As the holiday season ramps up, prices for 3D TVs and supporting products such as Blu-ray 3D players are starting to drop at many online dealers. We've seen Blu-ray 3D players from top brands on sale for as low as $120.
Amazon.com seller E&B Electronics has the Samsung BD-C5900 1080p Blu-ray 3D disc player currently listed for $119.99, a player with a $229.99 list price. This sleek player is not short on features. It comes with full HD 3D support; Samsung's Internet@TV platform; full 1080p picture quality; AllShare to sync with other devices in the home, and is wireless LAN-ready:
A comparable player from Panasonic, the DMP-BDT100 Blu-ray 3D player is available from an Amazon.com seller for $169.95, which is about $80 off the list price of $249.95. This player features VIERA Cast Internet entertainment applications; full HD 3D support with a separate 1920 x 1080 full-HD image sent to each eye; up-converting on all standard definition video formats to a 1080p picture and decoding and bitstream output of Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio. For more details on the player, check out our full DMP-BDT100 review.
Turning to LG, the BX580 Network Blu-ray 3D player packs a lot of features and performance into a sleek black package. Sales on the BX580 run as low as $160 for the Blu-ray 3D player which features Full HD 1080p 3D playback, integrated Wi-Fi, NetCast Entertainment Access, DLNA capabilities and full HD 1080p picture. The LG model lists for about $299.99.
Bring on the Bundles
If you're in the market for a whole 3D system: 3D TV, player, glasses and all, then check for manufacturer and retailer promotions. In many cases, online retailers are giving away the Blu-ray 3D player and two or more pairs of glasses with the purchase of select 3D-ready HDTV models. For example, Amazon is offering LG's 47-inch 47LX6500 3D LED TV for $1699.98 with free shipping, a free Blu-ray 3D player and four free pairs of glasses. Don't get your calculator out until you're ready to complete your sale, you will see a discount of over $520 applied in your shopping cart when you add these items to your cart and proceed to checkout. The 55-inch version (55LC6500) is also included in this promotion, selling for about $2245 with the same bundle of freebies.
Samsung is offering a similar deal: free Blu-ray 3D player, two pairs of glasses and a 3D movie with select 3D TV purchases, but with many more 3D TV models eligible, including Samsung's highest performance plasma and LED TV models. View the details of the Samsung offer here.
Sony's offer is a little bit different, bundling the PS3 Gaming system, recently updated to support Blu-ray 3D playback, and a Deluxe 3D Starter kit with select Sony 3D TV models. The starter kit comes with two pairs of glasses and "Alice in Wonderland" on Blu-ray 3D Disc. View the details of the Sony bundle here.
Unlike the competition, Panasonic has chosen so far not to sell their highly rated VT25 series plasma 3D TV models online. However, authorized dealer OneCall is accepting phone orders for the TVs, and is participating in manufacturer-sponsored player/TV bundles. Keep in mind that the upcoming Blu-ray 3D release of Avatar will be available exclusively to those who purchase a Panasonic 3D TV product. Call OneCall at 1.877.457.7292 for details on Panasonic's VT25 3D TVs and bundles.
Panasonic did recently begin selling their GT25 series 3D TVs at online dealers. As usual, Amazon is one of the first out of the gate with a bundled offering on the new sets. Panasonic's 50-inch TC-P50GT25 is currently for sale at the online mega store for 15% below list ($1789) with free shipping plus a bundle that includes the DMP-BDT100 player and a 3D Starter Kit with 2 pairs of glasses and 2 Blu-ray 3D movies. Also, as we reported, Panasonic is not leaving early adopters out in the cold. Any current owners or new buyers of Panasonic 3D TVs will be eligible to receive Avatar on Blu-ray 3D Disc by mail with proof of purchase. This is a Panasonic-exclusive offer and will be the only way for consumers to bring home the 3D version of the film for the foreseeable future.
The above offers are all time-limited (some expire this week or next), and pricing is subject to change at Amazon's discretion. But expect to see similar deals through the holiday season as manufacturers vie for market share in the burgeoning 3D TV market.
Where to Buy:
3D TV Bundles:
