3D TVs - will you buy one?

There’s a new trend in TVs and all of a sudden, it seems to be everywhere!  Perhaps you watched Channel 4’s series of 3D programmes last year, or you might have been one of the lucky few to catch Sky’s first live 3D football match between Manchester United and Arsenal, shown in nine pubs across the UK in January.  But is 3D TV worth the hype, or is it just a fad?

All the big names in electronics have now unveiled 3D TVs, and industry experts predict around 3.4m sets will be sold in the US this year.  After poor sales in 2009, manufacturers and retailers are certainly hoping the trend will take off when the new sets go on sale in the UK this spring.

But will people want them?  Certainly 3D films such as the James Cameron blockbuster Avatar have excited cinema-goers seeing 3D technology for the first time, and viewers of the Sky football match were impressed with the immersive feeling of watching.  “The best bit was when the players came out of the tunnel,” fan John Cormican told The Guardian.  “They looked like they were running right past you.”

Many people are still sceptical though, believing that 3D TV will be slow to catch on in the UK – if it ever does.  For many UK consumers, who have only just upgraded to a flat-panel HD TV, they will simply be too expensive.  Other critics suggest that the content might be a problem, as film-makers sacrifice story and characters for the latest special 3D effects.  And as for football fans who are already passionate about the game, will watching it in 3D really make it any more exciting?  The need to wear 3D glasses is also likely to be a novelty that wears off for a lot of people.

Whatever the reception of 3D TV in the UK, one thing’s for sure – it won’t be long before manufacturers start work on the next big innovation to get people talking – and shopping.