50-inch models (the TC-P50VT20 and TC-P50VT25); a 54-inch set (TC-P54VT25); a 58-inch set (TC-P58VT25) and the 65-inch top-of-the-line TC-P65VT25. Each set will ship with one pair of the special glasses required to see content in 3D. Panasonic said pricing would be announced at a later date.

The 3D-enabled Blu-ray Disc player, model DMP-BDT350, will also play standard Blu-ray Discs and DVDs. Again, Panasonic did not offer details on pricing, or a release date.

Panasonic also showed a professional-grade 3D camcorder that filmmakers can use to create 3D content. Officials pointed to the healthy box-office receipts for James Cameron's 3D sci-fi adventure epic, Avatar, as an indication of the public's appetite for 3D content. (Avatar has grossed in excess of $1 billion worldwide in the 17 days since its release.)

Panasonic executives said the product announcements show the company is on track to make good "on pledges made last year to ship 3D home entertainment gear in 2010.-Yardena Arar
Samsung focuses on 3D LED TVs

Samsung Electronics unveiled a strong line-up for CES on Wednesday January 6th, including a complete 3D home entertainment system and LED TVs with screens as thin as a pencil.

The 3D home entertainment system includes high-definition 3D TVs, the BD-C6900 Blu-ray Disc player and an audio system to be sold together or separately. Samsung has also allied with Dreamworks Animation and Technicolor on promoting content for 3D home entertainment.

Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of Dreamworks, called Samsung's new 3D LED (light emitting diode) TVs "stunning" and showed off the Blu-ray Disc version of the 3D movie "Monsters vs. Aliens." He said that while studios produced only 10 major 3D movies in 2009, four of them were among the top 10 films of the year.

Samsung's 3D home entertainment center will be available later this year. The company did not have price information. People interested in stand-alone 3D high-definition TVs, however, will not have to wait so long. The company has built 3D capability into a range of new flat-panel TVs due out soon.

The LED TVs with 3D capability include Samsung's LED7000 series and above, plasma TVs in the 7000 series and above and 750 Series LCD TVs. For people who want to watch regular 2D television shows in 3D, Samsung has included a 3D chip with auto-conversion technology that renders 2D content into 3D in real time.

The company also sells active shutter 3D glasses.