Remember going to Disney World or Universal and using the cool shady glasses that provided eye-popping 3d effects?  No, I’m not talking about Creature from the Black Lagoon with the cheap red and blue glasses you get at 7-11, those don’t work too good.  It’s gotta be the polarized kind to get the outstanding effect and formerly those were only available at amusement parks.  Well, 3D technology is becoming available to the consumer and the amusement park is coming to a home theater near you.

Amongst LG’s massive booth at CES was a corner carved out for 3D displays.  First I checked out the LCD’s, waited in line for my turn and slapped on the shady glasses.  To my eyes, the 3D effect was spectacular.  Foreground action was right in my face and background action was way back there, creating a mind-bending depth of field.  Looked just as good as that amusement park attraction.

Next I waited in an even longer line to see the 3D projector in a darkened room.  They showed some kind of weird CGI short featuring a fire-fighting robot and a teary-eyed little girl, involved in some impressionistic story that I couldn’t quite follow.  My impression was even more spectacular 3D effects, bigger and better.  Depth of field was amazing and put you right in the middle of the action.  You could actually make out the sides of objects, creating a true 3D environment.

Will this 3D stuff catch on?  I’m not sure.  We asked LG for pricing and they said that it was TBD.  Hardware looks the same to me, just with a different software implementation, so it may just be a little pricier than normal.  Is it all a gimmick?  Do I actually want to watch TV in 3D all the time and have to wear those shady glasses as a part of my regular viewing?  What movies will be available in 3D format?  All of them?  Time will tell if this is the future of home theater.

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