Question: If I buy a Panasonic 3D TV for example, can I use 3D glasses from another manufacturer, say Samsung?

   - submitted by Ron

Answer:

In short, no.

While many use similar technologies for 3D (active shutter glasses seem to be the direction of home television sets) the tinting, communication methods, and more can differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. For example, one maker's TV could send signals to glasses over bluetooth, while another chooses IR. Some manufacturers have also claimed they'll use polarized technology for home 3D televisions sets, which is entirely different than how active shutter systems work.

Believe it or not, it's even possible that some glasses from the same maker won't work on every model 3DTV they make, particularly from year to year as improvements are made.

Many consumer groups are holding out hope TV makers will settle on one standard for 3D glasses so that glasses could be interchangeable. That would be a huge win for consumers, and could help definitely help drive adoption. There's a downside for manufacturers, however, since competition in glasses would drive prices down on the much needed accessories.

Here's a story that illustrated how silly it is not to have a standard here: http://www.explore3dtv.com/blog/entry/14097/Samsung-3D-Glasses-turn-Panasonic...

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