 3D BDP-S470 won't just play 3D Blu-Ray movies. The model also will be capable of streaming movies, music, videos and even more from the likes of Netflix, YouTube Slack Internet Radio, Amazon Video-On Demand, NPR, Sony Music, and Sony Pictures. Pandora will even join the club in the summer of 2010. All told, there will be more than 25 content providers licensed to stream media through the Sony BRAVIA platform for internet video. Sony is betting big on 3D, hoping that the adoption of 3D will really pick up in 2011.

The BD-C6900 from Samsung takes things in a slightly different direction. Downloadable content is available through the Internet@TV service, but the biggest draw is the high resolution boasted by the new model. Video conversion is a selectable option with the BD-C6900, allowing consumers to choose between 720p, 1080i, and even 1080p resolutions. Streaming content is made available through widgets and apps from big Internet names like Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Pandora, Blockbuster, Twitter, and Netflix.

Samsung isn't alone on the 1080p bandwagon, though. The Toshiba BDX3000 offers the same high-resolution output, coupled with Internet content from Netflix, Pandora, and Cinema Now. The player is even be able to upscale regular DVD video to high definition. Also planned is built-in Wi-Fi, allowing the player to connect to the Internet right out of box.

Unfortunately, all of these still need a new 3D TV to display the spectacle at full resolution, and you'll need shutter glasses to view it though Sony did display a glasses free 10.1 inch 3D Blu Ray prototype at CES 2011. This won't be commercially available for some time.

Packing a glasses-free lenticular LCD panel with a resolution of 1366x768, the prototype certainly gave off the impression that it's a near-production product. It looked distinguished and very similar to the non-3D portable BD players out there.

But with the 3D wave set to explode throughout 2011, it may not be too long before half the content on the market appears in three dimensions. Start planning your 3D purchases now and you'll be surfing the new wave in no time!

What Are The Benefits of 3D Blu Ray?

Current models on the market offer superb, high quality imaging. They differ from the DVD players we know by using HD1080p video to produce more than 2 million pixels when used with an appropriately high resolution HD TV. 1080p is becoming standard on new 3D TV models, so there are going to be many options for enjoying content in its full glory. Blu Ray discs have over five times the storage capacity of standard DVDs, and many 3D Blu Ray models come with extras such as built in WiFi and audio/video streaming. There's extra good news in the fact that our old DVDs don't become obsolete, you can play then on the new Blu Ray players.

How Do 3D Blu Ray Players Work?

All the new players make use of what's known as a HDMI port (High Definition Multimedia Interface) to connect from the player to the 3D TV. This lets you stream the audio and video content over a single cable. Of course, it's the 3D TV itself that displays the 3D images, currently via the use of 3D glasses, though the near future may well see further growth in 3D TV without glasses technology. HDMI cables are often provided with the sets - though not in all cases - and buying a 3D starter kit is one way to make sure you get everything you need. Some starter kits include the 3D TV, glasses, Blu Ray, and connector cables.

What Do I Need To Watch Out For When Buying a 3D Blu Ray?

With so many different models on the market, it's becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate and make sure you get the Blu Ray that's right for you.

First off, remember that a 3D Blu Ray player is only going to be able to deliver 3D images on a suitable 3D ready TV. That's one that has an HDMI 1.4 input, though Philips announced the world's first wireless HDMI Blu-ray player at CES 2011 and the technology may ultimately be able to handle 3D.

Where Can I Get More Info?

The table on this page gives links to a number of in depth Customer reviews of various 3D Blu Ray models, along with technical and pricing information too. If you need more, here are some links to some valuable alternative websites:

How Do I Set Up My New 3D Blu Ray Player?

This excellent Samsung video explains how to get a new Blu Ray up and running and capable of displaying 3D content on your 3D TV.