Topic: Is 3D any good?

[GSyren]

I've been very sceptical of 3D. It's been tried at least twice before, in the 50's and in the 80's. Now it's technically more advanced, and we can get it on TV as well. But is it worth it?

I once said that I won't upgrade my home cinema system to 3D until they start releasing those good old 50's movies. Well, now House of Wax is getting a 3D bluray release, and it's a film I really wanted to see in 3D. And the Universal Monsters box has Creature From the Black Lagoon in 3D.

It's not so much the cost that bothers me, but I don't like the thought of throwing out my perfectly good 40" Sony just to replace it with a 3D TV when I'm not convinced that 3D has much value. And also partially because I've promised myself to upgrade to at least 55" when i buy a new TV - but that means remodeling my living room in order to find place for it. And that's a big job that I was hoping to put off for a few years...

Anyway, what do you guys think of 3D at home? I have a feeling that Karsten is a nay-sayer (right?) but what about the rest of you?

[DSig]

Smells like Mant! in Atomo-Vision and Rumble-Rama 

I occasionally (very very occasionally) go to 3d at the theater but to me unless I had a full featured theater including a really large screen etc, I don't see 3d at home.  Even for the special films like "Avatar".  Which is odd since I really love video AND i was born a gadget geek even when all there were was tubes and portable tvs larger and heavier than large flat screens today.  But that is me ..

[DJ Doena]

My (low) opinion of 3D can be seen here: http://doena-journal.net/en/1238/3d-ticket-prices

[Jimmy]

Beat me

No way in hell I will spend thousands of dollars to get a 3D TV and blu-ray reader just for that... I'm happy with what I have.

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I'm not going to get 3D equipment as long as glasses are needed ... Come to think of it, if 3D was any good, who'd need a screen then.

[MEJHarrison]

Have you not checked it out yourself at your local Best Buy or similar store?  I see 3D TVs setup for display all over the place.  Next time you see one, step up, give it a shot and see what you think.

[GSyren]

Have you not checked it out yourself at your local Best Buy or similar store?  I see 3D TVs setup for display all over the place.  Next time you see one, step up, give it a shot and see what you think.

Been there, done that. But store viewing is far from optimal, and the choice of what to see is minimal. I was not convinced. Now I was hoping for some insight from others.

[northbloke]

Rather than go the whole hog and buy a 3DTV, I found a small 3D monitor that was a lot cheaper, just so I could try 3D out.
I've found that the effect works quite well in a home environment, but not as well as in a cinema: you have to be sitting pretty central in front of the screen, and a specific distance from it, so I don't imagine group viewings will be very successful.
I think the fact you're also looking at a smaller screen means you're less focused on certain areas so it takes longer for your eyes to adjust to the effect. So action scenes and any fast editing suffer. Also, because of the shaded glasses, the picture is duller, so you may have to adjust the screen to be too bright/saturated to compensate.
So far I've found the most effective 3D films to be animations, I've yet to see a modern live-action film that really sells it, but I was very impressed with the Creature from the Black Lagoon blu-ray.
In summary, I don't regret trying 3D, and if there's a 3D option on a home release, I'll get it, but I'm still not convinced that's it's here to stay yet, and certainly won't be replacing my main TV until I have to.

[GSyren]

Interesting, northbloke. How big is your monitor?

[Achim]

I've been very sceptical of 3D. It's been tried at least twice before, in the 50's and in the 80's. Now it's technically more advanced, and we can get it on TV as well.

Mark Kermode famously despises 3D and pointed out the obvious(?):
50s: fear of TV taking over
80s: fear of home video taking over
00s: fear of piracy (...?)

So, this should indeed just be a phase and will hopefully be over quickly.

[GSyren]

00s: fear of piracy (...?)

That sounds unlikely. Why would pirates be hindered by 3D?

Is it a phase? Quite possibly. But it could also be that technology has come far enough to make 3D more viable than before. Fear of TV taking over in the 50's was also responsible for widescreen, and that was no phase.

I don't recall any good films being made in 3D in the 80's. Is that just my selective memory because I watched mainly bad horror movies? I remember Jaws-3D, Friday the 13th Part III and Parasite, but for the life of me I cannot recall any mainstream film being made in 3D in the 80's. Anyone?

[Jimmy]

Comin' at Ya!
The Man Who Wasn't There

None of them are horror films... of course Comin' at Ya! is a western so maybe it counts as a "genre" film.

BTW even if the argument kind of make sense it isn't absolutly true. Many 3D movies were made in the seventies and it was the golden age of the cinema.

[Kathy]

I have no interest in 3D. I had eye surgery to get out of wearing glasses - nothing will make me wear another pair again.

[Jimmy]

I could be wrong but I was under the impression that you doesn't need glasses with a 3D TV

[hal9g]

Unfortunately, 3D glasses are required for 3D TV's.

I have not taken the plunge but have entertained the idea for my next large screen TV.  Right now I think I own two 3D Blu rays (no player or TV).

It is not a technology that I  will go out of my way to pursue, but when I buy new stuff, I will probably include it....just in case.