Sceptre Galaxy Series Polarized 3D HDTV First Look

Let's be honest, no one really likes the shutter glasses for 3D. Sure, manufacturers love them because they require very little changes to the hardware of their displays but consumers certainly don't. They are active, which means powered, which also means expensive, which also means they won't always work, which also means they are heavy... the list goes on. Polarized glasses are more in use in the theaters and are passive. That means they are light, they don't require a battery or a charge, and they always work. Plus, they are cheaper for consumers to buy. With manufacturers including only one or two pairs with their displays, active glasses can at $150 plus per pair. That's a huge expense especially since most active glasses work only with one manufacturer's display. If you want to have people over for the big game, they better all have the same 3D TVs (or at least from the same manufacturer) or you're looking at a huge expenditure for extra glasses. Of course you could watch the game in 2D but then no one would come. They can do that a home.

CES 2011 has been full of 3D and polarized 3D home solutions have been all the craze. While this is a very new technology for the home, it isn't all that new overall. But it does represent an advancement in 3D for the home. Part of the problems people have with active glasses is the flicker effect you can get. With polarized glasses, you don't have to worry about that. Plus, the glasses your kid swiped from the theater might actually work in the home. While we're not advocating that, you know the theaters didn't pay $100+ per pair for those glasses. With passive glasses you could invite the entire family (and most of your neighbors) over for your super bowl party and not worry about the added expense of the glasses. There are sure to be cheap, throw-away models on the market.

Sceptre is making their foray into the polarized glasses market with their new line of 3D HD TVs. The Galaxy Series of displays mostly use LED lighting. The top of the line 65" LED E650BV-F12D runs in at a penny under $5k. For $1500 less, you can have the straight LCD X650BV-F12D. Both feature 5 HDMI inputs, a USB input, 120Hz refresh, and 1080P. The big difference is the size. The LED model 1.25" at the thinnest and 2.5" at the thickest while the LCD model is 2.5" and 4" respectively. All the rest of the specifications are identical. It is unclear if they are using edge lit or local dimming (that usually means the less desirable but considerably thinner edge lit). The size difference is considerable, however. The question is whether consumers will see the LED option as cost effective for and extra $1500.

The rest of the line is all LED lit and includes the 32" E320BV-FHDD, 40" E400BV-FHDD, 42" E420BV-FHDD, 46" E460BV-FHDD, and 55" E550BV-F12D. The 32" clocks in at $599 with the 55" at $1499. We think that 55" looks like a pretty good deal at that price. Depending on the performance, of course. Spec-wise, they look decent with 1080p resolution, 3 HDMI ports, one USB port and a removable neck and base (something you don't know you need until you try to mount a display and realize you need a hacksaw to get the neck off). No mention of 120Hz processing which means these are probably relegated to 60Hz.

What consumers should really take note of, however, is the number of glasses included. With the 65" models, you get four. That's right, four. All the other models come with two. But manufacturers pumping out active glasses are barely able to include one (and maybe two) with some not including any. That should give consumers some sort of indication as to how expensive the glasses are. When manufacturers can include enough glasses for a family of four to actually enjoy a 3D movie out of the box without having to purchase $300 to $600 worth of glasses, that's huge. Unsurprisingly, it's actually what consumers expect.

Conclusion

Sure, polarized glasses are not a new technology in the grand scheme of things but they are new for the home. Manufacturers are just starting to put out displays that can utilize the technology. Does this mean it's still a bit beta? Probably. But all reports from CES 2011 indicate that the polarized displays were hands-down better than the active shutter sets. Unproven or no, that's some pretty compelling evidence. The top of the line Sceptre Galaxy sets are a bit pricy but considering just five to seven years ago flat panel displays commanded the same price with nothing more than HD, it isn't that bad. The smaller sets look to be an even better value. We look forward to getting our hands on some of the Sceptre sets to see how well their LED lighting performs. At these prices, they look to be a very nice solution for a second display. If the big 65" models perform well, they might even be recommended for the main theater.

For more information, please visit www.sceptre.com.

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