Manufacturer Looking to Passively Stimulate Sales of 3-D TV's
Posted: Friday, January 07, 2011
by David Levitt
The sale of 3-D TV's in 2010 was abysmal at best, coming in at about 25% to 30% of what manufacturers had expected their share of sales to obtain. Mainly they expect because of the bulky, heavy expensive glasses that were required to use with the TV's. Fear not high tech entertainment lovers, help is on the way, LG, a South Korean manufacturer is looking to passively stimulate sales of 3-D TV's.
One of the pitfalls of the active glasses other than their sometimes unmanageable size and weight, was that often times they were not included with the 3-D TV sets, was the cost, which runs around $100 a pair. They also had to be charged periodically sometimes leading to unnecessary inconveniences.
The passive glasses will darken the image, but not as much as the active glasses, and they will not flicker like the active glasses tend to do. However in LG's implementation they cut the resolution of the image in half. "Its going to be the most comfortable viewing experience, just like going to the movies," said Tim Alessi, director of new product development at LG Electronics USA.
LG Electronics will introduce a 47 inch, and a 65 inch 3-D TV set later this year that use the passive glasses. "We're meeting consumer needs, by eliminating some of the pain points," with the 3-D sets, said Alessi. Though not eliminating the active glasses, which went on sale only last year, the introduction of new technology is a sign that the first 3-D TV sets had glaring weaknesses that needed to be overcome.
Vizio also announced in December that it is going to introduce a 65 inch 3-D TV to the market that will also use the passive glasses technology. Vizio, one of the biggest distributors of TV's in the U.S., which includes 3-D TV's, is another manufacturer looking to passively stimulate sales of 3-D TV's.
This should enhance the viewing pleasure for some of us older, some may say more debonair individuals, because at least for me, the darker, flickering picture tended to upset my equilibrium. Combined with the heavy, bulky, almost helmet like glasses made me feel as though I'd just played in a football game by the end of the show. I for one would rather relax, so thank you 3-D TV.
(Source:) Peter Svensson, Associated Press, "3-D TV glasses to go lighter and cheaper," Houston Chronicle, Friday, Jan. 7, 2011
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)What about 3 D televisions that do not need glasses at all? I refuse to go to 3 D movies or buy a 3 D TV until technology makes 3D without heavy or light glasses. Thank you David for the info.I know what you mean Jon, I've been hoping for a glasses free 3-D experience because I think it's the glasses part that causes my uncomfortable 3-D viewing experience. Actually Toshiba is coming out with a 12" and a 20" flat panel that uses a paste over technology to create a 3-D effect later this year. If I understand it correctly you have to be within a certain range and sitting at a 40 degree angle to obtain the effect, and they are working on bigger models, but hey might be worth checking out. You can see what they are coming out with at http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20018421-17.html Thanks for stopping by, and the comment buddy.
I haven't even watched 3-D once yet. Am I really missing anything? I don't think I like the sound of the helmet and equilibrium-upsetting helmet. Oh dear, the technological age is passing me by. By the time I catch up, we'll probably be able to swallow a movie pill and the images will play inside our head. By then I'll be very debonair indeed!They already do Jenn, it's called (acid) Window Pane, or Strawberry Fields. The problem with that is you can't always turn the movie off when you want, and don't always like what's being shown, so I wouldn't suggest it.
I really like the 3-D affect, it just kind of makes me feel like I've been on a merry-go-round though, so I'll be glad when they get a glasses less TV though because I think that's part of my problem. But not everybody feels the way I do afterwards, might have something to do with an inner ear thing, or age. The ones coming out this year use much smaller, lighter, non battery glasses like they use at the theater. They have smaller sets coming out this year that do not use glasses but you have to sit at the right angle and they're small, 12" and 20" that I'd like to try. Guess you're not really missing anything, but on the other hand, if you don't at least try you don't know what you're missing. Thank you sweetie.
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