How to Estimate the Price of a 3-D TV Setup

Dying for a 3-D TV? There's more to it than just buying a new set. Gauge how much you'll pay with these guidelines.

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You Will Need

  • 3-D TV
  • Shutter glasses
  • Blu-ray player

Steps

  1. Step 1

    Start with the price of the TV

    Start with the price of a 3-D TV: because 3-D works best on a big screen, 3-D TVs are only available in screens 40 inches and larger. The advanced technology means that 3-D TVs cost as much as 40 percent more than their 2-D counterparts.

  2. Step 2

    Factor in the glasses

    Factor in the cost of glasses; you can't watch 3-D sets without them, and not all TVs come with them. Glasses cost about $150 a pair. And don't forget glasses for your friends and family.

  3. Glasses that you buy for one 3-D TV brand won't work with a TV made by a different manufacturer.

  4. Step 3

    Throw in a Blu-ray player

    Throw in the cost of a new Blu-ray player, too, if yours is outdated. 3-D TVs require HDMI 1.4, and audiovisual equipment sold before 2009 uses version 1.3 or lower.

  5. Don't pay extra for 3-D-ready HDMI cables; your current cables will work.

  6. Step 4

    Consider the cost of content

    Consider the cost of content: some cable providers charge extra for 3-D channels.

  7. Step 5

    Weigh the cost of waiting

    Weigh the cost of having 3-D right now. Prices are likely to fall in the next few years.

  8. The first full-length 3-D feature shown to a paying audience was 1922's The Power of Love.

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