Costco Connection - December 2010

BuyingSmart

Must-see
TVs
The latest in
high-tech viewing
for the holidays

Consumer reporter Pat Volchok gives a behind-the-scenes look at Costco products and services. Send your questions about this article to: buyingsmart@costco.com.

TV acronym
glossary

2D: two-dimensional

3D: three-dimensional

HDTV: high-definition television LCD: liquid crystal display LED: light-emitting diode

PC: personal computer

PS3: PlayStation 3

Wi-Fi: wireless networking technology

TIME TO DUST OFF the couch, Santa. Jaw-dropping televisions rule this holiday season. Here’s what’s hot.

3D comes (to the) home

These days, 3D technology is popping out of HDTVs at Costco warehouses and Costco.com.

According to Yoon Kim, Costco televi-
sion buyer, “3D HDTV is a more engaging,
lifelike home theater experience. You feel as if
you’re getting pulled into the action behind
the screen while objects come hurtling out.
It’s a wild ride.”
Gone are the dorky red-and-blue card-
board glasses. The new 3D home glasses are
liquid crystal, active shutter glasses. Some
have tiny batteries (like those found in wrist-
watches), while others are rechargeable. New
technologies may soon make it possible for
compatibility across brands, but for now your
3D glasses and 3DTV brand must match.

HDTVs with 3D also make regular 2D content look exceptional. And, yes, they can turn 2D content into 3D, though the effect isn’t as striking as with original 3D content.

What else do you need? Along with the TV and glasses, you’ll need access to 3D con-

tent. The options include 3D shows from your cable or satellite provider, streaming Internet, a 3D Blu-ray player or a PlayStation 3 (PS3), which is both a 3D-compatible game console and a Blu-ray player.

For those who keep a home video library, 3D Blu-ray players are a good choice, especially because they also play standard Blu-ray discs. PS3 systems offer a free firmware 3D update via the Internet for 3D Blu-rays and games. Look in the warehouses and online at Costco.com for 3D players, games, movies

But don’t worry that you’ll have to buy all these 3D devices separately. Several TV makers, such as Panasonic, Samsung and Sony (at warehouses and Costco.com), offer ensembles of 3D HDTVs with Blu-ray players and/or 3D accessory kits. The kits contain 3D glasses and at least one 3D Blu-ray movie, and can also be purchased separately if you desire additional glasses. Psst—the movie offered in these kits is often an exclusive initial release. For example, Panasonic has the sole rights to Avatar in 3D.