What Is 3D TV?

Question: What Is 3D TV?

Answer: 3D TV is an emerging technology that will allow consumers to enjoy three-dimensional movies, television programs and video games in their homes. Several companies have developed viable 3D technology for the home theater environment, but the reality of seeing 3D TV in the average household is probably years away. That’s primarily because the home entertainment industry is yet to develop a standard, meaning consumers could be looking at a format war like the one that recently played out between HD-DVD and Blu-ray.

Among others, Panasonic, Sony and Samsung are developing 3D products and, at this point, it’s anyone’s guess who will have the greatest long-term success.

One of the big questions about 3D TV is, “Will viewers have to wear glasses in order to enjoy 3D effects?” For the most part, the answer is, “Yes.” Although there are companies working on 3D television technology that does not require glasses, the systems that seem most likely to go mainstream in the near future require glasses. The technology may also require viewers to own more equipment than a television and 3D glasses. For instance, the 3D system that Panasonic is developing uses a 3D-capable Blu-ray player.

Another thing slowing the adoption of 3D TV is the fact that content is scarce, but there are those who believe that will change in the next three to four years.