3D Smart Tv help!!! questions...

monsta2005

My brother has bought me a 3D Smart Toshiba TV (its still boxed, unopened at moment, until the stand is assembled). He probably got this at a bargain price, cause he had a number of friends who work in electricals. So I know he hasnt paid a huge amount more for it being 3D than he would have for a normal Lcd. Anyway, is there no content at all currently available in 3D? I was considering investing in a pair of Toshiba 3D active glasses needed but at £70 I was thinking whether its worth it? Would it be better to purchase a universal pair of 3D glasses (available of Ebay for £35)? With regards to the smart function, what caution do I need to take? Im a bit worried about my current internet connection (Virgin Medium broadband) and whether streaming would be an issue if I purchased the dongle? (though I stream all the time on my laptop without too many issues). Would I exceed/infringe Virgins fair use policy?
Sorry if my questions sound daft...Any help is hugely appreciated especially from those with personal experience with my queries. Thanks x

penrhyn

3D is a passing fad, it was in the 50s' and it is now. Sky have one 3D channel thats available to Sky World customers with HD. The BBC will be showing the opening ceremony of the Olympic bun fight in 3D, apart from that you need a 3D Blu ray player.

fiddiwebb

There is hardly any 3D content on TV apart from what penrhyn has mentioned, you can of course play 3D blu ray discs (using a 3D enabled blu ray player) also some games are available in 3D.

If you already stream using your laptop then using your smart tv should not be a problem, just be aware though if you stream HD content that will use a lot of your usage.

As to 3D glasses I suppose you will have to use the one's recomended for the Toshiba or find suitable alternatives that would work, have a look at AVforums for more info.

I was going to connect my new TV up with a wifi dongle (my modem/router in bedroom and tv in living room) but decided against it due to cost of the branded ones and some issues with the alternative wifi dongles, I ended up using home plugs (£35.99) which use your electrical wiring in your house for a connection, it is the next best thing to a hard wired connection but without the cables trailing all over the place.

If your TV is located next to your modem/router then just use a hard wired connection (ethernet cable) which would be the cheapest and give the best connection.

home_alone

John Lewis in Cardiff told me that the majority of TVs they sell now have the 3D capability, I bought one at Xmas not for the 3D but if its there I might pay the £240 for the Sony active glasses, not.

fiddiwebb

home_alone wrote: »

John Lewis in Cardiff told me that the majority of TVs they sell now have the 3D capability, I bought one at Xmas not for the 3D but if its there I might pay the £240 for the Sony active glasses, not.

Same here, I bought a Panasonic 3D TV not that I intend to use 3D (I didn't get the glasses with it and wont do because of the price) but because it uses a neoplasma screen which gives better picture quality.

monsta2005

Thanks for the replies.Ok so assume in my case (have sky downstairs, not the HD package and no blu ray player, no plans to get one), no point getting the glasses. As I said my brother has not overpaid for the TV for sure, so am not too concerned.

Can somebody please answer my concerns over the 'Smart' functions of the TV?

custardy

penrhyn wrote: »

3D is a passing fad, it was in the 50s' and it is now. Sky have one 3D channel thats available to Sky World customers with HD. The BBC will be showing the opening ceremony of the Olympic bun fight in 3D, apart from that you need a 3D Blu ray player.

I wouldn't say a passing fad. more a technology waiting to flourish
if they can make large screens that don't need glasses and have decent viewing angles,then it would work for me

monsta2005

fiddiwebb wrote: »

There is hardly any 3D content on TV apart from what penrhyn has mentioned, you can of course play 3D blu ray discs (using a 3D enabled blu ray player) also some games are available in 3D.

If you already stream using your laptop then using your smart tv should not be a problem, just be aware though if you stream HD content that will use a lot of your usage.

As to 3D glasses I suppose you will have to use the one's recomended for the Toshiba or find suitable alternatives that would work, have a look at AVforums for more info.

I was going to connect my new TV up with a wifi dongle (my modem/router in bedroom and tv in living room) but decided against it due to cost of the branded ones and some issues with the alternative wifi dongles, I ended up using home plugs (£35.99) which use your electrical wiring in your house for a connection, it is the next best thing to a hard wired connection but without the cables trailing all over the place.

If your TV is located next to your modem/router then just use a hard wired connection (ethernet cable) which would be the cheapest and give the best connection.

Cost of Wifi branded dongle? I found the one needed for my TV at under £30 on ebay....I assume this is reasonable? Though as I said worried about the connection/plus whether I would exceed the internet allowance (fair use) under the virgin package....

custardy

streaming to the TV is pretty much the same as your laptop

fiddiwebb

monsta2005 wrote: »

Cost of Wifi branded dongle? I found the one needed for my TV at under £30 on ebay....I assume this is reasonable? Though as I said worried about the connection/plus whether I would exceed the internet allowance (fair use) under the virgin package....

Well the price of Panasonics own branded wifi dongle is about £70, I could have bought an alternative dongle for around £30 but some people who have bought the alternative dongle have had issues with dropped connections or poor streaming.

I wanted to be certain of having a stable connection so opted using homeplugs, a hard wired connection would have been the best and would have cost the least but would have meant a lot of hassle of routing the cables.

Using the internet connection via your tv won't mean you use any more than what you use already on your laptop.
As I said earlier if you stream HD content to your tv from the internet then keep an eye on your usage as it will certainly use more.

neilwoods

This may be an alternative to using the panasonic own brand dongle. Netgear Dual band wireless adapter, sort of thing you could use or use on other devices that are net ready.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/WNCE3001-100FRS-Universal-Dual-Band-Wireless-Internet/dp/B005XZTET0