3D glasses work in much the same way as the human eye, so you actually get two different images through the glasses. In order to grasp the depth of an image our eyes need to see things from two perspectives. 3D glasses work in a way that is compatible with our eyes and basically turns a flat image into one that has depth. Many films have been made with 3D in mind such as Avatar and the new Harry Potter film.

While most manufacturers will be working with the use of special glasses, Panasonic, Toshiba and Sony say that people viewing on their sets will be able to do so without the glasses. These companies have made some heavy investment in television that has a 3D functionality. A favourite means of introducing this functionality is the adaptation of existing LCD sets to deal with a three dimensional function. Panasonic are launching their latest VT25 screens, as they alone are saying that the best television sets for 3D enabling, are the plasma sets.

The Panasonic 3D set will be attached to a Blue-ray player, which will be the actual source of the 3D and will be used with special shutter glasses. Already, this method, along with Panasonic’s TC-PVT25 plasma 3D television, has been on display in Las Vegas. Panasonic technicians argue that plasma should be the preferred medium for 3D television because of the deep blackness of plasma screens.

Sony are talking about the, as yet to be launched, five foot wide LCD TV, its LED back lighting and an integrated three dimensional function, again users will need a Blue-ray 3D disc as the source. Viewers who do not have Blue-ray, but who have the Play Station 3 D games console, will be able to receive their 3D through that. Toshiba are betting on their Tri-Vector converted from 2 to 3D via Cell technology. This particular technology is meant to analyse the picture frames so that it can make a prediction as to each frame’s field depth. The company have undertaken dry runs with viewers using active shutter glasses for the 3D effect, and this has, reputedly, been very effective.

Sony have said that their smaller 46 and 52 inch LCD televisions will also have an integrated 3D function with high definition screens and LCD backlighting as well as function for reducing image blur. Samsung’s 900 is similar to the Cell technology that Toshiba are using to convert flat images into 3D ones. Manufacturers say that the set works with a range of 3D enablers, including those with full high definition resolution and being associated with Blue-ray Discs.

Once all the correct cables were attached it was time to test the performance. I pressed the power button on the remote control and quickly went through the initial set up. I have experienced in the past lengthy and painful initial sets ups; however this set up was extremely easy and required less than 2 minutes to complete.

The first test for the television was an action movie in high definition on one of the premium movie channels. It passed the test with flying colours; by delivering a wonderful picture and crisp surround sound quality audio.

The second test was an international football game on one of the non high definition channels.  The colour delivered was unbelievable and the sound continued to be impressive. The brilliant green grass and clear cheers from the crowd put me right in the middle of the action.

The final performance test for the television was the test of the gaming system. Again the Philips television passed with high marks. This remarkable product continued to obtain its picture and sound integrity.

The Philips (50PFP532D) television continues to perform and I continue to be pleased with the purchase I made 8 months ago. I own another higher priced plasma television by another manufacture and this product out performs it. The overall quality of the product is worth much more than its price tag.

My previous TV, inherited from a friend, had begun placing a green translucent blob over the faces of my favourite characters in Eastenders I am assuming this is its death song. Regardless, I’ve been lured by the call of plasma and HD and Freeview.

What I stumbled across in my research is the Panasonic TX-P37X10B 37-inch Widescreen HD Ready Plasma TV with Freeview.  It contains all the things I long for in its name alone. I have had excellent luck with Panasonic products in the past, even my first trusty stereo was a Panasonic tabletop. The speakers put a technophile friend’s Kenwood to shame. Currently, I own both a Panasonic DVD player and a Panasonic VHS player that are several years old and have always worked perfectly.

The object of my affections at this moment, the Panasonic TX-P37X10B 37-inch Widescreen HD Ready Plasma TV with Freeview, in spite of its intimidating title, is a perfect fit for me.  It’s part of the Panasonic Viera line which is known for its picture quality.

According to the manufacturer, it is equipped with 100hz technology which doubles the output frame rate, making moving images smoother for the human eye. As a plasma television, its pixel response time is .001 milliseconds (apparently that is perfect for gaming) and it displays vibrant natural colours because of its complex pixel structure. Add to these visual assets V-audio surround sound and you have a winner in viewing experience.

Pixels and sound systems, while important, are only part of the package for me. I have two questions that need to be answered before bringing anything that requires electricity into my house, how easy is it to use and will it withstand my life?  As I have kids and pets!

Am I bringing an electronic hothouse orchid into my living room that will take me hours to set up, re-set, plug in, program, etc? The answer to these questions with the Panasonic TX-P37X10B is no. All Panasonic Viera TV’s are protected by glass that is impact resistant up to four joules.  My daughter can get overly excited with her Wii and the TV will live to tell the tale. And, the Viera has only one remote that controls everything from the DVD to a camcorder, better than the 4 I had to use previously, all round this is an excellent TV.

LG50PQ3000

Among quality plasma and LCD TV manufacturers, a few brand names immediately emerge at the front of the pack, namely, JVC, LG, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sony, and Sharp (in no particular order). Top brand maker LG’s 50PQ3000 50-inch HD Ready Plasma TV with built-in Freeview has only been available since March 2009.

Even so, ratings on websites from sellers who have reviewed this advanced technology have been promising, as its sleek design, and high-tech digital Freeview features have readily won fans over. HDTV-ready, this plasma model comes equipped with HDMI capability (for digital video and audio connectivity), contrast ratio/dynamic contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1, SRS TruSurround XT technology, your standard analogue and digital tuners, audio timer and remote features, and 1365 x 768 resolution on a 50-inch screen. It has a life expectancy of 100,000 hours, and a price starting at about £650.

Comparative to its more progressive (and more expensive) counterpart, the widescreen TV, the 50PQ3000 has a standard screen viewing aspect ratio of 4:3, meaning that it is much like your standard, older and more square model in shape, but it makes up for ratio with clear, crisp 720p picture resolution, which is a progressive-scan format that delivers smoother images while the objects are in motion. Additionally, sound delivery is through two (2) 10-watt sound channels that deliver respectable stereo power for your listening pleasure. HDMI capability ensures adaptability for gaming, and video imaging and audio inputs.

Also, whereas LCD technology has high brightness, and no “burn-in” [of images into the screen], the 50PQ3000 has the wider viewing angle of the two options, and “burn-in” is only on the rare occasion where an image has been frozen for extended periods of time.

Overall, for the individual shopping to update his or her television technology, and preferring a 4:3 aspect ratio viewing (as opposed to the often distorted-looking widescreen viewing experience) on a large 50” screen with great resolution and high-quality stereo surround sound technology, the 50PQ3000 50-incl HD Ready Plasma is a price-value compared to 47” screen LCD HD widescreen, which often offer poor motion resolution and comparatively lower contrast ratios than plasmas.

The fifty inches of screen space allows you to completely immerse yourself in an aquatic underworld or just kick back and watch the football with friends. If you have young kids, their favourite characters become life size right before their eyes. This mammoth of a TV has the equipment that allows it to process and display high definition signals meaning you see a clearer, higher resolution picture.

This outstanding TV comes equipped with FilterBright Technology so that the resolution doesn’t go unnoticed when lights start glaring back off the screen. FilterBright blocks light reflection while boosting internal light to give you 50% more contrast brightness so you can watch scary films during the day.

Not only will your viewing experience be unhindered by poor picture quality and glare, but it will be skip free. This TV runs at the speed of 200 Hz where conventional TV’s only run at 50 Hz.  Because of this impeccable speed, Samsung put in something called Motion Plus. This ingenious asset creates and inserts extra frames between the existing frames resulting in a seamless action scene or ball game without any blurring.

If you are more of a doer than a watcher you need not worry, with Samsungs Series 4 DPD a whole new powerful network is available at your fingertips. Series 4 is equipped with 3 HDMI that allows you to hook up the latest game system to your TV and still see the highest resolution images out there. Not only that but this plasma TV incorporates 3D Image Display Technology. The awesome 3D effect will make you feel as though you are fighting right alongside your favourite characters.

Now there is one thing you are still worried about even with the stunning images and your own personal multimedia hub. What shows are you going to watch, well you don’t need to worry any longer because Samsung has included Freeview.

Freeview is a simple way to receive up to 30 free digital TV channels. There is no monthly fee or never-ending contract, just buy the TV and you get the 30 channels, free, for ever.

Forget the high ticket prices at the cinema. Instead, gather the family in your own home, and treat your eyes to the best picture quality a TV can offer.

This Kuro (the Japanese word for black) is the result of 10 years of research and development by Pioneer.  The company says its secret is the generation of deeper blacks, as much as 80 percent deeper than other systems. Whatever the cause, the result is breathtaking; on your screen magically appear the purest, richest colours in amazing detail. Reds and greens are especially vivid.

The original goal, according to Pioneer, was to devise a flat-screen TV with the best possible picture quality for film in order to appeal to movie lovers. They certainly have succeeded, as the experience of viewing a Hollywood production on the Kuro is the next best thing out there to the silver screen itself.

Actually, a portion of that credit may belong to the audio system, which includes a Bass Boost feature that enhances the sensation of being in a cinema with its rich audio texture and an effective noise-reduction system.

It’s the colours on the screen, however, that are the real triumph here. Pioneer says the Kuro system captures every hue between black and white that the human eye can distinguish. You will also love the impressive Intelligent Brightness control, which automatically adjusts screen brightness to ambient room lighting conditions, which are subject to change over time.

There are other reasons to applaud the Kuro, such as built-in USB capability to support viewing other digital images and photos from a memory stick or card reader.  That’s not to mention three HDMI inputs, flicker reduction, an energy-saver mode, and, of course, multi-screen options including picture-in-picture and split-screen views.  But these are just more icing on an already great cake.

All of these features make for a viewing experience second to none. Based on what we have seen, the Kuro should be called “black magic.” And once again, Pioneer continues to live up to its name as a technology trailblazer.

One of this television’s most impressive features is its long life expectancy. Its plasma panel is guaranteed to last at least 100,000 hours, which totals approximately 30 years of regular television viewing or 11 years of non-stop usage before the brightness of the display fades by half.

Thanks to the Panasonic’s unique panel production process, the picture contrast is also phenomenal. Panasonic’s Real Black system produces crisp blacks with superb contrast. This means that colours are more expressive, and darks have clearer resolution than other competitors’ models. Panasonic also uses next-generation xvYCC colour space which supports almost two times as many colours as existing high definition television signals.

This model’s pixel resolution is also 1024 x 768 pixels. The higher the pixel resolution, the sharper and clearer images appear on-screen. So whether you are gaming, watching fast-paced sporting events, or enjoying blockbuster-action movies, you’ll always get the clearest shots with the most definition. The unit is even conveniently mounted on a pedestal stand for easy movement to line up exactly with your seating positions.

The Panasonic TH-42PZ80B also arrives HD-ready, and it is compatible with many home theatre systems including Onkyo and Yamaha. HDMI cables also make it easy to connect with your DVD recorder, Blu-Ray disc player, video camera, and laptop. This variety ensures that you’ll be relaxing and enjoying theatre-quality viewing from the comfort of your own home faster than you ever imagined possible.

One of the Panasonic TH-42PZ80B’s additional attributes is its easy-to-navigate menu system. The fonts on the menus are crisp, and the options are organised logically so it is easy to locate desired features. A universal remote control is also included, and you can use this same remote to operate your new TV as well as your other electronics.

Additional features include:

• Integrated Freview ReceiverPC input
• 100 Hz dual screen
• Desktop stand included
• Child lock
• Headphone socket
• Sleep timer

The main reason behind my decision was that this particular model stands out in the plasma television market as something that no other TV can claim it has done with any of its models. The LG 32PG6000 32″ Plasma TV is in fact a plasma TV in the middle range of sizes, between 32” and 42”, which is pretty unheard of in today’s market.

Anyone that has done the slightest bit of research knows that plasma TVs have the best colour range and contrast ratio due to their capability to be able to show what is known as “true black.”  This was why I wanted to go the plasma route.

I needed something that would let me watch the sports in HD while I wasn’t in the living room and would also let me hook up more than one HDMI connection to it.

Most of the smaller HDTV’s don’t have enough HD connections, but I needed to be able to hook up my cable, my XBOX and my Blu-Ray Player. I was glad to see that the LG 32PG6000 32″ Plasma TV had 4 HDMI ports; another check mark for this one.

Another feature I knew I needed was thing I needed was high quality integrated sound, because I knew I was never going to hook up a surround system to this one.  I was a little worried about this because the TV is smaller than most, but when I turned it about halfway up the sound was booming out of the sleek speakers.

Usually when I buy such a high priced item I question myself at least once afterwards, but not with this one. I can honestly say with 100% confidence that I found exactly what I was looking for in the LG 32PG6000 32″ Plasma TV.