3D Blu-ray Players Buying Guide - What to Look for in a 3D Blu-ray Player

3D Blu-ray Players Buying Guide - What to Look for in a 3D Blu-ray Player
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Introduction

The future of home theater entertainment is 3D. Soon, an empty shelf at your local electronic store will become filled with hundreds of 3D Blu-ray players. While having a large selection of products can be a good thing, it can also make it difficult to make that final purchasing decision. To help narrow down that selection, you must look at the “must have” features and decide what’s important to you. Here are tips on what to look for in a 3D Blu-ray player to help you make the best purchase.

3D Blu-ray Players: Buying Guide

First Buy the TV

3D Blu-ray players are only compatible with 3D HDTVs. Don’t expect to buy the Blu-ray player and get the 3D effect on your old high definition television. Make sure your HDTV is 3D compatible. A lot of the DLPs that have been sold claim to be 3D, and they are. However, while they may be 3D, they are only partially 3D. If you want to get the new, full 3D effect, make sure your television is completely compatible with 3D technology. Here are some of the top 3D HDTVs currently on the market.

Does Your Receiver have HDMI 1.4?

3D Blu-ray players use the newest HDMI output, HDMI 1.4. Most receivers don’t have inputs for HDMI 1.4, they use HMDI 1.3. If your receiver doesn’t have the inputs needed for a 3D Blu-ray player then the Blu-ray player will not work. There is one way around this though, and that is to buy a Blu-ray player like the Panasonic DMP-BDT350. This 3D Blu-ray player has two HDMI outputs. One which is HDMI 1.3 (compatible with your old receiver) and one which is HDMI 1.4 (input needed for 3D). What you can do with this Blu-ray player is run a cable to your receiver for audio and run a cable to your 3D compatible HDTV for visual. Look to either upgrade your A/V receiver or get a 3D Blu-ray player with two HDMI inputs, one 1.3 and one 1.4.

Can You See in 3D?

Some people cannot see 3D. If you’re buying a 3D Blu-ray player first make sure you can actually see in 3D. Certain medical conditions can prevent people from getting the 3D effect. These medical conditions could include color blindness, lazy eye, etc. To tell whether you can really see in 3D, go watch a 3D movie at the theater. For more information, read How to Tell if You Can See in 3D Before Buying a 3D TV.

It Might be Wise to Wait

3D technology is very new. As with all new things, there is a lot of hype and also a lot of issues. Wait a while and they will fix the initial problems that will come with 3D Blu-ray players (trust me, there will be initial problems). Other benefits of waiting include price drops and more compatible movies. Currently, the prices are sky high for 3D Blu-ray players and other 3D equipment. Just the glasses you need to watch 3D TV can cost over $100. Also, the selection of available titles is extremely low. So waiting to buy these Blu-ray players might be wise.

Conclusion

So now you hopefully know what to look for and what you need in a 3D Blu-ray player. Good luck with making your purchase!