3D Television

Two years ago I purchased a new television for my bedroom. I picked up a nice 32-inch HDTV from Sony at Costco. It was a nice purchase that increased my old bedroom TV size quite a bit, yet small enough to hide in a cabinet when not in use. We got so accustomed to watching the new TV that it was only a matter of time before I replaced the family one. That time came a few months ago and it has been nice.

I can't remember the year I bought my Hitachi Ultravision, but it was probably close to 15 years ago. I picked up a bunch of speakers and a really nice Pioneer receiver at the same time. I put everything together in my family room and had a THX certified theater in my house. I probably would have replaced the TV a while ago if I didn't worry about all of the other audiovisual equipment as well.

Finally I decided to replace both the TV and the receiver as everything is now moving away from RCA jacks and going towards HDMI connections. My experience with the TV in my bedroom had me looking at Sony products and I decided to get one of the R550 televisions capable of 3D. I also picked up a nice receiver with a ton of HDMI inputs. It arrived on a Friday and I had it all set up before going to bed.

I had resisted getting the movie Avatar on DVD or Blu-ray until I got a 3D capable television. So the next day, I hit the local discount store and picked up a Blu-ray copy that was way overpriced. I have to say that it was spectacular. Not wanting to buy another expensive movie, I downloaded Jack the Giant Slayer from Sony's PlayStation Network for $5. The movie was only mediocre, but the 3D effect made it well worth my time to watch.

Yes, I will admit that 3D is a gimmick. However I have to say that I really enjoy watching movies in 3D. I even turned on the simulated 3D while watching Chasing Mavericks and the waves were really spectacular. Considering that the price difference between a 60-inch television with 3D and one without is only $200, I highly recommend spending the extra money. I also recommend Sony's R550 series as they use the same passive 3D glasses that you get at the movie theater. The only problem is that you may never want to leave your home again.