Moreover, the 2D picture quality of 3D TVs is not affected in any negative way we've noticed by their 3D capabilities. In fact, for the foreseeable future we expect most 3D TVs to spend the vast majority of their time showing the same 2D video delivered by other HDTVs. The first thing to know about the 3D feature: you'll almost always leave it turned off.Īll 3D TVs will display current 2D high-def and standard-def content with no problem and no glasses required. With that in mind, here are a few basic points about 3D TV. It allows those TVs to display specialized, made-in-3D video with the right accessories - namely 3D glasses and a 3D source device. When we say "a 3D TV" what we mean is "an HDTV with 3D compatibility." 3D compatibility is a feature on higher-end LED LCD and plasma TVs released since 2010. And you probably won't.įor (lots) more detail and in-depth recommendations, read on.
#Hdtv 2d to 3d conversion tv
So should you care about 3D when buying a new TV? Our quick and dirty answer is "no." But that doesn't mean you should only buy a 2D-only TV - the best TVs these day have 3D, whether you'll use it or not. Today manufacturers use it just like any other feature such as 120Hz or Smart TV: to differentiate high-end sets from low-end ones, or one brand from another. It's cheap for TV makers to add 3D to their sets, and even the active glasses have become quite inexpensive. The fact is that 3D might not be as enjoyable to you as watching good old 2D high-def.įailure or no, however, 3D-compatible TVs are here to stay.
#Hdtv 2d to 3d conversion movie
And even after they manage to get a 3D movie playing and put on the glasses, many viewers find they simply don't like the effect.
broadcastĪside from lack of content, the requirement to wear glasses is still a big sticking point, as well as the possible need to get 3D-compatible gear, such as a new Blu-ray player.
#Hdtv 2d to 3d conversion full
The biggest, ESPN 3D, will be gone by the end of 2013 "due to limited viewer adoption of 3D services to the home." Meanwhile DirecTV's n3D went from full to part time last year, and the only other dedicated 3D channel, a documentary-heavy Sony/Discovery/IMAX partnership called 3net, isn't exactly a household name.
Beyond that, most games are 2D-only, on-demand 3D sources available via streaming or your cable/satellite provider are scarce, and the few true 3D TV channels are fading fast. With a couple hundred total Blu-ray titles available now, that format is by far the best 3D source, but selection is still slim compared with the thousands of 2D Blu-ray titles. There's not much actual 3D you can watch on a 3D TV. Despite the hype of its "Avatar"-fueled launch and accompanying predictions about a proliferation of made-in-3D movies, sports, and TV shows, 3D is still uncommon today. Or they try it once or twice and then leave the glasses to gather dust. Many LED LCD and plasma TVs today offer a 3D feature and ship with 3D glasses, but most people never use the feature and never don the glasses.