For its annual December electronics issue,
Consumer Reports evaluated 14 3D TV models, in its first-ever ranking of 3D performance. Using exclusive 3D test patterns developed in-house, as well as 3D Blu-ray movies and recorded 3D sports broadcasts, the magazine's engineers found that plasma TVs are better at displaying 3D images than LCD sets, primarily because they exhibit less ghosting (technically termed "crosstalk"), or double images that appear even when wearing 3D glasses.
Consumer Reports found that attributes that affect regular picture quality also affect 3D, including black level, brightness, image detail, and viewing angle. Ghosting also plays a big part in 3D quality.
Three plasma models from Panasonic showed the best 3D picture quality and the least ghosting of all the sets tested, followed by LG and Samsung plasmas. Sony's LCD TVs came closest to the plasmas: ghosting was minimal, but only when the viewer's head was kept level; ghosting became severe when the viewer's head was titled even slightly. On the LG and Samsung LCD TVs, images had satisfying three-dimensional depth, but ghosting, which was significant in a wide variety of content, was distracting when apparent.
All the tested 3D TVs, with one exception, performed very well with regular 2D programs.
"It remains to be seen whether 3D TV is just a novelty or a new product category in the consumer electronics space," said Paul Reynolds, electronics editor for
Consumer Reports. "But, our tests show that there are some fine 3D TV sets out there for those consumers eager for a new experience."
The magazine also lists four "things to consider before buying a 3D TV": the need for glasses; the fact that 3D may be unsuitable for some people; the scarcity of content; and whether it is better to buy now or wait.
The report appears in the December Annual Electronics issue and online at
consumerreports.org (subscribers only).