The Super Bowl Won't Be Broadcast in 3D?

There has recently been some news that was released that might have quite a few football fans disappointed. If you were getting excited about seeing the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steeler’s Super Bowl showdown on February 6 on a 3D TV, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but that won’t be happening. Super Bowl XLV will not be broadcast in 3D.

Consumer Reports have confirmed that Fox Sports, the executive rights holder of the Super Bowl game this year, will not be offering viewers the opportunity to watch the big game in 3D. So don’t plan on running out and buying a 3D TV for the game, unless you simply want a new TV for the Super Bowl and happen to want 3D as well.

So, why is Fox not broadcasting the biggest game of the year in 3D? Well, honestly, it’s really not a huge surprise. Over the past year, there has definitely been a low adoption rate of 3D HDTVs. That low adoption rate is really one of Fox Sports main reasons for not broadcasting the game in 3D. The network stated, "Unfortunately, given current levels of adoption, there is no business model that makes sense for producing a show as complex as the Super Bowl in 3D at this time. 3D requires an entirely separate production at significant expense without generating incremental revenue to offset the additional costs. We prefer to focus all our energy on doing the best possible HD production possible, which this year features more than 40 cameras," said the network.

In the past year more than a million 3D HDTVs were sold, which wasn’t as many as the TV industry had hoped, but it still shows that 3D is definitely beginning to integrate itself into the home. 3D is an industry that continues to expand. In 2010 there were a lot of very successful 3D movies in theaters including Toy Story 3 and Alice and Wonderland. In 2011 there will be at least 16 3D films in theater, and most, if not all of them, should be released on DVD in 3D as well. TV channels are also slowly beginning to broadcast in 3D. As of February 14, ESPN 3D will begin broadcasting 24/7 in 3D.

Fox Sports obviously didn’t feel that broadcasting Super Bowl XLV in 3D was important or profitable enough, but you can’t help but wonder if things might be different if ESPN had gotten the broadcasting rights. Oh well, I guess we will never know.

So, no you can’t watch the big game in 3D, but if you’re still looking for a 3D TV, here are a few of the top 3D HDTVs available.

Panasonic TC-P54VT25
$2,795 from Amazon.com

Panasonic offers a variety of different features with the TC-P54VT25. It has an incredibly vibrant display and offers very realistic 3D and 2D images. The only thing that I can really be critical about when it comes to this 3D HDTV is that there is no 2D to 3D conversion, but besides that, it is an excellent option.

LG 55LX9500
$3,399 from Amazon.com

LG created a masterpiece when it comes to the 55LX9500. It is incredibly thin and has excellent picture quality. The problem with the 3D TV by LG is that it doesn’t come with a pair of active shutter glasses, which really stinks. Another issue is that it is very expensive, but if you can get around that, it is a wonderful choice.

Sony XBR-60LX900
$4,249 from Amazon.com

Sony’s XBR-60LX900 3D HDTV is a fantastic TV. It offers excellent SD and HD content display, as well as having very nice 3D effects. It also is extremely thin and quite chic. The issue is that like the LG 55LX9500, the XBR-60LX900 is very pricey and may simply be too expensive for buyers.

Samsung UN55C9000
$3,499 from Amazon.com

The UN55C9000 3D TV from Samsung is a great TV. It is incredibly thin and light for a 55-inch TV. The issue with the TV is that the 3D images simply are not as immersive as were expected, but it’s still a fantastic option if you’re looking for a 3D TV.

It’s kind of disappointing that the Packers and the Steelers big game won’t be available in 3D, but even though you won’t need a 3D TV for the game, that doesn’t mean you should put off looking for one if you’ve been thinking about making the jump to 3D. These four 3D HDTVs are the top of the line. They are some great options that you should definitely look into.

Panasonic TC-PVT25: Named Best 3D TV of CES

3D technology is growing in popularity. We’re seeing it show up in gaming devices such as the Nintendo 3DS, in laptops such as HP’s Envy 17, and in televisions such as the Panasonic TC-PVT25. The public seems to continue to be intrigued by 3D technology, so I believe it will continue to be prevalent as technology advances.

Picking the right 3D HDTV can be difficult though. There are many different things that you must consider. Although there are big name brand 3D TVs are everywhere, you may not have to look any further than the Panasonic TC-PVT25. It was named the best 3D TV of CES.

There were several advantages that helped make the TC-PVT25 the top choice. First off, the TC-PVT25 is an extension of Panasonic’s extremely popular TC-PV10 series that was released last year. This 3D model features improved black level and enhanced picture quality. It not only offers a fantastic 3D experience, but also delivers a great 2D picture as well. Panasonic is even nice enough to throw in a pair of 3D glasses, which most other retailers do not do.

There are four different sizes that Panasonic offers: a 50-inch, a 54-inch, a 58-inch, and a 65-inch screen. All models feature Panasonic’s VIERA CAST IPTV functionality and are THX certified. This series of 3D TVs range from $2,599-$4,299.

If you’re looking for a 3D TV, this is a great series to consider. Panasonic’s TC-PVT25 series is excellent. The price tag may seem a little high, but if you really want a 3D TV, you’re just going to have to accept that it’s not going to be the cheapest purchase. If you really want to make the leap to 3D, this is a definite consideration.

Check out other 3D TVs like Samsung's PNC7000 Plasma.

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New Details About Panasonic's Viera VT25 Series 3D Plasmas

Panasonic's new Viera VT25 Series 3D Plasmas (with full HD) should be here soon and the company recently announced more details, including pricing. The first four models include 50, 54, 58, and 65-inch models which will be available later this month and in June. This is great for people looking for 3D plasmas - most new TVs have been LCDs.

Pricing and availability is as follows:

50-inch TC-P50VT25 will be $2,599.95 and was available on May 3

54-inch TC-P54VT25 will be $2,999.95 and is available on May 3

58-inch TC-P58-VT25 will be $3,399.95 and is available in June

65-inch TC-P65VT25 will be $4,299.95 and is available in June

Each of the 4 TVs relies on a pair of active shutter 3D glasses, which cost about $150 per pair (the TVs come with one pair). They all have 5M:1 native contrast ratios with minimal reflection, which comes from the company's Infinite Black Pro Panel, TXH certification, Viera Cast Wifi with Skype Video Conferencing, and access to online entertainment such as Amazon Video on Demand, Fox Sports, Netflix, and Bloomberg News.

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Planning your next trade show or big event and looking for a Plasma Rental, or large screen Monitor Rental? Then call 800-736-8772 for affordable AV Rentals nationwide!

3D TV Plans from Verizon

On Friday, Verizon announced that they plan to start down the 3D path and release a 3DTV package that would be launched before the 2010 holiday shopping season. Shawn Strickland, vice president of FiOS product management for Verizon, said on Friday, "We're monitoring the early sales of 3D TVs and expect to announce a 3D offering well in advance of the holiday TV-shopping season, when 3D television sales will expand."

Verizon already offers standard definition and HDTV services along their FiOs network that now have over three million subscribers. This new 3DTV package will be offered in the same manner as these other services.

Verizon has also begun the chase to discuss broadcast rights to certain channels. Networks like ESPN have said that they plan to launch their 3D experience this summer with the soccer World Cup. Verizon has been trying to negotiate things with ESPN but Strickland said that they have set “ridiculously” high prices for the rights.

Strickland said, "There are content distribution companies that own content and that are simply running demonstration events early in the evolution of 3D.” He also said, “These early events seem to be aimed at the viewers who just went through the challenge of getting the best HD sets. Some content owners have elected to specifically exclude Verizon and other competitive distributors from carriage of these 3D events in an effort to advantage their distribution businesses. Others have fixed ridiculously high prices for the content. Verizon's position is that integrated operators should not withhold programming options from the marketplace, and that consumers should have the freedom to choose the distributor that best meets their needs."

It will be interesting to see where Verizon goes with all of this. They have not stated exactly what content or networks they plan to go after, but I guess we will know all of that information in due time. Until then, we will just have to watch and wait patiently to see where all of this will go.

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Planning your next trade show or big event and looking for a Plasma Rental, or large screen Monitor Rental? Then call 800-736-8772 for affordable AV Rentals nationwide!

Promising New TV Features in 2010

There are going to be a multitude of new features found in TVs that will be released in 2010. TV’s are promised to be bigger, better, and more reasonably priced this coming year. New features are said to include more LED backlighting, faster refresh rates, 3D features, and built-in Internet connectivity.

The vast majority of the TV market that accounts for the sales in the U.S. are flat-panel, LCD TVs. This means that most of the TVs released in 2010 will possess these qualities. Bigger TVs are constantly being pushed by providers, but this year will also show other features that will differentiate one TV from the next. LED backlighting and higher refresh rates are something that will show great improvement in the coming TVs. Many will use backlighting in either an “edgelit” configuration or a full backlit design with local dimming to provide better blacks. Faster refresh rates are a guarantee as manufacturers are wishing to drastically reduce motion blur in TV sets.

Another very interesting development that is going to be pushed this year is TVs with 3D capabilities. Sony and Panasonic are the companies that have been talking the most about their 3DTVs. This feature could branch out into more than just 3D movies but also television broadcast in 3D. How cool would it be to watch a football game with the players jumping right off the screen?

The last of the most interesting developments of 2010 is the Internet capabilities that will be included within the set. With all the advances that are being made, soon enough Internet features will be found standard on TVs. This should be one of the things that manufactures are sure to push hard for.

Thin is in, so most of the newly released TVs should be even thinner than what’s already on the market. The LED backlighting technology takes up a lot less room allowing for the thinner screen. Manufacturers are also pushing more energy efficient TVs, so expect to find more environment-friendly TVs at a much more reasonable price.

OLED TVs are beginning to get plenty of attention these days, but they are not going to be mainstream any time soon. This coming year, it is expected that there should be a couple sets that are 15 inches or larger, but they will cost you more than a 32-inch LCD TV.

We can definitely look forward to these fantastic developments in 2010. Manufactures will be offering their best in the coming year.

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Planning your next trade show or big event and looking for a Plasma Rental, or large screen Monitor Rental? Then call 800-736-8772 for affordable AV Rentals nationwide!

Sony to Sell 3D TVs by 2010

Today, Sony announced that is plans to sell 3D televisions by the end of 2010. So far, the 3D industry has focused mainly on theater (over 7,000 digital 3D screens are expected to be in theaters worldwide by the end of 2009), so the Sony announcement will come as a big boost to the 3D world. Sony chief executive, Howard Stringer, is expected to announce that Sony will sell 3D Bravia television sets and also make the company's Vaio laptops, PlayStation 3 consoles, and Blue-ray disc players compatible with the new technology, at the IFA technology trade show in Berlin. Sony believes that 3D is "on its way to the mass market through technology, distribution, and content," but does insist there are still some issues to be face, including agreeing on a single 3D standard and avoiding a format war.

While there are several types of 3D technology, Sony will be going with "active shutter" technology, which means using electronic glasses with tiny shutters that open and close in sync with images on TV. This creates a 3D impression and is different from the "polarisation" technology used in theater that only works when viewers are sitting at a certain angle.

Many in the electronics industry believe 3D will soon be the new HD. Hyundai is also currently working on 3D television sets for Japan and Panasonic has announced it has plans for 3D TVs in the works. Neither company has matched Sony's commitment, however, to making 3D TV mainstream.

There has been no word on exactly how much the TVs will cost, but analysts predict the earliest versions to cost several thousand dollars. Hyundai's 3D TVs currently retail for about $4900.