3D TVs - What do I need to know - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

edn88 · 03-01-2013, 08:49 PM

I am in the market to replace my basement TV, and am looking to get a 3DTV. I know that I would prefer 240 Hz vs 120 Hz and I would like something in the 55 to 60 inch range.

I need some advise on passive vs active glasses (have hard active is bad for younger kids eyes) and what people know about the next generations of 3DTVs that are coming out (should I wait a while).

Any other advise, thoughts or experience would be appreciated.

SebC · 03-01-2013, 10:05 PM

Passive will give you cheaper, lighter glasses that don't need charging, but the trade off is that your resolution gets cut in half.

What you want to look for in a 3D system is ghosting. Look at content with high contrast and see if any of the light leaks into the wrong eye.

Kavvy · 03-02-2013, 10:16 AM

I just bought a TV and this is what I found in my research. Others can correct me if I am wrong, but since it is an older technology (not worse, older),

For a cheaper price plasma will give:

Better Picture
Larger Size
Deeper Colors
Better Blacks
Same viewing angle from all angles - LCD's have viewing angles issues, some more extreme then others, with a Plasma, this doesn't exist (theoretically, meaning I am sure at some angle it would hit you). If your LCD is high up, that counts as a viewing angle if you don't/can't tilt it.
LCD's (depending on if their side or back lit) have brighter edges then centers, plasma don't have this problem.

All the "issues" for LCD's above would change from LCD TV to LCD TV, meaning some LCD's may not have any noticeable issue with one thing or any of the above, but theoretically they all have some degree of problem (as I understand it, someone can correct me if I am wrong).

Meaning if you want to spend $2000 on a TV, a $2000 plasma route is generally a better TV then a $2000 LCD. However,

They don't do well in high light areas, but as this is a basement, it should not be an issue
Must be Active 3D - no passive exist for plasma. However, if it matters, only active 3D is true HD 3D, passive cannot achieve true HD. I have one, I never use my 3D but I don't have kids, they may want to use it a whole lot more.
Heavier then LCD (still a feather compared to a tube TV)
Pixels burn out - buy a high end one, new technology makes this much less an issue. I am cautious with mine, but I don't know if I have to be. Some reports say this is 100% non-issue with new TV's, I don't know if this is true, and kids may leave the TV on a video game for days.

Hope it helps, from what I understand, everything I said is correct but feel free to call me out on it.

Titan · 03-02-2013, 12:34 PM

I have an LG 3d plasma tv I got last summer. The 3d is "neat" but not "WOW" I got mine at a golf tourny so it was a great deal and the 3d was an add on. It does have active glasses.

The plasma is brutal is the living room. It is unwatchable with the blinds open. The picture is good but I don't know that is much better than my older LCD. Hockey does not seem noticeably better.

I probably would not buy a 3d or a plasma again unless it was for a media room with blackout blinds on it. Just my 2 cents.

Vulcan · 03-02-2013, 02:11 PM

I have two 3D TVs. One is a 40" Sony LCD and the other is a 55" Panasonic Plasma. Both TVs have a great picture but they cost about the same ($1200). I don't use the 3D option much but it's nice to know it's there. 3D TVs are better built because they need the upgraded electronics so even if you don't plan on using it, you'll get a better TV.

The reason (besides being cheap) I went for the Plasma this time is that as LCD LED TVs increase in size, I read more complaints of uneven panel lighting and other panel problems. Plasma for me is a trade off as I am more careful with leaving static images on the TV and mine has reflection problems (not all plasmas do, the next model up has a non reflective screen) when not in a dark room. I knew this situation before buying so my advice is do your research.

If you go for a 3D TV try and get free glasses in your deal. This years (2012) 3D glasses can be interchanged with Panasonic and Samsung and the Samsung glasses are fairly cheap.

TorqueDog · 03-03-2013, 01:14 PM

Passive 3D has an additional benefit that your kids will like... full screen split-screen gaming.

What I mean by that is Johnny and Timmy can play a split-screen game, turn on 3D 'Top-Bottom' or 'Side-by-Side' depending on how the game shows split-screen play, and by using LG Dual-Play glasses or similar, they can play against each other full screen. Pretty neat.

DownhillGoat · 03-03-2013, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

Passive 3D has an additional benefit that your kids will like... full screen split-screen gaming.

I'm not a 3D fan, but that is a pretty sweet feature.

Hack&Lube · 03-03-2013, 03:01 PM

I have a 51" Samsung 1080p 3D plasma. It was only $800.

I don't know why anybody would spend twice the amount for a similar LED display unless they were in a bright room and don't want sunlight reflections on the glass.

The colors are brilliant, the active 3D is excellent, and the viewing angles are insane. You can see everything even if you are looking at the TV virtually side on.

Plasma burn in is a real thing but it is not a big deal at all with new plasmas. It's not really burn-in but ghosting because it's not permanent. I've left videogames on overnight when I fell asleep and true enough, the image was burned in when I woke up. No problem, the TV tools include an auto-scrolling greyscale burn in clearing mode. You leave it on for 1 minute and it scrubs all the pixel ghosts away.

SebC · 03-03-2013, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

Passive 3D has an additional benefit that your kids will like... full screen split-screen gaming.

What I mean by that is Johnny and Timmy can play a split-screen game, turn on 3D 'Top-Bottom' or 'Side-by-Side' depending on how the game shows split-screen play, and by using LG Dual-Play glasses or similar, they can play against each other full screen. Pretty neat.

That is entirely possible with the active as well. It sounds like this is not a supported feature, so you'd be stretching the images? If it is a supported feature, from a technology point of view you certainly don't need passive for it. (Active would actually deliver a higher resolution in this mode.)

TorqueDog · 03-03-2013, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SebC

That is entirely possible with the active as well. It sounds like this is not a supported feature, so you'd be stretching the images? If it is a supported feature, from a technology point of view you certainly don't need passive for it. (Active would actually deliver a higher resolution in this mode.)

*Certain* TVs support this feature (Sony's SimulView, LG's Dual-play), but you have to buy a set that supports it.

I bought a passive 3D TV that doesn't support it either (Toshiba 55L6200U), but by forcing 3D top/bottom or SBS, I can stretch the image and use the LG Dual-Play glasses to accomplish the same thing.

It works by showing one image on the left and one image on the right, as normal 3D does, BUT the glasses are left/left and right/right. You would have to mess with the wiring on the active 3D glasses to accomplish this. So could you do it on active? Sure, but you'd still be stretching the image and it's nowhere near as easy to do as it is with passive.

Flabbibulin · 03-03-2013, 07:41 PM

I have an 8 series 55-inch LED samsung (55D8000). 240HZ clear motion rate 960. It was quite pricey, but I love it. Hug it every night!

SebC · 03-03-2013, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

*Certain* TVs support this feature (Sony's SimulView, LG's Dual-play), but you have to buy a set that supports it.

I bought a passive 3D TV that doesn't support it either (Toshiba 55L6200U), but by forcing 3D top/bottom or SBS, I can stretch the image and use the LG Dual-Play glasses to accomplish the same thing.

It works by showing one image on the left and one image on the right, as normal 3D does, BUT the glasses are left/left and right/right. You would have to mess with the wiring on the active 3D glasses to accomplish this. So could you do it on active? Sure, but you'd still be stretching the image and it's nowhere near as easy to do as it is with passive.

Well, if it's supported, then you don't have to mess with the wiring at all. I'd rather play split-screen than double-height or half-height anyways.

TorqueDog · 03-04-2013, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SebC

Well, if it's supported, then you don't have to mess with the wiring at all. I'd rather play split-screen than double-height or half-height anyways.

Well it's supported on Sony's TVs and LG's TVs. If you don't have one of those, and you have an Active 3D set, you have to fiddle with the wiring.

edn88 · 03-04-2013, 07:12 PM

Ended up with a 60" LG LCD with 240HZ (and passive glasses). Price was right, and it works for us. We won't use the 3d all of the time, but it is actually pretty impressive.

I cannot say that I notice the lower resolution - watched Cars 2 with the kids and it was pretty impressive - actually way better than watching in theatre - definitely brighter.

Am plotting for the much larger version for 5-7 years from now (when the youngest is more managable) - hoping the technology will keep advancing over that time span.