Considering the Pros and Cons of 3D TV

3D TV is a technology that hopes to become a widespread phenomenon for everyday home viewers. This type of television may give you the opportunity to view in a more immersive way that is closer to real life. Is it worth investing in? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of 3D TV.

The Pros of 3D TV

In the past, the only way to view something in 3D was to go to the movies. 3D TV gives consumers the option to enjoy this format of viewing from the comfort of home. For students, this type of TV format can be good with educational programs. Homework will never be the same again. History, geography and nature studies may keep the attention of those who might find these topics boring or uninteresting.

For gamers, 3D TV may add a new dimension to their playing experience. Next generation console systems like the PlayStation 3 are planning to integrate this format into some future titles. It will be one step closer to actually viewing in a virtual reality style environment.

Another advantage of 3D TV is that it can be used with Connected TV, which is a two way communication style technology that can allow streaming of videos from the Internet (like YouTube) for viewing purposes. Using the combination of Connected TV and 3D TV will also allow the opportunity for families to spend virtual time together with the use of 3D webcams.

The Cons

Although the idea of 3D TV is promising, there are some concerns and disadvantages. Viewing in 3D is a problem for about 10 percent of people. For those with astigmatism, it is difficult to detect the depth of the images being viewed. Others may experience other types of eye strain. Since 3D television is so new, the long term effects of its use are still unknown (for more on this, read Is 3D TV Bad for Your Health?)

Currently, this type of TV can only be seen properly with special glasses. While producers of these TVs may provide a couple of pairs, it may not be enough if you have a large group of people. Also, in addition to the glasses, 3D television has to be viewed while sitting directly in front of the set. Wide angle viewing is not possible.

Cost is another factor of 3D TV. As with any new technology, the price to purchase one of these sets is expensive. As of 2010, consumers can expect to pay 9 to 12 thousand dollars. Another expense is the cable wiring. You will need to have it changed to the special HDMI 1.4 cables that are required to view this type of format. During this economic downturn, the average consumer will not be able to afford the cost for these items.

Final Thoughts

The pro and cons of 3D TV can give a person a lot to consider. While the immersive properties of 3D television are promising for education, gaming and other benefits, it is also quite costly. The current US economic climate with its high unemployment may not be the best time to expect consumers to spend nine thousand dollars on this type of item. For those who have the money to burn, make sure that you are not one of the 10 percent of people who has trouble viewing 3D images and try it out first before purchasing. For everyone else, you can still enjoy 3D and save money by going to see a 3D movie at the theater.

The 3D glasses image used in this article was from https://www.istockphoto.com/