Costly, Incompatible Glasses Threaten 3D TV Sales
If there’s one element that seems uncooked in the current rush to 3D television, it’s the glasses that viewers are forced to wear. They’re big, awkward, and, for the most part, rather homely to boot. Even worse, manufacturers are hitting the market with a variety of spectacles, all incompatible with each other. And all are costly.
It’s becoming clear that 3D television is seeping into American living rooms in a prelude to an eventual flood. Samsung, Panasonic, and Sony are already selling 3D televisions, and other manufacturers will later this year. Movies are being made, 3D channels readied, and cable systems upgraded.
It may not be quite as revolutionary as digital and high-definition TV, but manufacturers are betting that 3D will help sell more sets. “It’ll be like eating popcorn while watching TV,” says Ross Rubin, a market analyst at NPD Group. That is, we won’t do it all the time, but we’ll don the glasses for special events.
