Pricing, Glasses Compatibility Issue Muddying 3D TV Picture
Many 3D glasses have taken a much-needed price plunge at retail, but it’s a confusing landscape of pricing and model options for consumers, we found Thursday in a scan of 3D glasses listings at Amazon. Glasses are listed according to TV model years for active glasses that have to be paired with a TV for the IR or Bluetooth signal, but even some passive glasses that don’t have to be paired with a passive TV were listed as compatible only with certain TVs.
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LG’s AG-F210 Cinema 3D Glasses were said to “work only with LG LW5600, LW5700 and LW6500 family of TVs,” an odd claim for a pair of passive 3D glasses, which are typically marketed to their compatibility with other TVs and movie screens. According to “Keith,” a member of the live chat support team at Crutchfield, “They should work with any passive system and you can use the same glasses from the theater with an LG TV. All the passive technology works the same way so there’s no reason they shouldn’t work,” he said. Live chat support member “Stephanie” from LG told us, “Yes, it does,” when we asked about the glasses’ compatibility with all passive TVs and movie theaters.
Among active glasses, Samsung’s SSG-3100GB model for its 2011 TVs have been more than halved in price at Amazon from $169 to $59.49, as 2012 models with far cheaper glasses get ready to hit stores. But the same SSG-3100GB active-shutter glasses are listed at the Samsung site for $29.99, we found. Last April, Samsung announced that beginning May 1, two pairs of the model SSG-3100GB glasses would be included for free with every 2011 3D TV sold. The company said at the time that the price of those glasses would be dropped to $50 each, $9.49 cheaper than the current Amazon price. A pair of Samsung SSG-3050GB active glasses had a $22.78 price tag.
Meanwhile, Sony TDG-BR250/B active 3D glasses, a rechargeable model, retained an $88.77 price, we found, while Panasonic TY-EW3D3MU active-shutter 3D glasses for plasma TVs commanded a minimum price of $127.95. Sharp active-shutter glasses were shaved $24 to $75.89, while Sony’s Sony TDG-BR50/L, a blue pair for youth with a wide-angle feature for off-axis viewing, was selling for $37.07, we found. Rechargeable Samsung SSG-2200AR adult 3D glasses started at $39.99, with refurbished models starting at $43.29. Xpand X-103 universal active 3D glasses were discounted to $65.63 from $99.
Passive glasses, meanwhile, already less expensive than their active counterparts, have also undergone discounting, we found. A family pack of six LG passive glasses sold for $34.69 at Amazon but for far more at Abt Electronics ($134) and Overstock.com ($149). Clip-on LG glasses for passive TVs were $28.88.