What Do I Need In My Home Theater To Watch 3D?
You need four things to be able to watch 3D at home on a TV or video projector.
1. A 3D-enabled Television or 3D-enabled Video Projector. This includes LCD, Plasma, and DLP Televisions, as well as DLP and LCD-type video projectors. All 3D-enabled Televisions and Projectors will be able to work with the 3D standards now approved for Blu-ray and over-the-air, Cable, and Satellite transmission.
2. A 3D-enabled Blu-ray Disc player, HD-Cable, or HD-Satellite Box.
This gets a little more confusing than it is on the TV side. As it stands right now, manufacturers will be marketing Blu-ray Disc players specially designed to handle 3D content. However, there are indications that many current Blu-ray Disc players can be made 3D-capable, with some caveats, via a downloadable firmware upgrade. See my initial report on this. Stay tuned for more on this as it develops.
By the same token, if receiving 3D content via HD-cable or Satellite, you may need a new 3D-enabled Cable or Satellite box. However, just as in the Blu-ray Disc player scenario, in some cases you may need a new box, or it may be possible to provide an upgrade to your current box, depending your service provider. See my initial report. For more details, contact your cable or satellite service provider.
3. 3D Content (Blu-ray Discs, Cable, and/or Satellite programs). Of course, having a 3D TV, 3D Blu-ray Disc player, or 3D Cable/Satellite Box doesn’t do you any good without content. With the recent adoption of the 3D Blu-ray Disc standards, there should be some releases available at the same time that 3D TVs and Blu-ray Disc players and, I would hope, the firmware upgrade for many existing players) become available.
Also, Comcast Cable is currently showing some 3D content using out-dated technology, and will be upgrading to comply with the new 3D standards, and DirecTV has announced transmission plans for a full-time 3D channel.
4. 3D Glasses. Yes, you will need to wear glasses to watch 3D. However, these are not the cheap paper 3D glasses of yesteryear. The glasses that will be used will most likely be of two types:
Passive Polarized glasses that look and wear much like sunglasses and have enough front space to place over existing eyeglasses for those than need to. These type of glasses are inexpensive to manufacture and would probably cost consumers $5 to $25 for each pair depending on the frame style (rigid vs flexible, plastic vs metal).
Active Shutter glasses, which are slightly bulky, since they have batteries and a transmitter that synchs the rapidly moving shutters for each eye with the onscreen display rate. These type of glasses are also more expensive than passive polarized glasses, ranging in price from $75 to $150 depending on frame style.
Depending on which brand and model TV or video projector you buy, will determine which type of glasses you will be required for use with that TV or video projector. Some manufacturers may provide glasses with the set, or they may be an accessory that must be purchased separately. It is anticipated that those manufacturers that do end up providing glasses with their sets will provide two pairs, with the option of purchasing additional pairs as desired. Prices for the glasses will vary, at both the manufacturer’s discretion and what type they are. As mentioned above, active shutter glasses will be more expensive than passive polarized glasses.
source: http://hometheater.about.com/od/hometheatervideobasics/f/what_do_I_need_to_watch_3d.htm
