Reader mail: Should I wait for a 3-D-capable HDTV?

A reader asks: Will I miss out on 3-D movies and games if I buy an HDTV right now?

Matt writes:

I had a question I was hoping you might be able to provide some insight to in a future blog post. I'm planning on buying a new TV in the next couple of months (probably a 50-inch Panasonic plasma) and my problem is I don't wanna spend all this money and then months later have 3-D games or movies become the new big thing. I know Sony has already demoed games in 3-D and I've heard rumors about Microsoft as well, and since this technology, glasses and all, sounds awesome I don't wanna miss out. Do you recommend holding off on the purchase or are their any really good 3D capable TVs out there now? It's not really a feature I've seen manufacturers advertise. Anyway thanks for your time.

Matt, I've got good news and bad news. The good news: There are, indeed, plenty of HDTVs and computer monitors on sale now that support 3-D using high-quality LCD "shutter" glasses (versus the old-style 3-D glasses with red-and-blue lenses), and you can find an updated list of makes and models right here. (Samsung and Mitsubishi appear to be the two brands with the most 3-D DLP models, and they're not any pricier than conventional sets.) There are also hundreds of PC games available in 3-D, provided you have the right drivers and hardware installed on your system; Nvidia has a "3D Vision" kit with the proper LCD glasses and software.

The bad news? There's still no solid standard for 3-D home-video delivery, a problems that's holding up the development of true, 3-D-capable Blu-ray players, not to mention gaming consoles. (There are 3-D Blu-ray and DVD movies on sale, but they use the old-school, low-quality red-and-blue glasses.) That said, Panasonic has been lobbying hard for an industry-wide 3-D format (indeed, it's waiting to build its own 3-D HDTVs until a standard has been established), and the Blu-ray Disc Association just established a 3-D task force in May.

OK, so when will we have a 3-D home video standard? Panasonic seems to think it'll happen this year, and it's looking to ship its own 3-D sets in 2010. But getting competing home-video manufacturers to agree on anything (like, oh, that whole Blu-ray versus HD DVD thing) can be a torturous process.

So, is it safe to go ahead and buy, say, a Samsung or Mitsubishi 3-D HDTV? It's a tough call. There's no reason to think that the eventual 3-D standard for home video would ignore existing 3-D-ready DLP sets on the market, but you never know. Panasonic, for example, is waiting it out, so if you're thinking of buying a Panny HDTV (and I hear great things about their displays), you might want to cool your heels for a few more months.