After years of speculation and prototypes, television manufacturers have finally produced models that will work in people's sitting rooms at an expensive, but not outrageous, price.  By October, in theory, 1.6 million Sky customers could be watching Premiership football matches in full 3D from the comfort of their sofa, as well as performances of the ballet. Balls will appear to come flying out of the screen, while viewers will feel they are in the front row of the stalls at Sadler's Wells.  LG, the Korean company, will be the first manufacturer to release its 3D model, a 47 inch LCD screen, expected to cost about £2,000. Viewers will need to wear polarised dark glasses to experience broadcasts in three dimensions.  Samsung and Sony also announced they were bringing their own versions to market by the summer of this year, along with 3D Blu-ray players, allowing film fans to enjoy the 3D spectaculars show in cinemas during 2009, such as Avatar and Up, in their own homes. Samsung and Sony's models use LED screens, considered to give a crisper picture, and are therefore expected to retail for about £3,000 or possibly more.  The manufacturers released details at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas ending years of speculation, when 3D was dismissed as a gimmick by many in the industry.  Sir Howard Stringer, Sony's chief executive, joked, as he unveiled the range of 3D Bravia televisions, "this whole thing is turning in to the CES 3D show".  The sets will hit the shelves of John Lewis and Currys, in time for October when Sky will start broadcasting programmes in three dimensions on a dedicated channel that will be available to anyone who has its most expensive Sky HD package.  There are currently 1.6 million customers who have a Sky HD box. It is not yet clear whether Sky will charge extra for receiving the 3D broadcasts, but the box will not need to be upgraded.  Stephen Gater, LG's head of marketing for Home Entertainment, LG in Britain, said: "No one can escape the buzz and excitement around 3D. We’re witnessing the start of dramatic change in how we view TV – the dawn of a new dimension. And through Sky’s clear commitment to 3D broadcasting, 3D in the home is set to become a reality."  Sky has not announced what programmes will be broadcast in 3D, but it is expected to broadcast live the main Sunday afternoon football game from the Premiership in 3D from the start of next season, along with some arts documentaries and performances of the ballet. The broadcaster has already invested in installing special twin-lens 3D cameras at stadiums.  It is understood that Sky will trial 3D broadcasts on pub televisions during the summer.  Sean Hannam, the editor of TV trade bible ERT, said: "3D has certainly got a wow factor. And it has huge commercial potential. I can see pubs investing in the screens and football fans having a laugh, wearing the dark glasses, and enjoying a big match.  "But I think it will only be early adopters and obsessive tech fans who will buy these sets this year. Let's face it, you won't want to watch EastEnders in 3D are you?"  John Kempner, John Lewis's television buyer, who was at CES, said: "These sets are really exciting. The quality is fantastic when you see a demonstration. And we will need in our shops to demonstrate properly how they work to customers.  "I think quite a few early adopters will want to invest in the sets, especially video gamers. But there needs to be a lot more 3D content broadcast before it really takes off."  Though all the different manufacturers' sets will receive the Sky 3D broadcasts, there is no agreement on the technology used in the sets. While LG is adopting the cheap polarising dark glasses, Sony and Samsung are using active shutter technology.  This requires users to buy expensive dark glasses, which usually cost more than £50 and are heavier than the 80p plastic polarising ones. Active shutter glasses alternately darken over one eye, and then the other, in synchronisation with the refresh rate of the screen using shutters built into the glasses. These shutters rapidly alternate between the left and right eye.  Some experts believe this gives a more convincing depth of field in 3D, giving viewers the impression they can reach into the television set, though some complain they have got headaches when wearing them.
Three-dimension television sets, the stuff of science fiction, will be on sale    in British shops from April this year for between &pound;2,000 and &pound;3,000.