While many TVs released between 2010 and 2015 supported 3D, using the feature required clearing a number of annoying obstacles. You had to buy 3D glasses that cost between $10 and $20 for passive frames and over $50 for active glasses that required constant charging. You needed to make sure your Blu-ray player supports 3D discs. I you had to pay for those 3D Blu-rays, assuming you could find them in stock.
For niche media geeks who have cleared these hurdles, 3D Blu-ray has done a decent job of replicating the theatrical 3D experience. But the results are highly dependent on the size and viewing distance of your TV. If you’re too far away from a 42-inch or even a 50-inch set, you won’t really be immersed in Avatars the world of pandora. It was also annoying if you wanted to have a 3D watch party with a crowd – you either had to buy a bunch of extra glasses or hope your nerdy friends had their own.
Worst of all, 3D TVs with passive glasses actually halved the 1080p resolution because they had to render a separate image. High-end 3D projectors and TVs avoided this problem because they relied on active glasses, but the cost and battery limitations of those frames made viewing parties all but impossible.
Besides 3D Blu-ray, it was also hard to find much 3D content. Networks such as the BBC and ESPN broadcast several 3D shows and games, but both dropped the format in 2013. “I’ve never seen a huge appetite for 3D TV in the UK,” said Kim Shillinglove, the BBC’s head of 3D, in a 2013 interview. Radio Times (through The Independent). “Watching 3D at home is quite a troublesome experience. You have to find your glasses before you turn on the TV. I think people concentrate differently when they’re watching TV. When people go to the cinema, they go and are used to doing one thing. I think that’s one of the reasons 3D TV is disappointing.”
As the hype around 3D TVs died down, 4K sets with HDR began to appear with more immediate benefits. They looked noticeably sharper and brighter than previous high-definition TVs, and were supported by a ton of 4K content from Netflix and other streaming services. There was no need to buy a Blu-ray player, wear glasses and search for special content. No wonder 4K has taken off. (And even if you’re not watching 4K content, these new TVs make your old SD and HD shows look better than ever.)
According to a recent study by Precision Reportsabout 25 percent of households with 3D TVs actually used the technology during the peak period from 2010 to 2018. Less than 10 percent of households continued to use the technology after three years. The same report also showed that 65 percent of users stopped using 3D because of a lack of content, 50 percent reported discomfort during long viewing sessions and 42 percent gave up because of the high cost of the equipment.
Despite the many challenges, Precision Reports also predicts that the 3D TV category will grow by 15 percent through 2036 thanks to the increase in glasses-free 3D devices, commercial implementations and gaming. Personally, I’ve yet to be impressed with glasses-free 3D TVs, and they usually don’t support multiple viewers as they rely on complex eye tracking to function.
