Skip to main content

3D TVs “Over-Hyped in 2010” Says Editor

lg-first-3d-tvThe giants of television industry have released their next generation TV sets, many—if not all—featuring 3D capabilities. But there might be a problem: the bulging images that invade your space and enter a new dimension of your living room may not be as popular with consumers as major manufacturers had hoped for. There is a battle waging—as there always is within the tech world—pitting one industry expert against another over whether or not 3D TVs will be a consumer success in 2010. Our in-house tech editor, Scott Steinberg, takes a firm stance to say “no,” these new 3D advanced TVs will not strike America’s fancy this year.

Steinberg claims that the manufacturers are pushing for 3D-enabled TVs moreso than the everyday consumer. “3D TV has been all the rage lately, but the reality is that it is over-hyped in 2010,” he says. “3D TVs and technologies will eventually take off, but this isn’t the year that it will become ubiquitous in homes throughout America.”

Recommended Videos

Samsung, Sony, LG and more all showed off their high-powered 3D HDTV displays at CES last week and won over some hearts with the new technology. Others were not so impressed. “Image quality is solid, but in some cases resembles a pop-up picture book,” says Steinberg. “The true reality is that there isn’t enough supporting programming or content to presently make the switch to 3D practical or worthwhile either.” Movie industry sources say that this year around 20 out of 170 movies will be made in 3D, doubling the number from last year. Discovery Channel, Sony and IMAX have announced their commitment together to make a 24/7 3D television network available this year. There are 3D innovations going on all around us and we’re still only a few weeks into 2010, but some experts still think there will be a lack of consumer interest.

Still, it’s unavoidable that 3DTV will filter down into the mainstream. Steinberg claims that big name television manufacturers are driving the movement towards 3D technology whether consumers know it or not. He asserts that new 2010 HDTV models will be the Trojan horse that helps embed this technology in living rooms throughout the world. “The truth of the scenario is that 3D technology will eventually penetrate millions of American homes because TV manufactures are building it into their premium 2D sets as well—making 2D sets 3D capable,” he adds.

Still, “with no killer apps and a short supply of must-see programming, it will be difficult for people to be compelled to make and afford the 3D upgrade,” says Steinberg. We may have to wait until 2011 to see how the actual 3D uptake plays out, who comes out with actual 3D content and if the new technology’s price tags are within the consumer’s budget.

Dena Cassella
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Haole built. O'ahu grown
LG says its G3 OLED evo TV will be 70% brighter, with no visible wall gap
LG G3 OLED evo 4K TV seen wall-mounted.

Ahead of its official CES 2023 presentation, LG has given us a taste of its TV tech for the coming year, especially as it relates to the company's lineup of OLED TVs. Once again, the G Series takes center stage, with the G3 OLED evo 4K. LG says that thanks to its Brightness Booster Max technology, the 55-, 65-, and 77-inch G3 models will see an increase in brightness by up to 70%.

 

Read more
What is MPEG-H? The burgeoning 3D audio standard explained
Sennheiser Ambeo mounted below TV.

When putting together your audio or home theater setup — or eyeing upgrades for your current system — it’s always good to be on the lookout for new and cool technologies that can enhance your music, movies, and TV shows. When it comes to audio, we've all been wowed by the now-commonplace sound standards that are Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, which offer immersive three-dimensional surround sound experiences. And while these standards remain at the top of the heap, there's a new player making its way to the fore that offers a level of flexibility and personalized audio control we've never seen before: MPEG-H.

While not exactly new and yet to be widely adopted, MPEG-H support is showing up in more and more TVs, set-top boxes, soundbars, AV receivers, and more, allowing users to do some pretty cool sound fine-tuning -- from simple adjustments like enhancing and increasing movie dialog to more advanced personalizations like tweaking the audio mix to turn down the fans of the opposing sports team, all using your remote or an app. It's a neat level of control we've not seen before.

Read more
ATSC 3.0: Everything you need to know about the over-the-air broadcast standard
ClearStream Eclipse antenna mounted beside a TV.

Using an antenna to watch TV might be like something your grandparents did, but there's now a compelling reason to get your TV over the air (OTA). With the introduction of ATSC 3.0  -- that's the technical name, but it's marketed as NextGen TV -- you can get high-resolution, high dynamic range (HDR) content from your favorite TV channels for free, using an antenna. And it won't even eat into your internet data cap.

ATSC 3.0 upgrades our existing antenna TV system by establishing a new technical framework for how those TV signals are created, broadcast, and received. It supports higher resolutions like 4K and potentially 8K, along with much better sound. There's even the potential for ATSC 3.0 to replace some uses of mobile data, especially within the automotive world. Here's everything you need to know about ATSC 3.0.
What is ATSC 3.0?

Read more