Which 3D TV should I buy? Roundup

While it's caused a bit of a stir of late, it's still too early to say the 3D craze has taken a hold just yet. But the number of TVs and content available is slowly growing.

If you've a spare AU$800 for glasses this could be you! (Credit: Sony Australia)

On the broadcast side, the government has released spectrum that is currently used for loops of the World Cup and State of Origin (channel 40 if you're in Sydney). While some TVs ship with 3D discs there is still a dearth of movies available. This has been alleviated somewhat with the release of Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs last week and the pending release of Open Season and Monster House. Sadly, we'll have to wait till next year for premium titles like Alice in Wonderland and Avatar.

If you're looking to buy a TV now then choosing a 3D model will allow some degree of future-proofing. Just be aware that you'll need to buy glasses that cost between AU$100 and AU$200 each, and in the case of the Sony HX800 you'll need to buy a 3D receiver as well.

Of this crop, we'd plump for the all-rounder HX800, because even after adding the receiver and glasses it's still an excellent deal. Buy one of the bigger models such as the 46- or 50-inch if you can afford it, as the 3D experience will be that much more immersive.

The Panasonic VT20 is also a great all-rounder but the 3D isn't quite as good as Sony's system. The Sony LX900 is a pretty good buy — but huge — and the Samsung is good at everything else but 3D. Too much eye-straining cross-talk to fully recommend as a full-time 3D TV.

While we've yet to review the LG LX9500, we have seen several demos and think it's another promising all-rounder. Look out for our full review soon.

Incidentally, LG also makes the best 3D we've seen yet — a passive model that eliminates crosstalk altogether — but while it's been released in the UK sadly it won't be coming to Australia, at least this year.

We'll continue adding TVs to this list as more become available. In the next few years we can see 3D becoming as ubiquitous as teletext. Oops, bad example. As common as 1080p, then. Not everyone will take advantage of it, but it will always be there.

If you're interested in finding out more about the technology visit our guide: 3D TV, everything you need to know.