NEW YORK — A study about consumer attitudes toward 3-D television found many were less interested in the technology after they actually experienced it.
Still, 52 percent of consumers who tried out 3-D televisions said it was a better experience than they had expected, according to a study conducted by The Nielsen Co. for the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing.
“There is a lot of interest in 3-D TV, but there are barriers that you have to overcome to make it a successful experience,” said Char Beales, president and CEO of the association.
Aside from the cost of buying 3-D sets, the glasses required to watch them are a major hindrance. Fifty-seven percent of people surveyed cited the glasses as a reason they were not likely to buy a set. Nearly nine in 10 people worry that it will constrain them from multitasking while the TV is on.
The percentage of people who said they were interested in buying a 3-D set during the next year went down when these willing consumers were brought in to see how it worked, Nielsen said.
People are also concerned there is not enough 3-D programming available yet to make a purchase worthwhile. More than three-quarters of people surveyed said 3-D viewing is best-suited to special events like sports or movies than regular TV viewing, the survey said.
