Top 10 Questions About 3D TV

Since this is the year that 3D TV is really breaking out......it is only natural that many questions and misconceptions have been raised. This simple list goes a long way to clearing up a lot of the confusion.

PS: THIS JUST IN: The ultimate home 3D experience has now arrived: check out AVATAR, now in 3D.....on a Panasonic Viera VT Series 3D TV. Panasonic have an exclusive arrangement to distribute the 3D version....and it must be seen to be believed!

TOP 10 QUESTIONS ABOUT 3D TV

1. Can you only watch 3D with a 3D TV: NO, all 2D programming is viewable.

2. Can you watch everything in 3D? Usually: most 3D TVs will convert 2D shows to 3D.

3. Do you need to buy new equipment? YES :but just a blu-ray player in most cases, along with a 3D capable TV, and matching 3D glasses.

4. Is 3D cable and satellite broadcast ready? YES. Check your TV Guide. The Saturday December 11 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL hockey game will be broadcast in 3D....with more to come!

5. Can you watch any 3D TV with any pair of 3D glasses? NO: glasses must be made by the TV manufacturer, and are often included with the TV purchase.

6.. Do you have to wear the glasses to watch regular TV: NO.

7. What does 3D add to HDTV? LOTS! Full depth perception makes a huge difference! This is the missing dimension from TV and pictures that has revolutionized the movie theatre experience.

8.. Is 3D easy for broadcasters to add: YES: all they have to do is invest in 3D cameras....albeit at some fairly impressive expense.

9. Will video games be available in 3D: YES and they are amongst the best 3D experiences.....with a large list of upcoming titles for 2011.

10. Is 3D affordable? YES: there are a number of sets now available, in a range of sizes, in many price ranges from the mid priced category on up. Both LCD/LED sets and Plasma technologies have 3D offerings, with plasma demonstrating the most impressive 3D images so far.

(c) Lindsay Lipton, 2010

3D Comes Home For the Holidays!

The big buzz out of Hollywood over the past two years, has not been the on again off again love affairs of it’s stars, nor the competition for entertainment dollars with the video game and online content industries. The real story, has been the explosive growth of a new generation of 3D movies in theatres. Clearly, the public is eating up new 3D movies as fast as they are produced, proving it by paying a premium ticket fee at the box office for the priviledge.

Avatar, the ultimate blockbuster 3D movie, was a huge success, in no small part due to the awesome 3D effects.

Now, at long last 3D comes home. This season most mid and top-line TVs from major manufacturers are 3D capable. The great thing for consumers, is that these sets are no more expensive, than comparable 2D models were, last season. The other plus, is that 3D sets, are able to operate as superior 2D sets, day in and day out, making them the best regular TVs you can buy. It is only when attached to a 3D cable or satellite broadcast, or a 3D blu-ray DVD player, that the full 3D effect comes on the screen. For day to day standard 2D use, no special glasses or equipment are ever required.

To watch true 3D, the 3D TV is hooked up to a regular High Definition Cable TV box, or an HDTV Satellite receiver. Any 3D broadcasts are then able to be viewed. For movies at home, a 3D ready blu-ray player is the key to opening the 3D door.

3D blu-ray players have already dropped to the pricing of decent standard DVD players of a year or two ago…..so under $200 you get full 3D capability. Add the requisite 3D glasses, which are often supplied with the TV, and you have the total movie experience, at home.

Christmas is kicking in! How to get the best deals!

SALE SALE SALE SALE: How do you really know what to believe?

At this time of year, everyone is starting to think about presents, family entertaining, and the budget to handle it all. One of the biggest problems for consumers is trying to figure out if the sales are really good deals or not. To look at the flyers and newspaper ads, it would really appear that everything is on sale....at up to 75% off....all the time! Is this possible?

Well.....the answer is really.....no.

One of the things about consumer electronics, is that it is one of the most competitive categories out there. This means that for anyone to really be in the business.....they have to stay competitive to survive. Competitive in this day and age....means very limited profit margins for most items.

Many people are surprised to learn that the new TV that they bought....likely was sold to them at between 5% and 20% above cost. This immediately makes all of those huge discount claims seem pretty far-fetched!

A true sale, often means that the manufacturer has dropped the price to be more competitive, and the retailer is passing it along. There are of course discontinued and end of line clearouts....but they often are not as well priced as some of the newer replacement models.

How to be sure you get the best price? Shopping at a store, with a clearly laid out price matching policy is your best option. A dealer that really wants your business, will gurantee your pricing, for anywhere from 7 - 30 days, making it easy for you to shop, and not have to worry about the product you bought dropping the next week.

General rule of thumb : if an advertised special looks too good to be true: it likely is!

Wireless Digital music systems

It seems that everyone is looking for that perfect wireless solution....to getting music in and around their homes.

There are a number of ways of accomplishing that. Logitech.....the same people who brought the HARMONY line of life-saving and affordable universal remotes to market.....have a line of WiFi enabled units under the SQUEEZEBOX line. These units either by ethernet or wifi connections....will become part of a home network....and utilize the existing internet connection to allow access to a variety of musical options. You can access files on any computer in the home (including files used by your ITUNES......as well as streaming internet radio (free)....and accessing music services like NAPSTER. More on that in a later post.
By far...the biggest player in the wireless....and digital world of music at home though........is SONOS. SONOS is really a do-everything solution. We will go in to more detail in another post....but essentially, SONOS will do what LOGITECH will do......but without using WIFI. It is not limited to the house wifi or ethernet system....as SONOS uses its own proprietary net system.....that is built upon the number of SONOS Zoneplayer units that are added. The piece that makes it killer.....is the way rooms can be controlled. You can have a SONOS ZonePlayer....in any number of rooms....either hooked to speakers directly, or to an existing sound system. You could also be using the SONOS ZonePlayer S5, which., looking somewhat like an iPod dock.....has its own self-contained receiver, amplifier and speaker package all in one.
To control the system....room by room....you can utilize a small hand-held SONOS controller, or an iPod Touch.......or an iPhone.....or....an interface on any computer in the home system. It is quite literally in a class by itself. Reliable....great sounding....and super easy to access. Great for outdoor speakers, surround sound systems, multiroom, retrofits on existing systems, and adding music to home or cottage, where no previous wiring exists. SONOS is literally the APPLE of multiroom digital music.

More info:
www.liptons.ca

Welcome to our new blog

This is the first of an ongoing series of articles, musings, information pieces, advice and general outlook....on the world of consumer electronics.

Written and overseen by Lindsay Lipton, a 38 year veteran of the consumer electronics field....from Toronto Ontario Canada.

We will be covering all aspects of consumer electronics, the latest trends, convergence of technologies, how-to's, myths debunked, new products highlighted, and a wide range of interesting topics that are designed to make the world of consumer electronics less intimidating, more fun, and not just for the techno-savvy elite!

Lindsay Lipton
www.liptons.ca