ETC members LG and Panasonic – as well as Toshiba, Sharp, Sony, Mitsubishi, Visio, and others – will be showcasing 3DTV displays that continue to improve the viewing experience.  Pay attention to comments about image brightness and “crosstalk.”  Crosstalk occurs when the image intended for one eye is partially visible to the other eye (also called “ghosting”).  In addition to image dimming caused by the transparency of the 3D glasses and, in the case of active shutter displays, the shuttering of the glasses, light loss is also increased by measures designed to reduce crosstalk.

Screen refresh rate is also important.  Faster refresh rates can reduce technology-induced motion blur, reduce visual interference from fluorescent lights (also 60Hz), and be less stressful on the human visual system which has a 40-50hz natural refresh rate in the central vision area.  Standard LED and LCD sets have a refresh rate of 60Hz.  Those equipped with LG TruMotion offer faster speeds of 120Hz, 240Hz and 480Hz.  Many Plasma TVs feature 600Hz refresh rates.  Tom Galanis, operations VP for Sixth Avenue Electronics, has noted that his 3DTV customers are leaning toward plasma-based 3D TVs over LCD because of the refresh rate difference and perceived higher-quality 3D experience.

Most of the 3DTVs currently being sold at retail in the US use active shutter technology.  Active shutter 3DTVs cost slightly more than standard HDTVs, but the active shutter glasses cost between $100-$200 per pair.  Passive polarized 3DTVs cost significantly more than standard HDTVs, but the cheapest glasses can be give-aways (although designers are now making high-fashion polarized 3D glasses).  Vizio has announced a 65-inch polarized 3DTV for $3,700.  LG has been selling polarized displays in the UK market, and in November announced plans to sell them to the US lodging and hospitality industries.