Samsung 3D Review - Discover Eye-Popping HD 3D TV

Modern 3D TV's work by rapidly showing a separate image for a left eye and a right eye. By using Active Shutter 3D Glasses, we can control which image each eye sees, but because it's happening so quickly your brain is only able to interpret the full 3D image.

Can I use the $5.99 3D glasses that I bought for the cinema with my new 3D TV?

No, the way the 3D illusion is created in the cinema is completely different to the way new LCD 3D TV's create the 3D image. In the cinema they use one of two technologies; one is anaglyph technology which shows two images slightly overlapping and in slightly different hues, your 3D glasses then have red / cyan lenses which filters which image each eyes sees While this gives a 3D effect, it comes at the expense of clarity and the film will have a slightly reddish tint. The most modern 3D films such as Avatar use a complex system of polarized light which means you get to see the film in 3D without any loss in clarity and without any colour tint.

Your 3D LCD TV is unable to project polarized light, so instead it rapidly shows one image for the left eye and one image for the right eye. You then need special glasses called Active Shutter 3D Glasses which electronically control the transparency of the lenses. This happens so quickly that your brain creates the 3D image.

Can I convert my existing TV in to a 3D TV?

While there are 3D TV convertors in the market, the effectiveness varies. It works in a similar way to the current 3D TV's in that it shows a left and right image, but the convertor box is on the outside and you need to plug your TV cable and DVD player in to the box first. The convertor only works with the older CRT TV's and not standard LCD TV's because the refresh rate on flat screen TV's is too low and you will get an annoying flicker. If you choose this route, don't expect a full IMAX experience!

How much can I expect to spend on a 3D TV setup?

Even though the actual adjustment to turn a normal LCD TV in to a 3D capable TV is fairly routine - they have simply increased the refresh rate, added a chip to display left and right images and included an emitter to tell the 3D Glasses which image to show - the manufacturers seem to be trying to capitalize on the general public's ignorance to how it all works. Thus a 50 inch HD LCD 3D TV from Samsung will set you back as much as $1900 - more than double the cost of a non-3D TV of the same size. On top of that you have the 3D glasses which cost around $150 each (and you'll need a pair for all the family) and if you want to watch the forth-coming 3D movies on DVD like Avatar you'll need a 3D Blu-ray player which can cost as much as $300. Total cost for a 4 person family could be as much as $3000 for a full 3D setup.

Does a 3D TV convert 2D to 3D?

Many of the new 3D TV's will actively convert 2D content in 3D by showing one image for the left eye and one image for the right eye. The result isn't as exceptional as when you watch a dedicated 3D TV channel or 3D movie, but you will get the impression of 3D.

Great advancements have been made in TV technology, much like in the field of mobile phones and computers. Not too long ago, we only had CRT (cathode ray tube) TVs. Then came the plasmas and the LCDs. More recently, the LEDs and 3Ds have made their appearance.

When making a purchase, it is easy to be overwhelmed with the many choices available. Through the confusion, one piece of advice makes sense: get the most advanced, the most features-rich 3D HD TV that is sensibly priced. It makes sense to get something that has the technology of the future. Why go back to something obsolete? It also makes sense that you get something that's within a reasonable price range.

With this in mind, the new Samsung UN40C7000 40-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV appears to be one good buy. It is 3D. It has the advanced and energy-efficient LED backlighting technology. And it is high-definition TV, with the highest resolution possible (1080p) and the fastest refresh rate available (240 Hz). What more could you ask for? %u2026Oh yes, there's also the very reasonable price tag.

This model is in fact among Samsung's least expensive TV that has the 3D compatibility feature. These affordable TVs comprise the Samsung UNC7000 series, which was released early this year. Other models in the series come in 46- and 55-inch sizes, bigger than 40 inches, hence more expensive. With 40 inches, you get a screen size that will work well in most rooms. The ideal viewing distance for this screen size is between 5 to 10 feet, and this is achievable in most rooms in the house, whether bedrooms or living rooms.

As a 3D-ready model, the Samsung UN40C7000 46-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV can be bought with the optional 3D glasses. When used together, the TV and glasses create the 3D effect. This works via a built-in emitter in the TV that sends information to the glasses. This makes it possible to watch movies in any 3D standard, whether half- or full-resolution 3D, or the so-called "Blu-ray 3D" standard. Aside from these, it is also possible to convert standard 2D content into 3D to add a dimension of depth. Thus, any material seen currently on the TV screen can be converted in real time to 3D images.

Another attraction of the Samsung UN40C7000 lies in its being a LED-lit LCD TV. It utilizes the edge-lit LED layout, which makes possible the very thin, less-than-an-inch frame of the TV. This is an attractive feature for those who prefer their TV to be mounted on a wall. The LED backlighting also means that the picture quality is unsurpassed; it has the deep, rich blacks that standard LCDs lack, and stunning, vibrant hues to make watching an absolute delight to the senses.

Last but not least, the Samsung UN40C7000 46-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV has the interactive feature suite. What this does is it allows the user to connect to the Internet through the TV. Thus, video streaming, chat, social networking, online shopping and photo sharing can all be done by just clicking on the remote. Samsung's propriety Internet@TV feature, with the widgets and Samsung apps, makes the experience uncomplicated and easy.

Samsung UN40C7000 46-Inch 3D LED HD TV Key Features

* Screen Size: 46 inches
* Full 1080p HD: Enjoy the powerful picture quality, vivid colors and stunning clarity of Full HD 1080p resolution.
* 240 Hz Clear Motion Rate: Samsung 240 Hz technology delivers even the fastest onscreen motion with utterly life like clarity.
* 3D-ready: Samsung 3D technology makes images leap off the screen- so you feel like you're a part of the action. Sync up with our Samsung Blu-ray player to experience movies in 3D on your TV - and enjoy more TV broadcasts in stunning 3D, coming soon. (Learn more about Samsung 3D Active glasses)
* Internet@TV: Connect to an ever-expanding portal of your favorite digital content. Customizable widgets give you access to BLOCKBUSTER, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Amazon Video On Demand and more - all on your HDTV.
* Ultra Slim Design: Stunning ultra slim depth - includes tuner (no external transceiver box).
* Ultra Clear Panel: Advanced technology lets you enjoy crisp image details, natural skin tones, excellent shadow detail, and vibrant colors.
* Touch of Color design: Exclusive Mystic Earth Touch of Color design combines texture and color that can complement any room.
* ConnectShare Movie: Connect a thumb drive or digital camera quickly and easily. User-friendly interface allows access to videos, music playlists and pictures via the remote.
* Game Mode: Enhances dark areas, sharpens the picture, speeds up the image processing response and enhances the sounds of your games. Picture and sound quality optimized for the special needs of gaming systems at the touch of a button.
* Exceeds ENERGY STAR Standards: Up to 57% more energy efficient than ENERGY STAR 4.0 minimum standards.
* Wide Color Enhancer Pro delivers the entire spectrum of color and luminance for rich, saturated images with intense detail.
* 10 Watts x 2 audio power stereo broadcast reception: Supports multichannel sound (MTS)and second audio program (SAP) with 181-channel capacity.
* Built in Digital Tuner: no external box needed.
* Warranty: 1 year parts and 1 year labor warranty (90 days parts and labor for commercial use), with in-home service, backed by Samsung toll-free support.
* BDWise: Automatically adjusts all your components for the best picture and sound quality.
* AllShare: Sync up your entire household. A wired or wireless DLNA connection lets you stream your PC audio and video files to your HDTV using your remote.
* Skype on Samsung TV: Enjoy the convenience and connectivity of free, IP-based, picture-in-picture video calls via Skype right from your couch: View it all life size on your Samsung TV.
* Swivel stand

So you have been blown away by the 3D special effects in Avatar or Disney's Up and you want to get in on the action in your own home. But before you splash out $4,000 or more on a 3D ready TV, have you considered some of the costly mistakes you could be making when buying such a technologically advanced TV?

* Buying a cheap brand

If you opt to save some money on a cheaper brand, the 3D TV probably won't have the same technical specification as a branded TV. While it might be able to handle 3D content, there are features like the warranty, ability to convert 2D in to 3D, contrast ratio, refresh rate, firmware updates and power consumption that are considerably lower than a branded model. You may save hundreds of dollars at the beginning but your 3D viewing experience may be disappointing.

* Buying a converter instead of a 3D Ready TV

Even worse than buying a cheap 3D TV. If you think that buying a $200 convertor is going to give you the same experience as a purpose built 3D TV then you are going to be bitterly disappointed. It should also be mentioned that these convertors only work on CRT televisions because they require the refresh rate to be at least 120 Hz and most normal LCD TV's are just 60 Hz, so you will get a lot of flicker if you try and us it on an LCD TV!

* Buying an incorrect size

When we were watching standard definition TV, the manufacturers recommended that we sit at a distance of at least 3 to 6 times the width of the TV. Since HD TV has a much higher clarity, you can actually accommodate a larger TV in your room without causing eyestrain. Therefore it makes sense to choose the largest TV that can be accommodated by your room size. For example, if you are going to be sitting about 100 feet away from the TV, you can have a screen size up to 80 inches and watch it comfortably.

* Not budgeting for the 3D glasses

Many of the 3D TV adverts forget to mention that you need to buy 3D TV glasses to view the 3D images. Because these use active shutter technology and are completely different to the glasses you use at the cinema, they can be very expensive. For a family of 5, you may need to budget as much as $1,000 for the 3D glasses.

* Expecting to watch regular TV in true 3D

At the time of writing, no major TV drama, sit-com, soap or news channel has announced plans to broadcast in 3D. So if you are not a major film addict or not in to sports, spending thousands of dollars on a 3D TV might not be a wise purchase at the moment.

With a large number of Hollywood movies coming in 3D like James Cameron's Avatar, the 3D Television is the latest fad in the global market. Also, while the current market size is small, various estimates show that the 3D HD TV market is all set to grow by a very huge margin by the year 2015.The new range of televisions come with an in-built 3D processor which projects 120MHz images which can be used in conjunction with the special 3D TV glasses.

Active Shutter Technology

Samsung 3D HD TVs work with the concept of active shutter technology, where in a special pair of 3D TV glasses need to be worn for viewing the movies or other things in 3D. These glasses work either with batteries or are chargeable and very quickly block and unblock viewing with the left and right eyes. With the same frequency, the viewing material comes up with two different sets of images, and owing to the high speed of this operation, the brain interprets this as a single imagery and makes it appear in 3D. Nevertheless, these 3D television sets also come with the feature to work in normal 2D mode so that most of the other programs or movies can be viewed without wearing any glasses as in a normal TV.

The way in which these TVs render 3D content is by means of a method called active shuttering. Here, the TV streams content which is of 120 Hz, whereas with a pair of active 3D TV glasses, the viewer will be able to see different images of 60 Hz in each eye. The way in which the content gets streamed and the glasses work results in the user feeling a 3D picture instead of the normal 2D image. The other main aspect of Samsung 3D HD TVs is that they come with an active chip which even tries to convert the existing 2D content to 3D for better viewing options.

3D Starter Kit

As far as the viewing goes, to view in 3D, the viewer should wear the Samsung 3D glasses which come bundled with the Television set. These glasses block the vision of each of the eyes at different fractions of seconds to make the viewer see different images with both eyes, but since the time duration is very less, the content will appear to be not only constant, but also in 3D. These 3D glasses are required to have some power for this switching on and off capability.

To ensure higher sales and a wider reach, the current Samsung 3D TV sets and Blu Ray Players come with a 3D Starter Kit, which includes 2 pairs of 3D TV glasses and even a 3D movie title from the DreamWorks Studios to facilitate more sales.

Source:3D TV glasses

This new model from Samsung's high-end C8000 line-the Samsung UN55C8000 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV-has it all. It has every feature that one can want in a big box. It is not just high-definition TV; it is also 3D. It does not only have full HD 1080p, the highest resolution possible; it also has LED backlighting, the advanced technology that left standard LCD TVs in the dust years ago.

With its top-notch specs, this 55-inch pleaser promises to deliver the highest form of TV entertainment possible. It offers unrivaled picture quality, breathtaking colors, ultra-sharp, smooth action, and the pure magic of 3D entertainment. Samsung has even put in extras such as internet connectivity and the just-released Samsung apps. Samsung apps include games and widgets for useful information like weather and sports. With these, this TV will not just be the entertainment center in any home. It will also be the delightful medium through which one can connect with friends online, share pictures and files, watch internet videos, shop, and do so much more.

Picture-wise, the Samsung UN55C8000 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV has been praised for its very deep black levels, and highly accurate colors with linear grayscale. It is also noted for its great customizability through the many controls and tweaks available. Add to these its sleek style and slim frame, it becomes a sure knockout.

We must not forget that this is a LED-backlit TV. Specifically, the Samsung UN55C8000 utilizes edge LED backlighting, which makes possible its very slim frame that is just 0.9 inch thick. This same technology produces rich, deep hues and stunningly bright colors that will delight even the most discriminating viewers. The contrast levels are the highest and sharpest in the market. With this model, watching TV becomes a highly captivating, most pleasurable pastime.

The Samsung UN55C8000 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV is also 3D compatible. This means that, using the proper 3D glasses, one can replicate the incredible 3D cinema experience right within the comfort of one's home. Whether one watches the usual 2D video content or its more scarce 3D counterpart, the Samsung UN55C800 offers the same excellent performance and superb features.

On the downside, given the relative newness of 3D and LED technologies, there is a larger price tag attached to the Samsung UN55C8000. Its substantial screen size of 55 inches also factors in the pricing of this model.

Although the Samsung UN55C8000 boasts of the deepest blacks that could ever be produced by edge-lit LED TVs, it falls slightly behind other LED TVs that use the more color-capable full-array layout of LED backlighting. Some viewers might notice the tendency of certain black areas to have a bluish tinge, but for the majority of TV viewers, this will not be a distraction from the overall picture quality that is generally outstanding.

What many users will probably have a gripe with is the lack of 3D glasses in the package, and the remote control that could have been better designed. The chrome- and round-edge remote has an attractive look, but is unfortunately a little difficult to use with its poorly-differentiated buttons.

Such setbacks may be considered minor, given all the cutting-edge features found on the new Samsung UN55C8000 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HD TV.

Like any brand new technology, 3D TV brings with it its own unique blend of jargon, buzz words and technobable that's obscure enough to confuse even the most hardcore of technology fans. So if you are thinking about buying a 3D TV, you need to refer to this checklist to ensure you are armed with the right information before making a purchase.

* Stereoscopic Format
This is the format that all new 3D TV's use. It works by showing one image for the left eye and one image for the right eye. This happens on the same screen so it has to happen so quickly your brain can't tell that the image is swapping so quickly. You have to wear a pair of active shutter 3D glasses which does the job of controlling which image your eye sees.

* Anaglyph Format
This is the 3D format that has been around for over a century. It works by over laying two images using different colors from the spectrum. The viewer then has to wear special 3D glasses which have tinted lenses which let in or block certain colors. This gives the impression of 3D, but the image is heavily tinted in a certain color like green. Regular TV's can show 3D content in anaglyph format, but the quality and clarity cannot be compared to a proper 3D ready TV.

* HDMI
This is the cable used to transfer the High Definition video and sound from one device to another, like a Blu-Ray player to a TV. Your 3D TV should have several HDMI inputs if you have a Blu-Ray player and a gaming system like a Playstation 3.

* Active Shutter 3D Glasses
A 3D TV works very differently to the 3D cinemas. They have to show one image for the right eye and one for the left. The active shutter 3D glasses you have to wear work by blocking the image for alternate eyes. The lenses become opaque and transparent many times each second - faster than your brain can put the images together. The result is that your brain creates a composite image from each eye which gives the 3D effect.

* Refresh Rates
Normal LCD TV's have a refresh rate of 60 Hz, this means that the screen refreshes every 1/60th of a second. At this rate you don't notice the flicker. However because 3D TV's need to show you an individual image for each eye, the refresh rate needs to be at least doubled otherwise you will notice a flicker which will affect your experience. A lot of the higher end models now come with a refresh rate of 240 Hz, which not only gives a great viewing experience but it virtually eliminates motion blur - especially in sports.

* Lenticular Display (also known as auto-stereoscopic format)
This could very well be the next generation of 3D televisions as it allows a viewer to watch in 3D but without the need for any 3D glasses, but it's still very much in the R&D stage. At the moment there is just one company from China that markets such a TV, but at a cost of over $20,000 for a 60 inch display, it's beyond the reach of most of us!

* LED LCD
This is the next generation of LCD TV's because they use LED's for the backlight instead of fluorescent tubes. The LED's generate less heat, are more efficient, consume less power, are brighter and you are able to get as much as a 100x increase in the contrast levels.

* 3D Emitter
In order for you to get the 3D effect you need to wear active shutter 3D which rapidly make the lenses opaque and transparent. The 3D TV needs to have a 3D emitter (usually bluetooth or infrared ) which tells the glasses which lens to make opaque and which to make transparent.