@Jason, I agree, that 3D will probably never be the primary way people watch TV, so if this one, with it’s easier entryway via cheap glasses, allows more people to experience 3D, then Yes, it think it’s a very good thing. And ultimately, I like this television a lot. My family was sorry to see it go.

On TV prices… do you happen to remember what a non-3D 720 50-inch LCD cost three or four years ago? Twice what a much better TV does now. Prices will come down, but any dealer will tell you that margins are already razor thin.

on exclusivity deals, a studio president who has an exclusive deal on 3D titles with another TV maker told me that they were well compensated—-meaning that the studio made more selling the discs directly to the TV manufacturer then they would by selling them themselves in the traditional manner.

The question of how important 3D is going to be is a good one, but I’m not sure if it’s really that meaningful.  3D as a technology is here to stay, and there’s enough potential for killer apps (sports and video games being two prime examples) that I’m sure it *will* find its place.  I’m certain that that place won’t be the primary way we watch TV and movies moving forward, and there’s a lot of rocky terrain between where we are now and calling 3D a success, but we’ll reach a sort of equilibrium eventually.

Products like this one will help to exert pricing pressure, which is a big deal.  The pricing just flat out needs to come down on this stuff.  They should be operating at razor thin margins (or maybe even a slight loss) to maximize affordability, and they should refuse all exclusivity deals in order to maximize content availability.  Instead they thought, stupidly, that the technology itself would be the main draw and built this whole premium pricing and content strategy around that which has mired them in weak demand and average sales.

If they never change their strategy, they’ll just continue plodding slowly towards the eventual inevitable state of acceptance and moderate use outside of niche importance.  If they reorganize around the realities of the market, they’ll get there a lot quicker and probably realize more gains in both the near and long term.

Hi Jim,
I’ve said similar things to people re: Mits DLPs before—on a dollar-per-inch basis, those sets rock.
As for the LG—really, it is a pretty decent 3D experience, and one I think most people will like a lot, provided the content is high quality. Once you pipe cable/vod into it, there’s just not enough resolution to make the soup.

Good Luck.

As an ex Mitsubishi employee calling on my accounts, I had the opportunity to see this 3-D format and found it immediately not acceptable in my eyes - for the very reasons mentioned. However, I question just how important 3-D is going to be in the market. I did not notice any great jumps in overall sales by ANY of my accounts nor did I speak with any ultimate consumers looking specifically for this feature during special sales events. Without question I still maintain that the Mitsubishi DLP sets had the most outstanding effect along with an appreciable picture size at a price point that was considerably less that competing flat panels. I just wish the message was communicated better, sooner. I am in the process of providing resumes…