Opinions on 3D TVs.

[Chako]

I am asking information from the general MT.O membership on your views on 3D TVs.

Here is the rational for this question. I am thinking of upgrading my living room TV to something a little larger. What I currently have is a 2008 Samsung Series 750 46" LCD. I am looking to get something a little larger in the 55 to 60" size range.

Back in 2008, there was no talk of 3D. I think this came about back in 2010. At that time, there was a discussion on here about 3D, with the general consensus (myself included) that 3D was a waste of time and a money grab.

Yesterday, I visited a few retail outlets. I quickly noticed that everything is either 3D ready or 3D functional...or so it seemed.  I have also noticed that prices have come down. I won't tell you what I paid for my series 7 Samsung back in 2008, but for that money, I could get a 60" TV these days.

So what are your current views on 3D? I have done a little research and know the following to be generally true:

Active Glasses:
-More expensive.
-Proprietary.
-Give better screen resolution.
-Need to charge them.
-Relatively big and bulky may equate to uncomfortable to wear.

Passive Glasses:
-Cheap and cheerful.
-Glasses are light and mostly comfortable.
-Resolution not so good while wearing them.

At the one store, they showed me an LG which uses passive glass technology, and a Sony with active. I could tell right away the screen resolution was not as good with the passive glass technology, but the 3D image was fantastic. With the Sony, I got some weird light flickering and anomalies, and I found it hard at times to see the 3Dness (is that a word?) of the image.

So I am thinking of upgrading my TV to a 55" or 60". Most of them come with 3D as a feature. Not sure if I would use it much...but what are your opinions?

[mvyrmnd]

I still have a CRT TV. Until it explodes it won't be replaced.

That said, go with whichever glasses don't give you a headace. The last thing you want is to spend a big wad of cash and end up hating your TV. If you noticed the flicker rate of the active glasses, I suggest you go passive.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I still don't see the point of a 3D TV.  If you can get one that's 3D in the price range you are looking at then great- it's a nice option, but I wouldn't spend extra money on it, nor would I skimp on other features to get it.

There simply isn't the content yet to make it worthwhile, and what content there is may not be overly available.  For example, I'm not certain there's any place left in town to rent DVD's/Blu Rays and I don't know of any 3D content available on regular TV.  I think Netflix may have it available but again, it's all for limited titles.  In short, it's not a feature I'd use enough to bother with, especially since it means even more added expense and inconvenience.

Then, there's the glasses.  I have no interest in 3D TV until they come up with a method of watching it without the glasses, which, as I understand it is under development.  When that becomes commonplace and there's enough content to be wortyhwhile I'll look into 3D.  Until then I think it's a waste of time and money.

Def

[borgwarrior]

Then, there's the glasses.  I have no interest in 3D TV until they come up with a method of watching it without the glasses, which, as I understand it is under development.

A hungarian inventor already developed the method. They are trying to put it into consumer use atm. 2-3 years and it'll be available, I read this in a local newspaper a few months ago.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I thought I'd read that somewhere, but I wasn't sure.  Thanks for the details- since I have two fairly new TV's (within the last two to three years) I see no point in replacing mine.  Another 2-3 years seems like a viable schedule for me to consider new ones, although to be honest I'll probably only replace them when mine die, or I need another one for another room or something.

Def

[dks]

My main TV is stil CRT... I am still not convinced about the picture quality and the ability to show fast moving objects of LCDs.

Last year 3D was all the rage; this year most TVs on sale / sold appear to be the standard LCD,Plasmas,LEDs.. I was shopping for one a few weeks ago, not for me.

[Chako]

Yes, this is why I was asking for opinions. I know two years ago, I stated it was garbage. These days, if I want a bigger TV, it seems that 3D comes with it. I also know this would necessitate a 3D capable blue ray player. I already have a few 3D titles in my library, as now when you buy a blue ray, some now come with a DVD, Blue ray, and 3D version in the same package.

Looks like I am going to have to do some hard soul searching. Do I get a larger more modern TV, or wait...as the whole glasses thing seems to suck. On the plus side, I can buy a clip on for eyeglass wearers for the passive 3D. That doesn't seem all that evil. 

Just thinking and asking. Not sure if I will even upgrade. Waiting for newer tech is probably the best course of action.

[Lynn LeFey]

Massive lack of 3d content, and what there is mostly sucks. Just my opinion.

In all truth, how much improvement is even GOOD 3d over standard? Is it worth the extra cost? Not in my opinion.

Imagine what your viewing habits are, and how many of those shows/movies would be improved in any significant way with 3d. I can't see much point in it.

In fact, if I get shuffled into one more 3d movie because the 2d version is full and I have to shell out extra bucks, I'm going to scream, rip out my hair, and start hurling a spray of words that would make sailors blush.

I think it's a big crappy hyped pile of feces, and I wish it would die a swift death and people would stop thinking it was some kind of holy grail of viewing experience. It's not. In the absolute BEST cases, when film-makers convolute good shots to make the 3d work, you get maybe a moment of 'ooohh', while feeling like the story was compromised to make room for a whiz-bang effect.

Of course, you may feel differently.

[Crouton]

I don't care for 3D, instead of adding anything to the cinematic experience it takes it away with it's distractions, discomfort, and cinematic sequences thrown in simply to make you aware that 3D works, we've all seen the errant spear pointed at the audience.

For now I believe 3D is a fad, and serious filmmakers generally eschew it.  For me personally, I don't enjoy it and I don't generally enjoy movies that incorporate 3D.  I am actually somewhat of a movie snob, I readily admit that, and generally 3D movies are dumbed down, summer movies.  Lots of childrens movies are 3D, and while i do love childrens movies, I still can't appreciate 3D integration.

I personally wouldn't invest any money into the 3D experience.  It is however a decent time to buy a new TV.  I believe that 3D will eventually morph into a technology that can add something to the viewing experience, but for now it's just a gimmick, and one that hasn't been typically well received.

That having been said I'll address Chako's actual question.  If 3D is something you are interested in I would recommend you carry your own 3D bluray with you and try them all and find out which provides the best trade-off of clarity and 3D effect.  Then decide which TV you actually like best and then make your decision.  Keep in mind that you may not often use the 3D capability of the display.

I can't wait until 4K displays and content are widespread.  We have several at work for use as medical displays and they are quite simply stunning.  Watching a surgery captured in 4K is like actually being there, trust me.  On a 40" 4K display you literally cannot discern discrete pixels with the naked eye.

Good luck with your purchase, there are some great products out there.

[Mr. Whippy]

Just my opinion:

As long as the picture is clear and non-distorted AND the sound is clear and loud enough, I see no point to paying 1 cent extra for 3D or surround sound.

I bought into the whole surround sound thing, upgraded and enjoyed one or two movies with it.  Then, it wasn't really noticeable to me or was distracting.  When it came time to move the television and speakers, hooking it up again was a bigger hassle than it was worth and I've never noticed a degradation of my viewing enjoyment.

I confess, I do prefer HD, however, I defend that by pointing to the fact that the picture IS much clearer.

[Chako]

I am thinking if I buy a new display, 3D won't be my primary focus. It just seems that most of what is offered locally is 3D capable in the higher end displays.

As for 3D, I bought My Bloody Valentine, Caroline, Polar Express, and Journey to the Center of the Earth, simply because they offered the old style 3D as a campy feature. Maybe I am getting a bit nostalgic as I remembered the 70s when those awful red and blue glasses were all the rage. Come to think of it, I can recall 1977 Halloween waiting anxiously for the day to come as the local station was having an hour of 3D features...the glasses came in the newspaper.

Who knows. I am going out to look at more displays later today and ask some hard questions of the poor sales reps.

All your comments are much appreciated. 

EDIT: I agree with you on the surround sound. I also bought into that, and only a few movies come close to using the sound system to its advantage. Mind you, I don't exactly have the proper room dynamics to get the most out of it. The TV is in a corner, making the placement of the speakers difficult.

[Syph007]

Maybe Im getting old but I loathe 3d movies now.  They bug my eyes and I dont like it.  SO no i sure as smurf wouldnt pay for one to be in my home.  I just like large nice clear LCD displays and I also hate surround.

[Millhouse]

3D glasses free TV - http://www.trustedreviews.com/toshiba-55zl2-glasses-free-3d-tv_TV_review


I'll stick with ordinary 2D Hi Def.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Hi Millhouse.

Def

[Millhouse]

    

[Chako]

Now that was funny. 

[Crouton]

Took me a while to get the joke.

[jzmtl]

Funny you asked now, I just came back from Costco and they have a big 3D TV on demo with glasses, and it made me dizzy in under 30 seconds watching it.

And from watching 3D movies in theater, I can say I don't care for 3D effect.

[derekmac]

I really haven't bought into 3D TV either, but I do have to say that I LOVE my surround sound setup.  I truly believe that it makes watching a movie much more immersing.  Watching something encoded in Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD really brings a smile to my face 

When watching something not encoded with rear channels, nothing will come out of them anyways if everything is setup right.

[enki_ck]

Hi Millhouse.

Def

                      

[Top-Gear-24]

...
I think it's a big crappy hyped pile of feces, and I wish it would die a swift death and people would stop thinking it was some kind of holy grail of viewing experience. It's not. In the absolute BEST cases, when film-makers convolute good shots to make the 3d work, you get maybe a moment of 'ooohh', while feeling like the story was compromised to make room for a whiz-bang effect.

Of course, you may feel differently.

I couldn't have said it better myself  .

But I must confess, I do like surround.  Bought myself a Logitech 5.1 surround system a couple of years ago (I believe it's the Logitech Z-5400 Digital 5.1) and I wouldn't like to part from it.  I really like it when I'm watching a war movie or something like that, Band of Brothers with surround is awesome in my opinion.  And it's also great for gaming on the PS3.  I can't imagine playing Battlefield 3 or Gran Turismo 5, my two favorite games, without it anymore.  I just love it how you can hear enemy fire coming from your left, or how you hear your opponent's car on your right side.  And the roar that comes out of the bass when you put your foot down while driving a Nissan GTR around Spa-Francorchamps or the Nurburgring Northsleife ... 

I guess I'm still a small boy deep inside, when it comes to loud noises ...   

[Sazabi]

I'm probably the wrong person to ask, since with how crappy most of the TV shows are now (I only watch a couple select shows, all available for viewing online), I'd probably not get a regular HD TV if I had my own place.  With that said, some of the current high-end LCD/LED backlit TVs look awesome.  I'm well aware of 2K, 4K, and even 6K (one of my father's videography buddies will be getting the 6K Red Camera next year... yes, he has too much money for his own good, but oh well ) images, but I'd probably be one of those people who held off until my CRT TV finally dies, and even then, unless there is some reason for me to go for a TV over a computer monitor, I'd not go for 3D unless that was the only thing offered.  I have no use for 3D because I'm so left-eye dominant, 3D doesn't work for me.

On the other hand, surround sound is nice, the few times I've experienced it, but I'd probably go for some wireless surround sound setup; power cables aside for speakers, all of the audio wires going everywhere would drive me insane; it's bad enough working on the endcap displays you see at Best Buy and other electronics stores, without the cables spanning an entire room. 

[sawman]

We just updated our TV to a 2D 46" at a great price.  I never gave much thought to 3D but if I were to go for one, I don't think I would want the proprietary heavy glasses.  That's just my preference...

[Chako]

The last time I even looked at TVs after my purchase back in 2008 was 2010 with the advent of 3D.

Today, it would appear the emphasis is not on 3D but on Smart TV. Looks like most high end displays have 3D features built in. The sales guy I talked to today told me that 3D is more of a bonus and not a must have option.

As for the whole passive vs active. What I do know is that the passive knocked my socks off with the effects. The active ones, I was only seeing the effects intermittently.

[sawman]

3D aside, I'm amazed by the features present in today's LED TV's.  We bought our previous LCD (now in the bedroom) in '06 and they've also gotten a lot thinner and lighter.  BTW, our new one is a Hitachi and we're very happy with it.

[Sazabi]

I don't like the idea of having a TV with a webcam in it... I'm almost paranoid to the point of putting tape over my laptop's built-in webcam. :/

[AimlessWanderer]

I didn't even know 3D TV was an option 

I got rid of my idiot lantern (TV) about 4 or 5 years ago, and not regretted it in the slightest. In fact I've done the layout in the house I've moved into in such a way there is nowhere to put a telly.

I'm happy with a book, radio, internet or DVD on PC/Laptop, all accompanied by a glass of wine (or whatever). It's what I want, when I want, instead of prescribed drivel aimed at the lowest common denominator and pumped out on a rigid schedule to suit target demographics.
 

The only good thing on telly back then was House MD, and I was never in to watch it so I just waited for the box set. I figured I wouldn't miss it if I got rid, and actually found it quite liberating as those evenings where I'd sit there staring at stuff I didn't really want to watch just because it was easy, got filled with other things - although most folk just think it's wierd and have a look of total panic in their eye when faced with the thought of no telly

[mvyrmnd]

This is why I love my PVR. I schedule it to record the shows I want to watch, and the. When I do have time to sit in front of the box, I can watch what I want, when I want.

What's better is I'm a participant in the Nielsen TV ratings system, so the people that calculate show ratings know damn well I'm not watching the crap that's on most nights.

[Pacu]

I don't like the idea of having a TV with a webcam in it... I'm almost paranoid to the point of putting tape over my laptop's built-in webcam. :/

me too. this is why i don't have a kinect either. 


as for 3d tvs..i open and display all the tvs at the big blue electronics stores in Houston. The new LGs ( passive) look awesome in 3d. Of course the loop with fish on it gets me every time.

Seems like we are always fighting Sony and Samsung to get their glasses to sync with the tvs.

My parents bought a Visio 3d package at walmart last year..tv, 3d blu ray player, glasses and a few movies. I looks real good too.

of course i'm pretty colourblind too so my opinion could be worth a plug nickel.

[Chako]

Well I sort of struck while the iron was hot.

The Brick, a retail chain, had the LG 55" for $2499. I remembered Future Shop had the same TV but couldn't remember the price. Earlier today, I went to look at it. They had it on for $2049 dollars. That is a lot better than the brick with their "No Tax" special currently going on.

I asked one of the sales reps a little about the TV, and he mentioned that if I were interested, there is a package available for 150 dollars more. He told me the package came with a Pioneer surround sound system in a box , a TV stand, LG's break out box to give your older set smart TV capabilities, and 3-3D movies. Not bad.

I asked him what he had for 3D blu-ray players. He told me that since the TV is a smart TV, he could knock off 100 for the player, and take the LG break out box. Sign me right up!

In all, I paid about 2400 dollars with all those extras and taxes. I still came in cheaper than The Brick's offer.

The best part, I was able to give my older TV to a dear friend along with the TV stand, surround sound system, and my old Blue ray player, for little cost to myself!

As for the TV...I am very happy with it so far. Browsing the net on the TV will take some getting used to, but I think I can manage that. There is a neat 3D section that has free mini 3D videos, some of which are phenomenal. There is one called The Mentalist. It is only a few minutes long, but it shows a magician floating a piece of paper. That paper moves towards you and it appears to be only a few inches away from you at the end. That effect knocked my socks off. The passive 3D system is the only way to go. I could see flickering on the active Samsung pair I tried in-store.

There was also a Panasonic LED TV with the same passive 3D as the LG. The interface wasn't half as good. Something about using the remote as a pointer for the cursor much like on the Wii made it elegant and easy to navigate. The interface was also better on the LG compared to the Panasonic.

Once again, thanks for all the good info and advice.