The first 3D ready TV sets have gone on sale, marking the initial foray into the latest 3D technology which is available for the average consumer to buy. Movie studios have been riding on the wave of 3D’s popularity over the past few years, with 3D blockbusters taking a considerably greater chunk of cash than their 2D counterparts. Of course paying a little extra to see a 3D film and wear some novelty glasses when you go to the cinema is one thing. Buying a 3D TV and enjoying the experience at home is quite another.

The main roadblock to widespread 3D TV ownership is price. Many people will be unable to fork out the several thousand pounds required to cover the cost of even the most basic 3D TV and for the time being they are being sold as boutique products that wealthy early adopters will lap up whilst the mainstream is left to save up or stick with their existing sets. It is not just the price of the 3D ready TV that needs to be taken into account, but also the cost of the active shutter glasses prescription cialis generic which most sets require, along with the 3D ready Blu Ray player and discs you will need to watch films and then the subscription TV service that you will need to sign up to in order to access live streaming of 3D content. This all adds up to one hefty total, pushing even more people out of the potential audience.

Price is not the only barrier to the 3D TV transition. Studies show that 12 per cent of UK citizens have a condition which means they cannot view the 3D effects properly using the current polarising or active shutter glasses which this first generation of 3D TV technology requires. Those that can see the effect will have to wear bulky, one size fits all glasses whenever they want to watch 3D content and this is problematic not just because the glasses feel as if they are a clunky solution, but also because they are slightly tinted, resulting in a dimming of the onscreen image even as the effects are enabled. This washes out the beautiful high definition visuals and vibrant colour pallet of most modern content and makes it feel as if you are taking one step forward and then two steps back.

One significant roadblock to 3D TV is that advertising the capabilities of the new sets is very difficult. You cannot get everyone in the UK to go to their local showroom or cinema to give them a taste of what they are missing and already there are adverts for 3D content that are largely confusing, with companies such as Sony choosing to show the blurry stereoscopic style of 3D in ads that tease 2D viewers without really explaining why 3D is better. This is compounded by the fact that most people will be watching these ads on their relatively new high definition TV sets, which they were told represented the pinnacle of technology just a few months ago. Now HD is old hat and 3D is where the market is heading, but most will be loath to upgrade their televisions so quickly.

A lot more content is being captured in 3D, with movies and live sport leading the way, but in about five years time it looks as if affordable 3D TVs which do not require glasses will be on the market and by that point most people will be happy to upgrade. For the time being, 3D TV is going to be enjoyed by a small minority.

Author Bio: This article was brought to you by TV Packages, a UK website that has all the latest Digital TV deals, guides and quick tips on how to get the most out of your TV Package.

Category: Technology/Cable and Satellite TV
Keywords: 3D TV, 3D TV transistion