3D TV Models - Revealing the latest new 3D models to hit the stores.
3D TV Networks - Get the lowdown on the 3D content providers, and find out who has plans for dedicated 3D channels - Cablevision, Cox, Time Warner, Comcast, DirecTV, Verizon, Sky
3D TV Converters - Guide to 2D to 3D converters.
3D Blu Ray Players - Read about the latest breakthrough developments in DVD players - an essential piece of the 3D puzzle.
3D Glasses - Understand why 3D glasses are required to see good quality images in 3D.
3D Movies - Examining the meteoric rise in popularity of the new 3D films to hit the cinemas.
3D HDTV
Comprehensive Guide To 3D TV - New 3D TVs
Where is 3D TV Development Right Now?
Growth prospects, plans, and developments for the coming year...
How Does It Work?
An easy to follow guide to the 3D TV technology used to deliver 3D imaging.
Is Watching 3D Bad For Your Health?
Examining the latest published 3D TV health warnings.
What You Need To Watch 3D TV.
An introduction to the TV sets, Blu Ray players, and glasses.
Looking To Buy A 3D TV?
The top 'need to know' facts you'll want to consider when looking to buy your first 3D set.
What Does The Future Hold?
What's the next step for 3D imaging in our homes? Breakthrough developments in holographic TV.
Where can I get more info on 3D sets, Blu-Rays, glasses etc
One of the best ways to get good information on any subject is by participating in forum discussions. Here you'll find a good choice of interesting 3D TV forum threads. Alternatively our page on 3D TV sites lists some high quality websites for more info.
The Cost Effective, Simple Way To Get 3D entertainment
Read about 3D Starter Kit bundles. Get the TV, glasses, movies, and connectors all in one go.
Who Makes The 3D TVs?
The latest developments and models from the leading 3D TV manufacturers
Whether the news and hype around 3D TV has got you interested for the first time and whet your appetite for finding out what all the fuss is about, or whether you're already a converted fan, sooner or later your attention will come round to new 3D TVs on the market. After the debatable success of the first 3D TVs during 2010, all of the manufacturers have announced plans to introduce ranges of new 3D TVs in 2011. There will of course be benefits in improved technology from these new sets, but it's going to be wise to be aware also of the older models which will still be available.
Let's assume you know how 3D TV works, you understand the differences between plasma 3D TV and LED 3D or LCD 3D TV sets, and you appreciate the need for the different types of 3D glasses to watch the growing library of 3D content that's available. You've already looked at 3D Blu Ray players, and know how they work to deliver the latest 3D movies into your home.
Now you're ready to buy a 3D TV. You want to know which are the best 3D TV sets, what the prices are, and what features and quality improvements you're going to get from new models on the market which are better than the older models.
Here we'll be looking at the new 3D TVs as they're introduced, examining the reasons why newer models give an improvement in quality, how that's achieved, and exactly which ones are the 3D TVs introduced new through 2011. I'm not going to report here on every announcement of planned models for the year. You can get those by clicking through to the pages on each of the 3D TV manufacturers listed below. This page is all about those new 3D TVs that have actually hit the shelves, or are very close to hitting the shelves across the US, UK, and other western countries.
3DTVGiuide.org Site Articles
What's likely to be driving the sales of new 3D TVs in 2011?
The first answer to this is of course general awareness. The recent flurry of actvity in the press, both TV news and written or internet based, will have a snowball effect. As more people get to read about 3D television, so interest will grow exponentially. The cinema will play its part too, with new 3D movies planned some of which may rival Avatar in quality and box office success.
The growth in 3D content availability with the arrival of new 3D TV networks and the 3D TV channels they carry will also play a part. One of the fears that's held back mass interest in 3D has been the concern that there's not much to watch. That's all changing, with networks and channels throughout the world either already broadcasting in 3D or announcing plans to broadcast. New 3D Blu Ray or 3D DVD titles are appearing on a regular basis.
You could also include 3D games in the content bracket, It's long been thought that 3D games are the catalyst that could drive take up of 3D TV to giddy heights. We should see some evidence on whether that theory is true with the arrival of the Nintendo 3DS portable gaming device. Already there's some indication that avid gamers are embracing the technology. It's clear that if 3D gaming is successful it'll see a whole new breed of enthusiasts scouring the online retailers for new 3D TVs that give the best gaming experience.
Price cuts are always good news, and there's been a significant reduction in prices across many existing 3D television models. This is where it's worth looking at older models when you're entering the market. New 3D TVs are always likely to be introduced at higher price points than existing models, just the same as in almost anything we buy. As older TVs are replaced with new lines we should see further price cuts in those models - some of which already sit in the best 3D TV lists.
What are the advances in technology that new 3D TV models deliver?
One of the known problems that new 3D TVs need to overcome is the seemingly perennial issue of 3D glasses. Many of us don't like them and the industry is painfully aware of that fact. Developments in 3D TV without glasses will hopefully result in new 3D TVs that use no glasses technology later in the year. But there's no guarantee of that, with early demonstrations seen so far proving the technology is not quite ready. One thing's for sure, the research and development engineers will be very busy working on solutions.
No glasses 3D TV is better suited to smaller screens at this stage, and we'll see mobile 3D TV models introduced which aim to take advantage of this before the bigger displays are available at a reasonable price and adequate quality level.
There is one technology improvement that's already been introduced though, and that's in passive 3D. This technology focusses on the glasses issues, and delivers a solution providing much lighter and cheaper passive 3D glasses using a system known as FPR or Film Patterned Retarder technology.
LG and Vizio have already released new 3D TVs to Eastern markets using this system, with Philips and Toshiba aiming to follow. In fact the first LG FPR 3D TV models are due on sale in the US around April 2011. Early reports from LG suggest these sets have reached good sales figures in China in particular, though reports on 3D TV reviews websites indicate that FPR sets are not quite of the same quality as those using active shutter glasses.
Aside from that, each of the manufacturers will be putting forward their own spin on why their new sets are improved. Much of the focus will be on reduction of crosstalk, or ghosting as it's often known. Another focus will be on improving blackness. Both of these of course are not specific to 3D television, but can have more of an impact due to the extra requirements that delivering high quality 3D imaging calls for.
