Last October, I had the chance to spend a week with the Panasonic 85" TH-85VX200 3D plasma and decided that if someone would take my vital organs in trade, I'd die happy watching that $40,000 display. It is a reference quality display that can be calibrated down to the last pixel and is the best 3D panel I've ever seen -- but it is still $40,000. 40,000 sounds about right; that's how many nights I would be sleeping alone if I took out a loan to buy one. LG jumped on the mega-size 3D bandwagon when they introduced the 72-inch LZ-9700, and Sharp has also recently "gone big" with their 70-inch AQUOS. But these just don't seem as impressive anymore with the brand new 75-inch Samsung D9500 3D LED LCD HDTV that may be just around the corner.
Samsung showed a prototype of this display at CES, but at the time it looked like the behemoth may have been destined for Korean customers only. Samsung demonstrated their 70-inch 'Ultra Definition' 3D panel last November; which has a staggering resolution of 3,840 x 2,160, but that panel isn't going to be available for Asian or American consumers anytime soon; certainly not in 2011.
While a date has not been finalized, unconfirmed reports state that the D9500 may be available in the United States in August for...$13,000. Choke. Cough. Call 911. For $13,000, Samsung will be including 4 pairs of their active shutter glasses -- which recently became far more affordable. A 75-inch screen is still not going to recreate the theater-like experience that a 100" screen/projector combination can provide (and for a lot less money depending on the projector), but it is certainly large enough to sell consumers on 3D; and a lot less expensive than the 85" monster from Panasonic.
The D9500 features Samsung's Smart Hub and comes with an ingenious QWERTY remote that looked rather impressive at the recent Samsung product showcase held in Manhattan. The set will feature Samsung's App market and include Netflix, VUDU, Amazon, Hulu Plus, Pandora, and many others.
We really liked the Samsung PNC8000 3D Plasma we reviewed and applaud the Korean manufacturer for supporting active shutter technology which we still feel is the way to go at this time for 3D in the home if full high definition HD is important to you.
A $13,000 HDTV in a fragile economy where consumers are keeping their wallets buried in their pockets certainly sounds like a risky venture, but Americans love big TVs and we suspect that more than a few will jump at the chance to own such a large set. It will be at least 6 months before the guy down the street gets an 82" model.
Samsung is making these featherweight glasses much more affordable.
Thanks to engadget for the tip.
For more information:
Buy a Samsung 3D HDTV
