3-D TV will be worth the expense

Q How much do you think 3-D TVs will sell for when they are introduced? Will you be buying a 3-D TV?

N. LEIGH, Edina

A At the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and at CEATEC 2009 (Japan's CES, held in October), I met privately with industry executives and received preliminary, but confidential, pricing information. I don't think manufacturers are playing coy so much as wanting to keep some flexibility in case of currency fluctuations.

I can say that the premium is not expected to be more than 30 percent more than a top-quality TV of a similar size and that you will receive at least one pair of 3-D glasses with it. So, if you were considering a 42-inch HDTV selling for $1,200, a 3-D version with a pair of glasses would run about $1,500.

My impression was that the electronics companies won't price themselves out of the market and are going to be as aggressive as they can in keeping 3-D affordable. The industry has a lot invested in the technology and wants it to be successful.

Glasses should list for less than $100 a pair.

As for 3-D Blu-ray players, they are available now. Sony has the BDP-S470 at $200, which is not much more than an ordinary Blu-ray player. If you have a Sony PlayStation 3, you are in luck. Sony has announced that an upcoming firmware update will make the PS3 a 3-D Blu-ray player as well as a 3-D gaming machine. That's even more of a reason the PS3 belongs on your short list if you are shopping for a Blu-ray player.

I plan on buying a 3-D setup as soon as it is available. I'll never forget the demos I saw in Japan and at CES. As I watched the Olympics, I craved the realism of well-done 3-D rendered in 1,080p resolution. When demos are available in stores, you will see what I am talking about.

Wait for Dreamer BluTV Q Having read your column about Dreamer BluTV, I checked out its website. Other than being able to sign up for future media from Dreamer, I was unable to ascertain how to obtain the disc "that would work with your player's Web connection." Can you provide further insight?

PAT DAGNAULT, MINNEAPOLIS

A Dreamer BluTV is not slated to launch until later this year. I've been told the discs will be available from a variety of sources. They won't be as ubiquitous as the AOL discs used to be, but you should not have any problem getting a disc. I will provide updates as information on the Dreamer BluTV launch becomes available.