The Excitement of 3D TVs: A Review by Consumer Reports

We're thrilled to have the first 3D TVs in our lab, and we can't wait to share our findings with you. As experts in testing consumer electronics, we've been waiting since CES to get our hands on these sets, and we're excited to see how they perform. What we have in front of us are two LCD models from Samsung, as well as a plasma model from Panasonic.

As any TV enthusiast knows, it's easy to get jaded about new products. However, 3D TV is generating a lot of excitement within our company, and it's clear that this technology has the potential to revolutionize the way we watch movies and sports at home. In fact, the last time I came into the labs here, it was backed up with people waiting to get a chance to take a look at these sets. Based on our preliminary tests and reactions from others, these TVs are doing a great job of presenting images that truly jump off the screen.

One of the biggest questions surrounding 3D TV has been how much they'll cost. The good news is that they don't have to break the bank – in fact, they're priced between $250 and $2,600, which is not a huge premium over traditional TVs. We've also seen some manufacturers announce lower price models that will arrive later in the year, which should make 3D TV even more accessible to consumers.

However, there are a few caveats to consider when it comes to enjoying 3D at home. One of the most significant requirements is having a 3D Blu-ray player, which costs around $400 right now. These players will allow you to watch 3D movies in the comfort of your own home, and they're an essential component for truly experiencing the full potential of 3D TV.

Another important consideration is getting special 3D glasses – some manufacturers are bundling a pair or two with their TVs, but if you have a larger family, that means you'll need to purchase additional pairs, which can run around $150 each. While this may seem like an added expense, it's worth noting that these glasses are designed specifically for 3D viewing and will ensure the best possible experience.

So what exactly will you be watching on your new 3D TV? Right now, content is pretty limited, but we're just starting to see the first rollouts of 3D Blu-ray movies later this summer. We also understand that Direct TV and ESPN will be launching 3D channels soon, which will further expand the availability of 3D programming.

In our initial tests, these TVs are doing a great job of bringing some of the 3D excitement you might have experienced in the movie theater into your home. It really feels like you're right there in the action – we've seen reactions from people who were blown away by the experience. Of course, as with any new technology, we're starting to see some performance differences among the three models we have in our labs.

So should you buy one of these 3D TVs? If you're in the market for a TV now, it's definitely worth considering. The price difference over standard sets is relatively small – maybe $300 to $400 – which makes 3D TV an attractive option. Additionally, if you buy a 3D TV now, it will work just fine as a conventional TV, and it will future-proof you for when you may want to jump into the 3D market later on. And with the expansion of 3D programming coming soon, there's never been a better time to invest in this technology.

In conclusion, we're excited about the potential of 3D TVs and believe that they have the potential to revolutionize the way we watch movies and sports at home. While there are some caveats to consider, including the need for a 3D Blu-ray player and special glasses, these requirements are relatively minor compared to the benefits of 3D viewing. We'll continue to monitor the performance of these TVs and bring you updates as more information becomes available.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhey it's Jim wox from consumer reports and today we're testing the first 3D TVs in our lab come on in you know we've been waiting since CES to get our hands on one of these sets and we're really excited to have the first models available in our Labs right now what we have is two LCD models from Samsung plus a plasma from Panasonic you know when you look at TVs as much as we do you can get a little bit jaded about the products but 3D TV is generating a lot of excit within our company in fact the last couple of times that I've come into the labs here it's been backed up with people waiting to get a chance to take a look at it and based on their reactions and some of our preliminary tests these TVs are doing a great job at presenting images that jump off the screen that is great you know ever since CES the big question has been how much are these TVs going to cost the good news is that they do cost more but not a lot more than a conventional set the TVs we now have in our lab run in the $25 to $2,600 range and some manufacturers have announced lower price models that will arrive later in the year now one of the things that you have to remember is that you will need some other things if you really want to enjoy 3D at home one is a 3D Blu-ray player and they cost about $400 right now and they'll allow you to watch 3D movies at home the other is that you'll need to get special 3D glasses some of the manufacturers are bundling a pair or two with the TVs but if you're a family of four or five that means you're going to have to buy another couple of pairs and they tend to run about $150 a set so you're probably wondering what it is you're going to watch on that shiny new 3D TV you just purchased well the reality is right now content is pretty limited and we're just starting to see really the first roll out of 3D Blu-ray movies later the summer we understand that Direct TV and ESPN will be launching 3D channels and at some point we expect cable to follow suit based on our initial tests these TVs are doing a great job at bringing some of the 3D excitement you might have experienced in the movie theater into the homes you guys doing it really feels like it's coming in the morning out at you H but we are starting to see some performance differences among the three models that we have in our Labs we'll keep you posted that's that's cool so should you buy one of these 3D TVs well if you're in the market for a TV now it's really worth considering since you're not going to have to spend a huge premium to get one we're seeing maybe a300 to $400 price difference over standard sets the other thing is that if you buy a 3D TV now it'll work fine as a conventional TV and it will future proof you for when you may want to jump into the 3D Market later on and you won't find yourself having to buy a new TV this is Jim Wilcox for Consumer Reportshey it's Jim wox from consumer reports and today we're testing the first 3D TVs in our lab come on in you know we've been waiting since CES to get our hands on one of these sets and we're really excited to have the first models available in our Labs right now what we have is two LCD models from Samsung plus a plasma from Panasonic you know when you look at TVs as much as we do you can get a little bit jaded about the products but 3D TV is generating a lot of excit within our company in fact the last couple of times that I've come into the labs here it's been backed up with people waiting to get a chance to take a look at it and based on their reactions and some of our preliminary tests these TVs are doing a great job at presenting images that jump off the screen that is great you know ever since CES the big question has been how much are these TVs going to cost the good news is that they do cost more but not a lot more than a conventional set the TVs we now have in our lab run in the $25 to $2,600 range and some manufacturers have announced lower price models that will arrive later in the year now one of the things that you have to remember is that you will need some other things if you really want to enjoy 3D at home one is a 3D Blu-ray player and they cost about $400 right now and they'll allow you to watch 3D movies at home the other is that you'll need to get special 3D glasses some of the manufacturers are bundling a pair or two with the TVs but if you're a family of four or five that means you're going to have to buy another couple of pairs and they tend to run about $150 a set so you're probably wondering what it is you're going to watch on that shiny new 3D TV you just purchased well the reality is right now content is pretty limited and we're just starting to see really the first roll out of 3D Blu-ray movies later the summer we understand that Direct TV and ESPN will be launching 3D channels and at some point we expect cable to follow suit based on our initial tests these TVs are doing a great job at bringing some of the 3D excitement you might have experienced in the movie theater into the homes you guys doing it really feels like it's coming in the morning out at you H but we are starting to see some performance differences among the three models that we have in our Labs we'll keep you posted that's that's cool so should you buy one of these 3D TVs well if you're in the market for a TV now it's really worth considering since you're not going to have to spend a huge premium to get one we're seeing maybe a300 to $400 price difference over standard sets the other thing is that if you buy a 3D TV now it'll work fine as a conventional TV and it will future proof you for when you may want to jump into the 3D Market later on and you won't find yourself having to buy a new TV this is Jim Wilcox for Consumer Reports\n"