So, the UK's first 3D TV is here, in the shape of the 40-inch Samsung 40C7000 LCD.
There's been so much hype about 3D in the home, that an enormous amount depends on the impression this first set makes; if people don't take to 3D at once, the feature may never take off.
Cleverly, Samsung has come up with a TV so stunning that 3D is only one of its attractions.
3D is well established in cinemas; the success of recent 3D productions such as Monsters Vs Aliens has been enough to convince theatre managers that it's worth investing in the necessary projection and viewing hardware.
There's a fun element in putting on the specs and ooh-ing and aah-ing at the more outrageous 3D effects which seems to add to the cinematic experience.
But will 3D technology translate well into the home? There are all sorts of problems to overcome; the cost of the glasses, the availability of 3D material, the choice of different technologies and the question of viewer comfort, for starters.
One way the Samsung 40C7000 overcomes the problem of availability of 3D material is that it features a 2D-3D conversion function which will add depth to any flat image.
Of course, it doesn't work as well as with genuine 3D-mastered material; the only way to get the full effect is from a 3D-enabled Blu-ray player. Fortunately Samsung also supplied one of those for our tests; a BD-C6900, which should hit the shops slightly before the TV.
Of course, the other source for 3D material will be broadcast, and the broadcaster making the biggest noise about 3D at the moment is Sky.
Emphasising sports material in its 3D offering, Sky is learning difficult lessons about how to shoot and edit in 3D; in its trial broadcasts of football matches, it has had to arrange for two completely separate shooting and commentary teams, one 2D, the other 3D.
This may become an established practice, as 3D tends to work best with wide shots and slow cuts, and doesn't suit the frenetic cutting style of standard sports broadcasts.
But as we've said, there's more to this Samsung than 3D, so let's canter through the features.
Your comments (5) Click to add a new comment
fastfish
December 10th 2010
5. We got this TV from Currys for £849 incl a 3D blue ray player, X2 Pairs of glasses and X3 3D DVD (Shrek Movies)....I have to say the 3D is fantastic as are Blue ray movies and DVD etc...But the standard TV picture from the built in freeview via Aerial is very poor with lots of ghosting and colour fade etc....The playstation is almost impossible to play on it as every time you move the Player/Car etc on the screen the response time is so slow the whole screen darkens badly making it very ******* the eyes...If you use 3D on the games the glasses make it so dark you cant see anything in the background so COD/Medal of honour etc are out....We took TV back for Refund ....This is Exellent TV for 3D and DVD etc etc...but usless for everything else....I think I will wait a little longer until Plasma 3D Tv,s have come down a bit in price,or LED ones..
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renzbon2oy
September 23rd 2010
4. 3D tv, Seriously the quality of this screen is mind blowing, Monsters Vs Aliens was playing in PC World, I had to take a video of it on my Blackberry just to show my mates the quality.
also encountered this http://www.tx-p65vt20.com/ for further reviews 40-inch Samsung 40C7000 LCD, you may visit this for your self evaluation. :)
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omgitshardtofindanid
June 18th 2010
3. I have tried the samsung 7/8 series and sony 3d tv's and both have problems. The samsung seems to ghost a lot, just like at the cinema and the glasses seem unreliable, there has been a problem in every store I have tried using them, at one store they said they didn't have a working pair left. The Sony doesn't ghost and the glasses seem to be more reliable, but they flicker like mad!
I love the idea of 3dtv but don't think I will become an early adopter :(
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3dgizmo
February 26th 2010
2. A useful review but a 40-inch TV was never likely to give a 3D wow-factor.
Guy.
http://www.3dtvreviewer.co.uk/
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jack1993
February 26th 2010
1. Hi, I was just wondering when the other LED TVs were coming out in the UK (the non-3D ones like the C6500 series and C5000 series) because I can't find the answer anywhere. They have the equivalent models for preorder at the amazon us website (The UN32C6500 and UN32C5000 as opposed to the UE32C6500 etc. where the UN or UE just represent region). However I can't find a release date for the UK anywhere. Thanks in advance if anyone knows the answer.
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