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There's a lot of buzz at the moment in television industry press and at tech shows about 3D television. Manufacturers are looking at 3D TV as a way to invigorate flagging sales, that have been hit by the global recession. 2010 is being touted as the year that 3D television will really start to gain penetration in the home market.

At the CES 2010 (the Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, all the TV manufacturers showed off their new 3D experience. Sony, Toshiba, Samsung, LG and Panasonic all had 3D televisions on display to show off to visitors. These companies are serious about 3D, and have committed billions of pounds to it's development.

With a staggering 3.4 million 3D televisions expected to be sold in the US this year, this is an area that manufacturers are taking very seriously, and hoping will lift their depressed sales. Sony and Panasonic's TV divisions are currently losing money and companies are pinning their hopes on 3D TV in a big way.

But who will buy these new sets, and is it just industry professionals who are rallying behind this new technology?

What is 3D TV?

3D TV uses the same technology you might have experienced in the cinema recently to show high quality images that popup out of the screen. More than a simple gimmick, 3D images appear crisp and have a real depth of field. 3D is having an astronomical effect on consumer spending at the cinema, and there are at least 20 more 3D movies set for release in 2010.

The viewer wears special electronic glasses which open and close a shutter over each eye, and show a slightly different image to the left and right eye. This creates a 3D effect. The glasses connect to the sending TV via in infra-red link, and the batteries are re-chargeable.

What you need for 3D TV

Unfortunately for anyone who has just bought a new TV, you can't get 3D television on a regular set. The TV must be 3D TV ready. You'll also need either a Blu-ray player or one of the upcoming 3dTV decoders, which will allow users to watch Sky and other channels in 3D.

If you're a movie fan with a 3D TV, you'll need to buy a 3D version of the Blu-ray title.

What you'll be able to watch

The main pull for 3D technology at the moment is to do with movies like Avatar. But there are a number of other things that you'll be able to watch on a 3D set.

3D sports - ESPN has announced they'll be the first network to offer 3D sports programming. You'll be able to watch all your favourite sports in 3D such as football, tennis and golf.

Gaming - There may be some interesting connections in the future between technology like the XBOX 360's 3D games add-on, which allows users to play 3D games by moving their body parts, in conjunction with a 3D TV.

3D HD freeview / 3D Sky - 3D may well have an impact on how you watch ordinary TV.

Why 3DTV could fail

Price - 3D TVs won't be cheap. Manufacturers are putting the price of new 3DTVs at above the price of a top end TV. It's not going to be cheap to get 3D television in the home. With the world still smarting from the depths of a recession, are consumers ready to splash out on a new set? With 1 in 4 surveyed saying they did plan to purchase a 3D TV in the next 3 years, it seems like some people are willing to make the investment.

The glasses - while some people are excited about the arrival of 3D television, there's an equally strong reaction from some who don't want to sit in their living room wearing sun-glasses. Going back to pricing, the glasses are electronic and also won't be cheap.

Slow uptake - It usually takes a number of years for a technology to really penetrate every day life. With many consumers happy with recent purchases of flat panel TVs, it may be some time before they are ready to upgrade. David Kempner, John Lewis's vision buyer said he expected the process to be a 'slowburn.'

Consumers could get headaches - A recent study by the university of California, Berkeley, found that 3D TV could give you headaches. There is also a great deal of anecdotal material suggesting that some people are suffering from headaches while using this new technology.

When will 3D TV be available?

March 2010 saw James Cameron, along with the Black Eye Peas, launch a range of 3D TVs in Times Square.

So when will everyone be able to get their hands on a 3D set? The easy answer is - likely by the time you read this, with 3D TVs hitting the UK at the end of March 2010. Retailers are getting ready for the rush of orders of 3D sets and initial packages include 46" and 55" models, with 2 pairs of 3D glasses included.