Samsung's fancy 3D glasses up for Amazon pre-order
By Thomas Ricker 
posted March 26th 2010 8:44AM
posted March 26th 2010 8:44AM
posted March 26th 2010 8:44AM
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Shutter glasses have been around for a long time, and well over 10 years ago they were around $100... so why the heck are these around TWICE that price?
When your shutter glasses cost more than your prescription glasses, you know there's a problem with technology.
@Hazdaz
Yeah my thoughts exactly. Why the heck do these glasses cost so much? What kind of delicate circuitry, technology is packed into these? If they actually had 720p resolution LCDs built into them I would understand...
Seriously, I've Myvu head mounted displays cost less - that's the full 3d system right there!
@Hazdaz
Their trying to rip off naive early adopters, the tech involved is pretty simple, I'll wait till they hit $40... no sale!
@bigsofty
Exactly, you could have picked up a pair of shutter glasses a year ago from Samsung's parts site for $45. Early adopters are paying ridiculous prices because they actually think this is a new technology despite the 2yr old Samsung 3d plasma sitting in my living room that I bought brand new for $800.
At least one company was giving away LCD shutter glasses 10 years ago for testing their software. These are a rip-off indeed.
Not to mention the dumb design of those small ones: Those frames are going to intrude on the image, depending on how close you're sitting.
@Hazdaz
I was playing Sega Master System 3D games back in '86. Same tech, same method, but with a broke down POS Funai TV. Which means that this tech is fully compatible with any display currently available.
Can we get 2D manga glasses for real life?
Just as soon as Pepsi gets on with making Pepsi perfect, and Goldie Wilson starts selling hover conversions, I'll be all set for 2015...
http://www.bttf.net/category_s/59.htm
@Funke Tobias Dr
"Welcome home, Jennifer."
I'm going to jump on the...."I hope this fails" boat too.....making them go back to the drawing board and getting the cost of the tech used in theaters down....when they do that....I'll jump on 3D then
@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi
A lot of these set ups are more impressive/better than most movie theater set ups and cost hella less. I am rocking a $420 3D projector and nVidia 3D shutter glasses on a 88" pull-down screen. Cost (all bought brand new from Amazon): Under $700 for everything shipped, including the nVidia glasses kit. The only thing not as good as the theater is the gianormous screen that would never fit in your house anyways.
Are these prices a joke?
It does seem high. Sure nvidia 3d vision is the same price but your getting constantly updated software with that to take advantage of all the newest games.
I can't believe anyone is going to want to spend $200 on 3d glasses they don't even want....
Everyone I've talked to about 3d has no interest in it whatsoever. If it came "free" with the TV, fine, but not one of them would go out and buy these ridiculous glasses to use it.
@toptekjon:
Everything we've heard about all this 3D is just from manufacturers trying to subliminaly get it into our minds that we need it. Not many people in the world want it. It's the "keeping up with the Jonses" effect. They're trying to convince us we need 3D so they can sell us more and keep the prices of TVs up.
If studios want to create 3D movies and charge more in theaters, fine. You know what, Avatar was an experience in 3D, but it was also better in 2D. I'm glad I got to see it in 3D, but I never want to again.
The majority of people with HDTVs just bought them within the last 2 years. To try and force yet another technology (that with glasses, isn't even complete) is just absurd. Greed greed greed
@Jordan
I understand your point, but nobody is making anyone ditch their brand new HDTV in favor of new 3D TV. New buyers on the other hand, might take advantage of it since they are looking for a new TV anyway.
@toptekjon
This is along the same lines as the HD push, or any other reason people wanted to upgrade (again) like 120hz, "full HD" 1080p, and so on. All TVs have these features now, just like all TVs will be 3D capable in the extremely near future. Some people are content with no HD, some think 720p is fine, some demand 1080p, some will demand 3D. I don't get why more options gets people's panties in a bunch around here. Just don't buy a new TV, don't buy 3D ver of movies (or if it comes with it anyways, just watch the 2D version). Quite simple!
God I hate hipsters...
@horizontaleight Thank you! Hipsters are ruining the world.
@horizontaleight
Me too. I say we make turn their skinny jeans into straitjackets.
@horizontaleight
Coincidentally though, using the term "Hipsters" is becoming quite the hip thing to do. ...Kinda like dismissing 3D!
@Chibi Chaingun I agree, it's a self-loathing paradox... They are fueled by irony and Pabst Blue Ribbon.
@Funke Tobias Dr
Whoops! It looks like I'd better make turn a little proofreading next time.
I'd gladly buy a bunch of the pink ones so that anyone who wanted to watch 3D in my house had to wear them.
The only thing that would look more stupid than sitting in a group in the living room wearing glasses while watching a movie, is to try to wear "cool" glasses. Fail will be epic and wallet will be empty.
Of the dozens of times I've gone to see an IMAX 3D movie I've never once said to myself, "Man I wish these glasses accented my cheek bones better."
Rofl at the swimming goggles
Has to be the stupidest technology trend in the last decade. Sort of like a digital pet rock. Waiting for the epic fail. You just know the CE companies are dying because of the recession, and they are just looking for the next gimmick to get people replacing their equipment faster.
I just dropped $5000 on the equipment for my home theater no less than 2 years ago. You think I am going to even look at another system for another 5 yrs or do? Nope!
@The Digital Pimp
Bitter. I would be too though... $5000 is a lot of money. :)
@Chibi Chaingun
Nah, not bitter at all! Used to the cycle after 30 years of buying consumer electronics. Just think these guys are fooling themselves by putting so much focus on this one. It's not the next big thing, so I hope they realize people won't be paying extra for 3D when they get a new TV.
@The Digital Pimp
Ah, a fellow early adopter. I am too! In fact I've already jumped on the 3D bandwagon on the cheap but my modest 3D projector probably won't even work with 3D Blu-Ray. I'll probably have to upgrade. :P
@Chibi Chaingun
...and just TRY to convince your wife/partner to splurge again. :P
And of course it costs $250 in Canada because apparently they think the CAD-USD exchange rate is 0.75
The worst thing about fads is when people don't realize they're fads. Here is what will kill 3D:
1) Price, price, price. Many of my friends have taken the HDTV plunge. There is NO WAY they are going to re-splurge on a 3D TV anytime soon. I know I won't. If I'm watching my TV the goal is relaxation, and wearing glasses over my glasses doesn't count as such.
2) Again, price. Every movie under the sun (especially at WB) is being converted from 2D to 3D. Not only is this worse than colorization, but it makes every movie at least $3 more expensive. At some point this will backlash and attendance will drop.
3) Quality. Either shoot a movie in 3D or go home. These rush-job last-minute conversions will cheapen the experience to the point where people stop going. I didn't think Avatar was all that, but at least it was done right.
4) Recession. News flash - it's still on.
@benheck
#3 very valid, totally agree, I don't want to see a lame 3D with things popping out at me or flat people floating in front of a flat background
the other points on price are temporary... the recession will eventually be over and people will be spending again... and by then price will drop anyway. HD made it's splash over TEN years ago, and most people I know have just started buying into it in the past 2 years... only people with money to blow had an HDTV in 2001, when the only thing in HD was football, and HDTVs weren't even 16:9 or 1080P yet... most HDTVs were still only 1080i or 720P 2-3 years ago!
I bet we won't see 3D adoption until 2015 or later, when prices have gone down and the technology is MUCH better... the people that do have money to blow will pick it up now to show off or to just be first, the rest of us will be getting into it when they do it without glasses and the cost is under $1000
remember $1000 cd players in the early 80s? I don't personally, because we didn't get a CD player in our house until 1990... $1000 blu-ray players? I didn't buy one, I got a PS3 when they got down to less than $400...
@benheck
However the Alice in Wonderland conversion was pretty well done. 99% (number pulled out my arse) had no idea it was conversion-job. I barely knew and I read about 3D news daily.
We're due for a big hilarious capitalist folly that's both from the big guys and totally inconsequential to everyone else.
If you have to wait in line at the best buy for your turn to experience the tv right in front of you...guess what? It ain't gonna sell to the masses.
@pd
Fail. You have to do that at video game kiosks.
@Chibi Chaingun Fail...that's cute. There is a big difference in having a turn controlling a game and watching it. If you can't even see the game it's not going to sell in qty. You can kid yourself if you like, but my money says this current phase of 3D is not going to move...especially in this economy.
@pd
The point is that video game kiosks are there to sample the gameplay interaction (hence the controller apparatus extending from the kiosk). If you cannot play it, you are missing out on the whole point of the kiosk, otherwise they'd provide a TV and a video only. The same is with 3D sample set-ups. There is a line due to the apparatus required to play/view. Although, one could argue that if Best Buy provided more sample glasses, they could eliminate the lines all together at ONE kiosk, something impossible to do at a video game kiosk for a number of reasons, including games must support multiplayer and of that, a large number of multiplayer games are online only or max 4 controllers - furthermore, this requires interacting with a stranger as opposed to a quick viewing of a screen at a 3D sample set up.
Whether "your money" is on that it will not sell, that is okay - But your reasoning stated in your first post was a failure as game consoles have this same problem, but the market is beyond huge.
@Chibi Chaingun I hear ya, and you could be right. Only time will tell, but I'm a typical early adopter, and I'm just not seeing this as taking off mainstream. If it can stay the course and withstand a down economy, then we may see this prevail in a couple years. It's very niche for the time being. Not to say it isn't cool, and as a side note I'm a tad bummed by samsung 3D ready DLP isn't ready for this.
I'll wait for 3D technology to be glasses-free before looking like a bookworm from the 50's, thank you.
Keep this in the theaters people!....that is its proper venue!
I see a lot of mad people coming when these plastic POS's either get sat on, or chewed by the dog.
@BMills I came to post the same thing. Glassless 3D is coming and it's not too far off. I just read something the other day about an improvement in viewing angles. I'll wait for glassless. Glasses can make for a very small viewing group. Think of parties and such.
"hipsters with tiny tiny heads"
OMG i love their new CD!
Avatar has really pushed things forward for 3D! TBH I'm a bit underwhelmed by it. I really want to see these movies again without the glasses or with some nice comfortable glasses at least.
Are those tiny ones for kids? 3D gives me a banging headache (had to keep dipping in and out of Avatar) so I'd be hesitant to stick these on the little ones.
Do they come with a Buck Rogers hat with fins on it?
The ones without the bottom frame are the same ones I received with the Samsung 55 inch 3D TV/BD player package I bought at Best Buy last weekend.
They're pretty comfortable.