Welcome to CNET’s predictions for the TV hardware category at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. For previous shows–most recently CES 2005, CES 2006, CES 2007, CES 2008, CES 2009 and CES 2010–I’ve placed not-so-bold bets on buzzwords like “1080p,” “LCoS,” “iDCR,” “xvYCC,” “LED,” “Green,” “Internet TV” and, yes, “3D.” My first bet for 2011: Don’t expect to see any major new technology acronyms this year.

The most prominent trends of 2010 were the introduction of 3D–the biggest, and most controversial, new TV feature in the last few years–as well as the addition of expanded Internet capabilities such as Samsung Apps, Vizio’s VIA platform, and yes, Google TV. Those two trends will gain strength in 2011 and undergo some interesting differentiation as makers seek to distinguish themselves from the pack.

3D TVs
We’ve already gotten a look at the 2011 product lines from more than one TV maker, and while we agreed not to get too specific (the price of being given early info), we can say that 3D will be everywhere at the show this year. Late in 2010Samsung and Panasonic announced less-expensive versions of their flagship 3D models, and in 2011 3D will be reduced from a flagship feature to something available on midtier TVs from just about every manufacturer. One of the advantages of the “active” 3D model found on current TVs (more info) is that it doesn’t cost much more for manufacturers to build in–most of the extra cost is in the glasses themselves.

Speaking of the glasses, you’ll still need to use them for the foreseeable 3D future. We wouldn’t be surprised to see lots of “glasses-free 3D” demos in CES booths (like maybe Toshiba’s) next month, but they should be accompanied by admonitions that said technology is still “a few years” away from mainstream release.

A “universal” standard for active 3D glasses is also not in the cards for 2011, so don’t expect Sony glasses to work with Samsung TVs, for example. Those specs will remain proprietary, keeping the market window open for third-partyuniversal solutions like the XpanD X103 released in late 2010. Maybe the TV makers can agree on a standard by 2012, but we wouldn’t place money on it.

“Passive” 3D TVs
All of the consumer-targeted 3D TVs released by major makers in 2010 used those active shutter glasses, complete with batteries, infrared synching with the TV and generally $100-plus price tags.

In the summer of 2010, however, Vizio showed a model using passive 3D technology, and in late November a final-looking version of that very TV, the 65-inch XVT3D650SV, quietlyappeared on the company’s Web site. While pretty steep at $3700 list, it does come with 4 pairs of the cheaper, non-battery-powered passive polarized glasses, and additional pair may cost as little as $10 each. If Vizio is true to its word, the TV will arrive in stores in January 2011. Update: Vizio’s rep says the TV is how shipping, soon to be available at Costco, Sam’s Club and online.

We haven’t had a chance to thoroughly test it, but in brief demos of preproduction units we found the passive 3D effect on TVs worked well, albeit more subject to off-angle issues than active. Passive 3D, which is used in most US theaters, is said by proponents to reduce crosstalk (an artifact that appears as a double image) and be more comfortable than active over long viewing sessions. For their part, expect purveyors of active TVs to accuse passive models of not achieving “full 1080p to both eyes”–a true accusation technically, although we’ll be curious to see for ourselves how much the lower resolution actually affects perceived sharpness at normal viewing distances. If our experience with 2D is any indication, the lower resolution–half of the vertical lines of 1080, or 540–might not even be visible to viewers seated far enough from the screen.

We wouldn’t be surprised to see at least one other manufacturer try its hand at the passive 3D technology. Earlier this year LG released a passive 3D model in the UK, the 47LD950, for example.

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