There is no sharper a double-edged sword than the one wielded by high-tech gadgetry. As fantastic as it feels to be the first person on the block with the latest and greatest TV, tablet or smartphone, the unavoidable reality is that something better will come along sooner or later. Usually sooner.
If you were one of the people who took the 3D TV plunge right out of the gate, we've got some good news and some bad news. The good is" - well, you've got a 3D TV! And you've been enjoying it for several months. And it will continue to work just fine with all the 3D movies and video games being released this year.
The bad news? Something better may have come along.
LG has just launched the company's new line of LG Cinema 3D TVs in Canada, the first 3D TVs that don't require expensive, bulky, battery-powered glasses to view. Instead, they use lightweight plastic glasses similar to those found in movie theatres, available in a variety of sizes, styles and even colours.
Until now, having to fork out wads of cash for so-called active 3D glasses has been one of the major hurdles to buying a 3D TV. When the first 3D sets went on sale a year ago, the glasses cost as much as $250 a pair. Even now they still run around $120 to $180 a pop, depending on the manufacturer. Multiply that by a family of four and the result is a resounding ka-ching.
But the glasses for the Cinema 3D TVs? They're $20. For a set of two.
In our eyes-on demo of the Cinema 3D TVs, available now at Future Shop in 42-inch ($1,599.99), 47-inch ($1,899.99) and 55-inch ($2,499.99) sizes, the glasses alone made a huge difference in the viewing experience. Without delving too deeply into the science, dubbed passive 3D, the Cinema 3D TV sends two images to the eyes at the same time. Thanks to the way the glasses' lenses are polarized, one image is visible only to the left eye, and the other only to the right. Voila, 3D.
(Some argue that since passive 3D technology displays two images simultaneously, the resolution of the image is cut in half. While true in theory, in practice it's difficult to see a difference versus active 3D, and regular 2D viewing is unaffected.)
The glasses are lightweight and comfortable, never need to be charged or synchronized with the TV, and have none of the subtle flickering effect that's sometimes noticeable with active 3D glasses. Hardcore couch turnips take note: You can also lie on your side while wearing them and still get the 3D effect.
We watched a snippet of undersea footage on a 55-inch Cinema 3D TV, in which a fish's long snout seemed to be protruding two metres into the room. An auto race gave a pleasing sensation of 3D depth and a clip from Despicable Me was bright and sharp. We also played through the first level of Call of Duty: Black Ops in 3D, and the 3D effects were just as impressive as on an active 3D display.
Because Cinema 3D TVs are essentially LED HDTVs with 3D capabilities built in (along with LG's new Smart TV networking features), they have the same benefits and liabilities as other mid-range, edge-lit LED sets. For instance, viewing angles are great, although black levels aren't as deep as you'd find on a plasma set. (A new, 16-zone local dimming technology on the Cinema 3D TVs does improve contrast a bit.)
Interestingly, 3D is becoming less of a defining feature on TVs and more of a just another bullet point on the box. Just as cameras on cellphones went from a gee-whiz novelty to a default feature, so too is 3D in televisions. Within a couple of years, you'll likely have trouble finding a new TV that isn't 3D-capable.
So is now the time to take the plunge? Well, 3D is still relatively young, but the technology has improved and the prices have dropped to the point where it's a much more attractive option.
But proceed with caution: that double-edged sword never gets dull.
LG Cinema 3D televisions
Price: $1,599.99 (42-inch), $1,899.99 (47-inch), $2,499.99 at Future Shop. Each set includes four pairs of 3D glasses.
First impression: As the first 3D televisions in Canada to use inexpensive, movie-style glasses, the LG Cinema 3D TV could make home 3D much more accessible. But we need to test one in depth before passing judgment.
If you were one of the people who took the 3D TV plunge right out of the gate, we've got some good news and some bad news. The good is" - well, you've got a 3D TV! And you've been enjoying it for several months. And it will continue to work just fine with all the 3D movies and video games being released this year.
The bad news? Something better may have come along.
LG has just launched the company's new line of LG Cinema 3D TVs in Canada, the first 3D TVs that don't require expensive, bulky, battery-powered glasses to view. Instead, they use lightweight plastic glasses similar to those found in movie theatres, available in a variety of sizes, styles and even colours.
Until now, having to fork out wads of cash for so-called active 3D glasses has been one of the major hurdles to buying a 3D TV. When the first 3D sets went on sale a year ago, the glasses cost as much as $250 a pair. Even now they still run around $120 to $180 a pop, depending on the manufacturer. Multiply that by a family of four and the result is a resounding ka-ching.
But the glasses for the Cinema 3D TVs? They're $20. For a set of two.
In our eyes-on demo of the Cinema 3D TVs, available now at Future Shop in 42-inch ($1,599.99), 47-inch ($1,899.99) and 55-inch ($2,499.99) sizes, the glasses alone made a huge difference in the viewing experience. Without delving too deeply into the science, dubbed passive 3D, the Cinema 3D TV sends two images to the eyes at the same time. Thanks to the way the glasses' lenses are polarized, one image is visible only to the left eye, and the other only to the right. Voila, 3D.
(Some argue that since passive 3D technology displays two images simultaneously, the resolution of the image is cut in half. While true in theory, in practice it's difficult to see a difference versus active 3D, and regular 2D viewing is unaffected.)
The glasses are lightweight and comfortable, never need to be charged or synchronized with the TV, and have none of the subtle flickering effect that's sometimes noticeable with active 3D glasses. Hardcore couch turnips take note: You can also lie on your side while wearing them and still get the 3D effect.
We watched a snippet of undersea footage on a 55-inch Cinema 3D TV, in which a fish's long snout seemed to be protruding two metres into the room. An auto race gave a pleasing sensation of 3D depth and a clip from Despicable Me was bright and sharp. We also played through the first level of Call of Duty: Black Ops in 3D, and the 3D effects were just as impressive as on an active 3D display.
Because Cinema 3D TVs are essentially LED HDTVs with 3D capabilities built in (along with LG's new Smart TV networking features), they have the same benefits and liabilities as other mid-range, edge-lit LED sets. For instance, viewing angles are great, although black levels aren't as deep as you'd find on a plasma set. (A new, 16-zone local dimming technology on the Cinema 3D TVs does improve contrast a bit.)
Interestingly, 3D is becoming less of a defining feature on TVs and more of a just another bullet point on the box. Just as cameras on cellphones went from a gee-whiz novelty to a default feature, so too is 3D in televisions. Within a couple of years, you'll likely have trouble finding a new TV that isn't 3D-capable.
So is now the time to take the plunge? Well, 3D is still relatively young, but the technology has improved and the prices have dropped to the point where it's a much more attractive option.
But proceed with caution: that double-edged sword never gets dull.
LG Cinema 3D televisions
Price: $1,599.99 (42-inch), $1,899.99 (47-inch), $2,499.99 at Future Shop. Each set includes four pairs of 3D glasses.
First impression: As the first 3D televisions in Canada to use inexpensive, movie-style glasses, the LG Cinema 3D TV could make home 3D much more accessible. But we need to test one in depth before passing judgment.