Besides the lack of content, the other major hurdle that’s preventing 3D video from mass adoption has been the high prices of the displays.

Samsung is going to break the high-price ceiling of the format when it begins shipping a 3D television for less than $1,000.

Samsung will introduce a $989 50-inch 3D-ready high-definition television (HDTV) that consumers can already pre-order on Amazon.

The Samsung PN50C490 is expected to have a resolution of 1365 x 768, and three HDMI v1.4 inputs, a single USB port, two component video inputs with left/right analog audio and a shared composite/PC (RGB) and PC audio/RF input.

The one caveat with the Energy Star-certified 3D television is that there are no active-shutter glasses included with it. With an average price of approximately $150 per set, a family of four should expect the additional cost of entry into the world of 3D to rise by about $600 before the purchase of a 3D-capable Blu-ray player.

That’s still a relative bargain.

Consumers can pre-order this $989 3D Samsung TV on Amazon.com.

Robert Archer - Senior Editor, CE Pro

Bob is a dedicated audiophile who has been writing about A/V for Electronic House sister publication CE Pro since 2000.