3D technology is nothing new and has been hyped up before but this year it dominated CES in Las Vegas with almost every TV maker promoting their new 3D Blu-ray players and 3D HDTVs.
The groundwork has been laid for 3D technology but, there is still quite a ways to go before it comes mainstream in your everyday living room.
First off, not all 3D displays are the same. The biggest push for the home market this year will be from fast sets using "active shutter" glasses. Most of these will be with some form of LED backlighting, although some will be plasma displays. Unfortunately no matter what TV you currently own, you will be forced to get some kind of update to get 3D, even if you have a "3D Ready" set.
The big advantage of using the active glasses system is that it doesn't involve big modifications to the sets themselves. They just need a fast-enough display, a transmitter (to send signals to the glasses), and the glasses themselves.
Would you wear 3D glasses just to watch TV or only for movies or not at all?
Then there is the actual 3D programming or lack there of. We've all seen an increasing number of 3D movies coming out (Avatar, My Bloody Valentine, etc.) but it's still a relatively small amount of content to make me spend some hard earned cash on upgrading my equipment. DirecTV also has plans to offer three 3D channels this summer including a pay-per-view service, which should expand to the rural market.
3D TV's and programming will be similar to when Blu-ray first came out, you undoubtedly will have some tech enthusiast be the first adopters but, it will take time, more available content, and lower cost to get the rest of the consumers to hop on board.
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