Is a 3D TV really worth it?


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I am looking at purchasing a Samsung or Sony 55" TV at the end of the summer. Currently I'm still trying to justify if the upgrade to 3D is worth the cost. With Time Warner Cable, I don't see them upgrading to 3D in the near future. I also don't have a 3D computer monitor for 3D PC gaming, and I have an Xbox 360 so no 3D gaming there as well. So I really would have zero 3D content to watch for a few years.

What I've been hearing all across the Internet though is that the processing components are better designed in 3D TV's (obviously) so that should result in a better picture apparently. Anybody out there recently buy a large TV and didn't go with 3D?

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There is not enough 3d products yet to interest me on purchasing one of these tvs.

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The past two years at CES 3D has been the "big thing" and to be honest, its just a ploy to sell products at a premium, the glasses make it utterly useless (ever lost a remote, imagine how annoying it is when you cant find your $150 glasses)...i wouldn't pay extra for it.

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The past two years at CES 3D has been the "big thing" and to be honest, its just a ploy to sell products at a premium, the glasses make it utterly useless (ever lost a remote, imagine how annoying it is when you cant find your $150 glasses)...i wouldn't pay extra for it.

That's just it, you're not really "paying extra" for it anymore. It's simply an additional capability to the already high-end models.

i.e. There's rarely a case where there's model "A20" and "A25" where the only difference is A25 has 3D. There's usually much more to differentiate both the models.

Best way to look at it is this... Completely ignore the 3D branding and hoopla. Find a TV that you like. If it has 3D, great! If not, great!

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Last week I got a Panasonic Viera P50GT25 50" 3D plasma.

I don't have the slightest interest in 3D content. I got it solely for the fact that it has great reviews when it comes to picture quality and black levels.

Any reason you're looking at Samsung and Sony only?

Through reviews and personal experience, they always seem to be best for me in terms of picture and build quality.

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Through reviews and personal experience, they always seem to be best for me in terms of picture and build quality.

Fair enough. Panasonic is slowly taking over all the gadgets in my house for the same reasons :p

If you go the Plasma route, don't rule out Panasonic's VT and GT series though. They're second to none in picture quality. Samsung has some nice LED-lit models though. Sony I haven't really kept up on :\

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Through reviews and personal experience, they always seem to be best for me in terms of picture and build quality.

hehehe, no.

Sony does have good PQ though. Samsung they actually ruin the picture with all their digital enhancements. but you can turn that off, but then you get crappy blacks and contrast. As for Build quality. Sony isn't bad, I'd even ay they're good. Samsung however, they're not that good, besides the exploding glass feet, it's one of the only brands we do have to send for service. except the really chap brand, ironically, we send more samsungs for service than the cheap brands...

Build quality wise Panasonic is at least as good as Sony, For Plasma's better, but that's because they need more solid construction. and you cannot argue with the PQ of a plasma. they just can't be beat for now.

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3D is just a marketing gimmick atm. Check AVS Forum if there is anything currently that has considerably better pq than in your current set. I have Sony 55" XBR8/X4500, i'll upgrade it when there is either new HD format with better resolution, 21:9 becomes a standard or current banding problems with HDTV's are solved.

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I would say no.

Having an early adoption rate to somethng that will take a good while to actualyl take off is a risk.

People (certainly in the UK) have just bought new HDTV's ready for the digital switchover, they won't be buying 3D TV's any time soon!

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Wait until you can view 3D without glasses.

Maybe in about 10yrs 3D will become mainstream.

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btw as far as 3D go.

current standards are horrible, active glasses have horrible refresh rate flashign that WILL annoy you. passive (polarized) glasses give you the interlace lines if you're close or have a big screen. but at least it doesn't flicker.

HOWEVER, 3D TV's do generally have a brighter picture. so Plasma TV's that are 3D capable have better picture quality since the bright parts will be brighter.

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Thanks for all the input, I definitely won't be going 3D. After a lot of research so far, it definitely looks like I need to be staying away from edge-lit LED sets. I've only been reading reviews of Samsung sets in this forum, but it seems like a lottery on whether or not you get a set that has horrible clouding and light bleeding.

So either an LED or LCD, 55" with a local dimming back light, not edge lit.

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While burn in isn't as much of an issue, I have seen enough reviews of plasmas to make me slightly nervous. Any models you know of that I should check out?

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While burn in isn't as much of an issue, I have seen enough reviews of plasmas to make me slightly nervous. Any models you know of that I should check out?

If you go the plasma route, Panasonics can't be beat. Specifically the GT and VT series :)

Burn-in is essentially a non-issue now with "pixel orbiting" in recent plasmas.

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