In case you’ve already bought into the whole 3D entertainment center thing and picked up a new HDTV and Blu-ray set that supports 3D video, you might want to enjoy those components for some in-your-face 3D gaming too. For $40, Nvidia’s new 3DTV Play software will let you connect your gaming PC to your 3DTV and enjoy them with a pair of 3D glasses for awesome immersive gaming on your big-screen.

Basically, this kit will give more bang for the buck for the 3DTV and glasses you just spent a lot on, letting you play games on your 3D home entertainment center instead of just being limited to whatever 3D BLu-ray title you can pick up. If you’re a PC gamer, this kit will let you skip on having to pick up Nvidia’s 3D Vision kit if you already have a high-end HDTV.

It’s a pretty simple process—as long as you have all the right stuff. The 3DTV Play kit is just the software that’ll allow you to transfer the 3D signals to your TV, but you’re still going to need the necessary hardware to make it happen. That means it’ll work on a Windows Vista/Win7-running desktop or notebook equipped with a 3D Vision-ready graphics processor connected to a 3DTV (via an HDMI cable) that you can play using your 3D glasses.

The software will support any 3D-enabled HDTV, including existing models from Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony, whatever 3D glasses kits designed to work with them, and hundreds of listed 3D PC game titles. It shouldn’t mess with an existing setup too, and will work with Blu-ray 3D and video-on-demand 3D movie streams.

The 3DTV Play software is set to sell for $40, but will be offered for free if you already own (or plan to buy) Nvidia’s 3D Vision kit.

The 3D-capable Samsung LED HDTV series, made up of the LED7000, LED8000, and flagship LED9000 (a.k.a. “the 0.3-inch HDTV that comes with the really awesome remote”), will start shipping by March… at least in the UK, according to the announcement made during Samsung’s 2010 Forum in Vienna.

The announcement also had Samsung assuring everyone that this 3D thing “won’t be just another fad,” with around 20 different products all lined up and ready to launch next month, and that 3D capabilities will be built into every high-end Samsung HDTV.

Of course, if you’re planning to pick up a 3D set when these HDTVs ship, you’re going to want three-dimensional stuff to watch. Samsung has been working with Dreamworks and sports broadcasters for content: Samsung will be bundling a 3D Blu-ray version of Aliens Vs Monsters with their 3D HDTVs, and the 2010 FIFA World Cup will also be broadcasting in 3D.

Pricing for the 3D HDTVs have not been announced, although Samsung did say that the price will be “very reasonable.” Nevertheless, don’t expect these sets to come cheap; they’re fairly large-screen TVs that range from 40 to 63-inchers packed with the latest tech, so the reasonable-ness of it all should be taken as a relative term—as in “they’re reasonably priced if you’re a relative of a sheikh.”

The Hunt for 3D Movies

Thankfully, the list of 3D HD titles isn’t limited to just Monsters Vs Aliens. Quite a few Blu-ray titles have already been released with 3D in mind. Here’s a short list (from Amazon) of what’s on tap for Blu-ray 3D:

• The Polar Express
• Coraline
• National Geographic: Sea Monsters – A Prehistoric Adventure
• My Bloody Valentine
• Friday the 13th: Part 3

Two more BD titles in 3D—Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience, and Hannah Montana’s Best of Both World’s Concert: The 3D Movie Extended Edition—are also listed as available on Amazon. They’re out there if you want to look for them, but in the interest of keeping it cool, we decided to stop with the links after the three-dimensional-ized Friday the 13th. You’re on your own with your hunt for the Jonas Brothers, buddy.

LG Display will begin production on 20-inch OLED (Organic LED) screens later this year, according to VP Won Kim. Usually found on high-end mobile phones, OLED technology allows for power efficient displays that are not only slim, but also brighter, and more vividly colored.

The company also plans to step up production on even larger screens, with plans to build 30-inch OLED TVs in 2011 and 40-inchers in 2012. “”They may be expensive, but it will be possible to buy a 40-inch class OLED TV in 2012,” Kim said.

Of course, “possible” is the operative word there, since like he said, OLED screens can get really pricey. A 15-inch OLED TV is already available in Korea, selling for the equivalent of $2,500—that’s money you can use to pick up a pre-owned 1989 BMW 535i posted on Yahoo Autos, or this ’99 Pontiac Grand Prix GT if you’re not into Euros—for an OLED screen the same size as your average mainstream laptop. Ouch.

Major League sports in HD 3D? That means halftime shows too. And timeouts. In high definition 3D. Sign us up.

The announcement describes an add-on to DirecTV’s subscription service (after installing a free software upgrade on existing set-top boxes) that gives clients three dedicated 3D channels. The new channels will play different programs from several networks (proposed programs will come from AEG, CBS, Golden Boy Promotions, HDNet, MTV, NBC, and Turner Broadcasting), as well as 3D broadcasts of Major League Baseball’s All-Star games. Major league all-star game + 3D = Oh yeah. We can’t wait (we’re going to have to though; DirecTV’s new 3D programming is expected out around June).

The announcement also included the launch of several new Blu-ray 3D players and Viera Plasma HDTVs with 3D support that span from 50-inchers (TC-P50VT20 and TC-P50VT25) to 65-inches (the TC-P65VT25). Panasonic also boasted that they’ve created a 152-inch 3D plasma screen (let’s just call it “God’s plasma set”) that features a 4096 x 2160 resolution… but we all zoned out after thinking about the potential of watching professional sports in high-definition 3D.

The LED9000's coolest feature? A remote that lets you watch TV on it.

The flagship LED9000 is a 55-incher that comes with an internet connection and support for DLNA networked devices, with tech that can convert 2D signals to 3D. It also has a control panel that opens up when it senses when you’re moving towards it, plus a remote that’s cooler than your favorite uncle (the one that never seemed to run out of weed).

The remote comes with touch-sensitive controls, plus an LCD screen that lets you watch TV on it—even when the TV itself is playing something else. Not only that, the remote also lets you watch something else. That means you can keep an eye on the kids while they watch Shrek in front of the TV, while you can be on the couch enjoying the All-Star game live—sort of like a picture-in-picture function in the palm of your hand. It’s like a portable multimedia device in your hands, and it comes with the TV.

Sharp will be putting out a new line of LED-backlit Aquos HDTVs later this year that’s based on what they call QuadPixel technology, which supposedly increases the number of individual colors on the screen from a billion to1 trillion colors.

Richer yellows, golds, and light blues? Big Bird in a Nuggets jersey should look awesome on these new TVs.

We know what you’re thinking, The new TV offers more colors. Big deal, right?  Before you leave and try to read something else, here’s the difference: The average TV uses three colors—red, blue, and green—on pixels that the set turns on and off to give you your colored picture of, say, Big Bird from Sesame Street. These new sets are said to give a fourth yellow subpixel (using RGBY pixels instead of the usual RGB, hence the “quad” in its name) to give richer yellows, golds and light blues to give you a more vividly-colored image of Big Bird (which would even be more apparent if Big Bird was wearing WWE’s heavyweight championship belt and Carmelo Anthony’s light blue Denver Nuggets jersey to get the whole improved color range in one shot—Sharp should get Big Bird to endorse this thing).

New set with QuadPixel tech will be available on several lines, including Sharp’s upcoming LE series, which will include 52-, 60-, and 68-inch screen sizes that feature a 1.6-inch shells and a fast 240Hz refresh rate. More affordable models (ranging from $1,800 to $4,000) for the LE820/810 series in 40-, 52-, and 60-inch screens will also be available, but with slower 120Hz panels will also be available.

The QuadPixel HDTVs are due out in May.

It’s still all about the video though; that 3.2GHz processor has been added to convert regular TV signals into stereoscopic 3D video via Toshiba’s TriVector tech, and upscale Internet video for playing on big, HD-quality screens. Aside from playing media straight off the net (from sites such as Netflix, Vudu, CinemaNow, YouTube, and Pandora), it can also pull media files from USB drives and—get this—a built in 1TB hard drive. Wireless connectivity is also available, with DLNA and WirelessHD support for pulling content from other DLNA devices as well as other WirelesHD kits.

As for the TV itself (you’d be forgiven if you forgot that yes, this is still a TV), the ZX900 will be built with Toshiba’s KIRA2 panel, which features a fast refresh rate (480Hz in 2D, 240Hz in 3D), 1000cd/m2 brightness, and a 9M:1 contrast ratio. Built-in sound will go through a soundbar fixed below the screen.

Exact pricing and availability is unknown, but Toshiba’s first Cell TVs will come in 55 and 65-inch sizes some time after the halfway point of 2010. If the concept of a 65-inch, 3D-capable HDTV with net connectivity and a hard drive, don’t get your hopes up–We’re expecting a sky-high price tag for this one; something that might cost you more than an arm and a leg.

The internet connection gives the set access to a number of streaming features that include Netflix and VUDU’s movie streaming services, the ever-important YouTube interface, and Skype’s just-announced 720p videocalling feature. This is where the remote—appropriately called the Magic Wand–comes in, acting like a wireless pointer to help users navigate the TV’s interface.

The display itself is built to offer a premium couch-potato experience, with a refresh rate that’s fast enough to support 3D video devices (which should cross into the mainstream within the next couple of years), and smart enough to adapt itself to the room for optimal viewing. Sensors detect ambient light levels in a room, allowing it to automatically tune the LED backlights and tweak the contrast.

Besides the letting it connect to the internet, the wireless connection on this set also lets it connect to wireless media streamers and receivers for a clean, uncluttered space without the cables.

At least two HDTV makers, LG and Panasonic, have said that they’ll be working to put out Skype-supporting TVs that’ll handle the new HD features. The new internet-capable TVs will come with 720p webcams, plus support for voice and video chats, along with the rest of Skype’s features.

Skype HDTVs… These things might be something you’d pick up for your office, although a webcam-packing TV might be too weird at home. The possibilities for highlight “YouTube” moments are endless though—imagine having to answer an urgent conference call during Naked Sundays.

The new beta Skype app is now available for download, while LG and Panasonic’s Skype TVs are expected later this year.

LG in Korea announced the world’s first commercial launch of 3D LCD panel boasting full HD resolution. Tagged as the LM230WF4, the 23-inch 3D monitor LCD panel comes with shutter glasses that delivers full HD resolution, and promises a picture quality that is almost twice as crisp as HD 3D displays currently available in the market.

The panel adopts the company’s proprietary technologies such as a high performance 3D controller capable of processing more than twice as much image data as other HD 3D LCDs and a copper bus line that works to improve the resolution and picture quality. In addition, the panel is able to reproduce both 2D and 3D images, meaning that users can switch back and forth from 2D and 3D modes for use with games and movies.
The 3D display market is expected to grow at rapid pace as the industry players are shifting their focus from two-dimensional to three-dimensional technologies. The Korea Communications Commission recently announced plans to start a trial service for the world’s first full HD 3D terrestrial broadcasting from the second half of 2010. A launch of trial services for 3D satellite broadcasts had been also announced earlier in Japan and the UK.