Having the amazing 3D cinema effect in the comfort of your lounge seems out of the question for many.  Companies like BT Vision are providing 3D streaming services, which make it easy for you to watch 3D television at home. The 3D TVs available at the moment are increasingly prominent in our homes. Viewing these films can make you feel like you’re ‘actually there’ when wearing the 3D glasses.

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3D TVs are top spec LCD, LED or plasma televisions. They first hit the market in 2010 and are gaining in popularity on a daily basis. You will indeed need these 3D specs to witness 3D content but don’t be misled into thinking that they will convert all your programs into three dimensions; you’ll only see shows made for 3D viewing and these must be watched on a 3D TV. They cost a lot more than other televisions because the technology required is relatively new. These prices will no doubt decrease as time goes by as with many other electrical devices. Just think how much DVD players cost when they first came out and what they can be bought for these days.

Two types of 3D glasses are available known as passive or active glasses and each style uses different glass. Passive glasses are frequently seen at the cinema and use polarizing lenses whereas the active versions use crystallized shutters, powered by batteries. To watch 3D shows and programs you will need a 3D TV along with a 3D source like a 3D Blu-ray player or 3D TV channel. If you do not have either of these sources, your TV will function perfectly well but in 2D.

So how does the 3D TV and glasses cause us to see the picture in 3D? The television forms two separate pictures simultaneously causing a disordered image. The glasses then combine the two pictures to form a clear image for you to see in three dimensions.

Currently there aren’t many 3D channels available. In the UK Sky 3D shows a mixture of films, sports, documentaries and concerts. Virgin Media has a ‘3D Movies on Demand’ 3D platform that shows 3D films and TV shows. The USA has two 3D sports channels called n3D and ESPN 3D. You can also experience 3D viewing using a 3D Blu-ray player with your 3D TV. Many more channels are in the pipeline though and will appear very soon.

Even though they need glasses, 3D TVs are a superb choice. Enjoying a cinema-like experience in your lounge is an amazing experience. Even though they are expensive, as I said earlier the price will decrease as time passes. 3D televisions are the most talked about TVs at the moment and will continue to be for some time. With the price of cinema tickets on the increase there’s never been a better time to treat yourself to a 3D TV for fantastic visual viewing at home.