3D HDTV Recommendations

[MechDeus]

It'd be interesting if they were able to develop the tech to not need glasses but it seems like it would be quite difficult to do outside of handheld gaming consoles like the 3DS.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20018421-17.html

The 3D effect is available within a 40-degree area in front of the set, Toshiba said. According to the Associated Press, viewers must also sit two feet from the 12-inch LCD and three feet from the 20-inch LCD to view 3D content.

The new LCDs are "first step into the 3D future in the consumer home cinema market," Toshiba European marketing chief Sascha Lange said in a statement. "But it will take several years to develop larger 3D TVs without glasses with screen sizes of 40 inches and more at a yet reasonable price point."

I think that specific distance from the screen is the worst part right now.

[haohmaru]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20018421-17.html
I think that specific distance from the screen is the worst part right now.

Yeah, that's what I was pointing out earlier. It's really very specific where you have to sit, is a few years away, and the cost, afaik, is astronomical.

I don't doubt that this technology comes to fruition in a few years - the same way my $2400+ plasma that I bought in 2007 is now on sale everywhere for $599. It's a question of how long to wait, how much $ you have to "waste" on new trends, and how important all of this equipment is to your everyday life. Between sports, VG's, & movies, I'm certain me (and the rest of the family) will get enough value/day out of it that it's worth it to me until I end up upgrading again in 4 years.

[Diff-chan]

I'm a cheap-ass so I don't see me updating my 2006 TV for another three, four years at least. So I'll wait it out but if you're the type who upgrades every five years or less, there's really no wrong time to buy.

[Glass Joe]

I think that specific distance from the screen is the worst part right now.

Won't this always be the issue though? I mean, as far as my very limited knowledge goes on this topic, the device sends two images with one being aimed at each eye. It's not like the distance between people's eyes is going to change any time soon.

[Compass]

They should be able to develop tech that tracks and adjusts depending on viewer location. If they haven't already.

[YellerDog]

Someone will hack a Kinect to do it.

[MechDeus]

Won't this always be the issue though? I mean, as far as my very limited knowledge goes on this topic, the device sends two images with one being aimed at each eye. It's not like the distance between people's eyes is going to change any time soon.

As a more rudimentary version of what Compass said, a selection on the remote for distances would go a long way. Having it set so that only one specific range is really limiting and won't catch on with the average person. Designing the TV to adjust the viewing angle to accomodate sitting two feet away, five feet away, eight feet away, etc. is arguably needed for this tech to be consumer ready.

[Glass Joe]

The real problem even with that setup is having to sit directly in front of the damn tv instead of left or right of center. Not everyone has a setup where their couch/chair is directly in front of the tv. My Yamaha sound bar has a "my beam" button that allows you to hold the remote and press the button where you want the sound aimed. I would imagine it would take something of that nature to measure distance and angle to make it workable for all living room setups. Even that would only make it watchable for the single person sitting where it is aimed. It seems like they have their work cut out for them with figuring that whole thing out. I have to imagine that is going to be costly not to mention, a long way off.

[MechDeus]

I would imagine it would take something of that nature to measure distance and angle to make it workable for all living room setups. Even that would only make it watchable for the single person sitting where it is aimed. It seems like they have their work cut out for them with figuring that whole thing out. I have to imagine that is going to be costly not to mention, a long way off.

Two years at the earliest.

Although the 56-inch prototype CCFL LCD was 4k (that's 4 times the resolution of your Full HD TV) the image we saw was coarse in appearance due to the lenticular lens required to refract the left and right images for each eye. Having said that, the lenticular lens technology used is certainly better suited for non-stationary viewing. While the border around objects on the screen tended to shift quickly and blur (see the video after the break) when looking at the panel from between any of its 15 viewing angles (spread across a 120-degree arc), at least it didn't exhibit those horrible dark vertical bands seen when changing your angle even slightly while viewing 3D panels based on the parallax barrier method of glasses-less 3D.

Emphasis mine. If you watch the video you can see the "area shifts" even though you obviously can't see the 3D, but being able to have everyone sit around and watch in 3D is already coming. AUO has one with seven viewing angles, and I believe they're working on smaller screens that are 3D without specific viewing angles.

[Diff-chan]

I'm a cheap-ass so I don't see me updating my 2006 TV for another three, four years at least. So I'll wait it out but if you're the type who upgrades every five years or less, there's really no wrong time to buy.

So much for that!

The TV in my living room is a POS (it has a big black splotch, like the LCD got damaged during a move or something) so I'm looking to upgrade my game room TV and move the TV I have in there (the 2006 one mentioned here) into the living room. I also have the money to do it - I refuse to buy TVs on credit.

Anyone know what's hot right now? Input lag is of extreme importance, that's why a Panasonic Plasma is looking very tempting. I will not spend money on another laggy LCD. The 2012 models are starting to come out.