TV makers have 3D TV in their product sights

You have to wear silly glasses. Your cable company has to dedicate a channel. There are other technical and personal issues involved. And yet, 3D TV is still expected to explode because TV set makers want it to. Some forecasts say as many as four million TV sets will be sold this year, even though technologies are incompatible, glasses cost at least $150 and users have to have specially prepared cable or satellite boxes.

TV set makers are hitching their wagons, so to speak, to a movie to drive sales of their products. In this instance, the raging success of Avatar and the apparent willingness of huge audiences to put on glasses to watch a feature film has encouraged set makers about the new technology. It's not exactly the Wizard of Oz going from black and white to color--and Avatar is not exactly based in Kansas--but the model is an old one that's worked in the past and consumer electronics guys are nothing if not traditionalists.

For more:
- see this story from the New York Times

Related articles
A 3D TV Bubble is emerging
What's the deal with 3D TV?
3D TV to get a slice of Masters Tournament
ESPN to show 3D to broadcasters