Brace yourself: 3D TV is here

After years of teases, promises and demos, the age of 3D HD television is about to become reality. Several manufacturers will have sets in stores before the end of the month – with more right around the corner.  

Panasonic kicks things off this week, putting its first Full 3D HD plasma sets on the market tomorrow. The first set will be sold in a New York Best Buy – though Panasonic hasn’t yet announced the retail price of the sets.

Samsung won’t have sets on the market for another few weeks, but it tipped its hand at pricing earlier today. The C7000 line of LCD 3D sets will be the first on the market, with the 46-inch model selling for $2,599 – and the 55-inch model going for $3,299.

Samsung brings out the big guns in April, though, with its top of the line C9000 model. The 55-inch model of that set will run $6,999. Ouch.

To spur consumers, Samsung’s offering an incentive to people who buy a 3D set and 3d Blu-ray player simultaneously: Two pairs of active shutter glasses and a copy of the 3D “Monsters vs. Aliens” BRD.

Sony will be a bit late to the party. It hasn’t yet announced U.S. availability for its 3D lineup of Bravia sets, but they’ll hit Japan in June. However, customers who don’t buy the premium LX900 model, which starts at $3,900, are in for a rude surprise.

Other models of the Sony 3D sets in Japan will not have the shutter glasses bundled with the set (something that’s hard to imagine the company would attempt in the U.S.). They’ll have to pay an extra $140 per pair of glasses (as well as a $60 transmitter to keep them synched with the set.)

We’re hoping to get samples of all the 3D sets for a review round-up in the coming weeks here at Technotainment. Once we’ve had a chance to compare ‘em all, we’ll let you know which is the best choice for early adopters.