3D: the Marmite of the technology world. It's very much a love/hate affair many of us share with 3D displays, but there's at least one thing we can all agree on; the sooner we ditch the glasses, the better.

Those with a very specific sized laptop display (15.6 inches, to be exact), got a reasonably affordable way of upgrading their machines to offer glasses-free 3D visuals today.

A company called Spatial View have revealed the 3DeeScreen peripheral, a magnetized mounting frame that clips over the top of your existing laptop screen to turn in into a makeshift lenticular display, using a series of tiny mirrors to give the impression of depth to what you're viewing. It's pretty much the same principle employed in Nintendo's 3DS handheld.

"Our goal is to provide a superior 3D viewing experience and enable existing laptops with 3D functionality at a reasonable price," said Spatial View general manager Ihor Petelycky.

Priced at $129, Spatial View ship to the UK too, should your laptop be one of the few that fits with the add-on.

Via: Slashgear

George Lucas, creator of the Star Wars franchise, has been singing the praises of 3D technology as his first 3D effort, a 3D re-mastering of Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, hits cinemas.

Lucas is gushing in his praise, comparing the jump to 3D to that of the transition from black and white to colour.

"We're going through a new technological revolution that is set to change everything," Lucas told Shortlist magazine.

"Watching a movie in 3D is simply a better way to watch a movie. It's like black and white versus colour. Watching a movie in black and white is fine, however, colour makes it look more real.

"With 3D the depth brings reality to the digital characters and you notice things in the background that actually impact on the story. It becomes a truly immersive and overpowering experience."

Of course, with The Phantom Menace now hitting cinemas (and the possibility of the superior trilogy getting a 3D makeover dependant upon the success of this first re-release) Lucas has a vested interest in hyping the benefits of 3D.

But it's still quite a bold step to say that the 2D format with which he made his fortunes is now inferior to the regularly derided 3D one. Say what you like about George Lucas's penchant for tinkering, but he has the balls to do and say stuff that will certainly irk the majority of his series fans, and couldn't give a damn whilst doing so!

If you pine for a traditional movie-going experience, away from the madness of 3D screenings, you may want to stop reading. Everyone else though, get excited; trips to the cinema are about to get a lot more immersive, as Cineworld have just announced they're installing D-BOX technology seating to select screens up and down the country.

D-BOX movement technology seats rumble and shake in sync with the action on screen, letting you feel the blast of an explosion or blow of a punch while watching a movie, though without the associated pain and discomfort that would go along with those in real life, of course.

"D-BOX's unique technology excite film-goers senses through the power of movement and feeling, creating a multi-sensorial revolution in film watching. D-BOX simulators offer the next dimension of the cinematic experience, placing viewers in the centre of the action," reads a statement from Cineworld.

"With seat movements perfectly synchronized to the onscreen action and sounds, D-BOX seats create an unmatched realistic immersive experience."

The first cinema to get the technology will be Cineworld Glasgow Renfrew Street, showing a D-BOX enabled screening of John Carter 3D on March 9th.

Cineworld will be rolling out the technology to other cinemas over the next two years, with Cineworld O2 Greenwich, Cineworld Crawley and Cineworld Milton Keynes the next locations to get the upgrade.

Following their announcement at CES 2012, Nuance have revealed LG as the first manufacturing partner for Dragon voice-controlled TVs, beating any Apple Siri controlled potential alternative to the punch by a wide margin.

Nuance of course lay down the backbone technology for the Siri functionality, but that wont make the blow any easier for Apple to swallow we'd imagine.

Hitting LG's Smart TV Cinema 3D range, the company's Magic Remote now has voice-recognition tech built in, allowing viewers to simply state the sort of content they are searching for before the web-based system presents it.

In other words, saying "Angry Birds" would fire up the TV's Rovio gaming app, while "Lady Gaga" would hunt down the Paparazzi star's music videos. It'll also make text-entry far easier with speech-to-text, great for those who regularly use social networks like Twitter or Facebook on their TVs.

"TV manufacturers like LG have rapidly innovated their TVs and media content capabilities, but the traditional remotes and television guides have fallen behind - that's where voice comes in," said Michael Thompson, senior vice president and general manager, Nuance Mobile.

"Nuance's Dragon TV portfolio brings entertainment and media front and center with the ability to simply speak to find almost anything that is on TV or On-Demand."

The first Dragon-compatible LG Magic Remote will launch in early Q1 2012. Which, come to think about it, would be any time now!

3D TVs still aren't quite taking off in the way the tech manufacturers had hoped for, but there's no sign of Hollywood slowing down their support for 3D content, what with the higher ticket prices they can charge for the privilege of adding a little depth to your screening.

Scroll down for Tech Digest's Top Ten Must See Movies of 2012!

We went eyes-on with Panasonic's impressive new plasma screen range at CES 2012, and came away gobsmacked by the quality of the VT50 series.

Two different models will be headed to shops; the 55-inch P55VT50 and the 65-inch P65VT50.

Designed using a single sheet of glass and ultra thin bezel, the screens manage great black levels through the company's "infinite black ultra panel" design.

THX certified, the 3DTVs can also convert 2D images for added depth, as well as smoothing 24p 3D using Panasonic's new "3D 24p cinema smoother".

24,576 steps of gradation let colour reproduction shine naturally, gently weaving subtle colour shade changes into pictures, a notable addition considering the problems older plasma panels have with this issue.

Scroll up for our eyes-on preview video.

For more news from CES 2012, click here.

Grabbing plenty of headlines at CES 2012 is LG's astonishingly thin 55-inch EM960V OLED TV, a lush screen that some AV enthusiasts are daring to call the best TV ever.

Offering superb viewing angles and flicker/cross-talk free 3D viewing, the EM960V looks as pretty as a picture. It'll also come packing a new Magic Remote model, with gesture and voice controls, as well as built-in Wi-Fi for Smart TV features and a Freeview HD tuner.

Due out in the second half of the year, start saving the pennies now: you're going to need a lot of them to get one of these beauties in your house.

Scroll up for our eyes-on demonstration video.

For more news from CES 2012, click here.

Were you one of the 3D film fans that suffered from post-Avatar blues? No, not because of the shoddy Pocahontas-poaching storyline, but because you wanted to re-visit James Cameron's visionary 3D world Pandora? Well, sorry to disappoint you, but contrary to claims that an Avatar sequel would touch down in 2013 or 2014, it's no looking as though the next sci-fi instalment of the franchise is at least "four years away", according to producer Joan Landau.

Speaking to Bleeding Cool news at a Titanic 3D screening, the producer noted that, while 2016 is the most likely release date for the sequel, the wait for a third Avatar film will likely be far shorter (perhaps as little as a year) as the sequels will be filmed back to back.

It's not all bad news though; Landua revealed that the next Avatar film will be shot at a silky-smooth 50 frames per second, while Cameron's business partner Vince Pace also recently noted the massive technological jumps the 3D industry has made since Avatar was made.

Whether you enjoyed the movie or not, it's hard to argue against Avatar being the most impressive 3D spectacle to hit cinema screens thus far. With even more powerful technology (and a better script) the next instalment could be truly breathtaking.

A lot has been made of ultra-definition TVs and OLED TVs at this year's CES, but the technologies on show are respectively either a) too young to have the content to back them up in the case of UDTVs, or b) too expensive for the average consumer when it comes to OLEDs. The stalwart plasma screen will therefore be the sort of high-end set your looking for were you to be going down to your local AV emporium in the next few weeks, and Panasonic's newly revealed VT50 series are the screens you should be hunting down.

Two models will be hitting stores; the 55-inch P55VT50 and the 65-inch P65VT50.

Neatly designed using a single sheet of glass and thin bezel, the screens offer great black levels through the company's "infinite black ultra panel" design.

24,576 steps of gradation let colour reproduction shine naturally, gently weaving subtle colour shade changes into pictures, a notably addition considering the problems older plasma panels have with this issue.

THX certified, the 3DTVs can also convert 2D images for added depth, as well as smoothing 24p 3D using Panasonic's new "3D 24p cinema smoother".

Sonically, the screen should be a step above other flat panels thanks to 8-train speakers being built in. Combined with a 2mm thick subwoofer on the rear, the screens should deliver a far more well-rounded audio performance than similarly slim TVs would.

Lastly, a "touch pad controller" is specifically designed for navigating the screen's Smart TV web-connected features, and even includes shortcut buttons for Skype calling and Netflix streaming.

We'll pass on pricing and availability details as we're given them.

For more news from CES 2012, click here.

Sony's 2012 Bravia line-up made its debut at CES 2012 this week, with the company showing off four new sets packing X-Reality and X-Reality PRO technology for stunning 2D and 3D visuals.

Top of the range is the HX853 model. Alongside X-Reality Pro, it boasts Motionflow XR800Hz, Dynamic Edge LED with Local Dimming and active 3D technology. Wi-Fi is built in for Smart TV access to apps, while a sheet of Gorilla Glass allows for a near edge-to-edge finish and added protection.

Next up is the HX753. It's similar to the HX853 but gets X-Reality instead of the X-Reality Pro tech and Motionflow XR400HZ instead of the 800Hz offering.

Both the HX753 and HX853 come in 55, 46 and 40 inches models, while the HX753 also comes in a 36-inch size.

For full HD on a budget, turn your attention to the EX653 models, bringing X-Reality, Motionflow XR100Hz, Freeview HD and Built-in Wi-Fi to the table. If you're not too fussed about HD visuals, then the HD-ready slim-bodied EX553 is for you.

No pricing details available yet, but we'll pass them on as they trickle in.

For more news from CES 2012, click here.

Will 2012 be the year of the OLED? It certainly looks that way if LG and Samsung are to have anything to do with it. First LG announce their 55-inch OLED model, and now Samsung follow suit at their press conference.

Just like the LG model, it's claiming superb colour reproduction and no notable motion blur, as well as facial recognition.

No onboard colour filter, as the self-emitting RGB sub-pixels can manage themselves, while blacks stay deep and whites bright thanks to a pixel-by-pixel light output automatic control.

A dual core processor is also onboard for swift interface control, and the screen also has 3D support.

"Samsung has had a long and successful history of creating innovative OLED products, including mobile phones, digital cameras and tablet PCs. Today, we are proud to extend our OLED leadership to the TV category with this spectacular 55-inch Super OLED," said Hyunsuk Kim, executive vice president, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics.

"By incorporating true-to-life picture quality with ultimate speed and vividness, Smart Interaction, Smart Content and ultimate thinness, Samsung is delivering the ultimate TV today."

No pricing announced yet, but Samsung, just like LG, as promising a release window of within the second half of 2012.

For more news from CES 2012, click here.

CES, the biggest tech show in the world. Where better then to more-or-less announce your new TV strategy is to make your range frickin' massive?

That's the crux of Sharp's CES 2012 press conference, where they announced a new 85-inch, 8K4K super-super high resolution screen.

Slightly smaller in scale, but ten times more likely to hit stores anytime soon is Sharp's new flagship screen, the LC-80LE844U. An 80-inch behemoth, it has a 240Hz refresh rate for fast-moving scenes, pretty much obliterating any judder from from the LED's 3D performance. Web-connected, the set gives owners access to plenty of apps including Netflix and YouTube.

Smaller still (but still huge by the average consumers standards) are the 20 models heading to Sharp's 20-inch line up. These Quattron sets will feature the company's proprietary Quad Pixel Plus II technology for improved colour accuracy.

No pricing or release dates available for the new sets yet, but it seems all-but-set that Sharp are now focussing on the premium end of the TV scale.

For more news from CES 2012, click here.

LG have been pushing OLED hard for a good few years now, and year-on-year they're rolling out impressive demo models at consumer tech shows. Sadly, we're not seeing any OLED's up for for sale down our local AV emporiums, but finally home cinema enthusiasts have something to look forward to.

Officially revealed at today's CES 2012 LG press conference, the South Korean tech giant's have announced that their 55-inch EM960V OLED TV will be hitting the UK in the 2nd half of this year.

Offering superb viewing angles and flicker/cross-talk free 3D viewing, the EM960V looks a sight to behold. It'll also come packing a new Magic Remote model, with gesture and voice controls, as well as built-in Wi-Fi for Smart TV features and a Freeview HD tuner.

Stephen Gater, Consumer Electronics Marketing Director, said: "Driving technological innovation with premium quality is at the heart of everything we do at LG. Unveiling the world's largest OLED TV today is just one example of our commitment to be the first-to-market leaders in our field.

"LG is globally recognised for its cutting-edge technologies. We're excited about our line-up this year - our premium range of new stylish TVs offers a true statement of style that people will be proud of having as the hub of their home."

All that's left to wait for now is the price, which we totally expect to be heart-attack inducing.

For more news from CES 2012, click here.

Heavy-metal superstars Metallica have confirmed they are working on a 3D movie project.

Responding to rumours that were circulating on the web, the band stressed that the movie would not be ready until the beginning of 2013 at the earliest.

"We're here to tell you that, yes, there is indeed a 3D project in the very early stages of production!" said a statement on the band's website.

"We wish we could tell you more right now, but we don't have all the finer points nailed down just yet".

They went on to add: "What we can tell you is that we are planning on being in a theatre near you sometime in 2013 and as you hear us say ever so often, this will be the space for all the details as we finalize them."

It's not the first time that Metallica have got in front of the camera's for a movie. Back during the years 2001 to 2003, they let a documentary film crew follow them around during the recording of their album St. Anger, including many counselling sessions with their on-call shrink.

Fans are hoping that the 3D movie will match, if not exceed, the joy that the Spice Girl's Spice World brought to cinema multiplexes up and down the land.

LG are throwing their hat into the Google TV ring, announcing that they will be showcasing a 3D flatscreen TV at CES 2012 that will have the search giant's web-connected UI onboard.

Pairing with LG's own Smart TV platform and Cinema 3D technology, the passive screen will also come with a new "magic remote QWERTY", specially designed to ease navigation through the Google TV interface.

"LG has constantly strived to provide consumers with wider choices in home entertainment that bring the highest level of sophistication and convenience," said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company.

"Through Google TV, LG has merged Google's established Android operating system with LG's proven 3D and Smart TV technologies, offering consumers a new and enthralling TV experience."

However, despite mimicking much of Google TV's own functions, LG will keep their own NetCast connected platform onboard the TVs too.

"Alongside Google TV, LG will continue to advance its own Smart TV platform based on NetCast, which will be available in more than 60 percent of LG's flat panel TVs scheduled for introduction over the coming year.

"With a growing collection of content and services, LG's Smart TV platform will continue to provide consumers with a unique user experience."

LG's Google TVs will hit the US first, sometime before the end of 2012, while UK consumers will have to wait until early 2013.

As well as a stonking 55-inch OLED display, LG will be using CES 2012 to show off their giant 84-inch "Ultra Definition" 3D TV.

That's right, not HDTV, but UDTV, running at 3840x2160 resolution.

First hinted at during last year's Las Vegas show, the UDTV, pictured above, also has LG's Cinema 3D and Smart TV web-connected features built in. The 3D tech uses the same Film Pattern Retarder (FPR) screen and passive glasses that result in lowered resolution on LG's standard 3DTV screens, but with the extra resolution shouldn't cause much as notable a loss in definition.

"LG is pushing the limits of home entertainment innovation with this 3D UD TV," said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company.

"We are bringing together all our Smart TV and 3D knowledge in the 3D UD TV in order to demonstrate to the CES audience that LG is committed to being the world's leading brand for immersive home entertainment in 2012 and beyond."

No word on pricing or release dates yet, but we'll be sure to keep an eye out for this set when we hit the show floor next week.

Last night Tech Digest were invited to the première of Sky 3D's latest natural history movie, The Bachelor King 3D. Helmed by Sir David Attenborough, the movie tracks the trials and triumphs of a King penguin from adolescence to adulthood.

You'd expect nothing less from an Attenborough flick, but The Bachelor King 3D, shot on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, is particularly beautiful, in no small part thanks to the 3D work employed. From underwater chases with Orca whales to sweeping shots of hundreds of thousands of penguins protecting their brood in the harshest climate on the planet, it's funny, tragic, and touching, giving an informative look at these charming birds.

It's the second time Attenborough has been commissioned by Sky 3D, following last year's Flying Monsters 3D movie. But 3D natural history movies come with their own shooting challenges.

"Technically it is impossible to use a long telephoto lens, the reason being that a 3D camera mimics the human eye and has two cameras close together with the same kind of separation as our own" said Attenborough.

"If you shut one eye when looking at something that's close to you, you get one view, shut the other you get another view. The brain puts those two together.

"If you're looking at something on the other side of this theatre, you would see no difference. The way that you would get a stereo image is to separate the two components further.

"But when you do that...they have different backgrounds so it won't go together. So with the state-of-the-art at the moment it's not possible to use long lenses. And that is a very considerable problem when it comes to natural history programming."

However, that's not to undermine the importance of Attenborough's films. When asked by Tech Digest whether his two roles as both naturalist and broadcaster ever came into conflict, Attenborough answered:

"Broadcasting has given natural history a chance to reach audiences it never ever could before. Particularly these days, when according to the United Nations over half the population of this globe is now urbanised. This means to a greater of lesser extent, they're living without contact to nature.

"Some people wont see a single wild creature from dawn to dusk, apart from a pigeon or a rat! But it's crucially important for our own welfare that we understand the natural world. Natural history is not just a pastime, it's an essential part of someone's comprehension of the world in which we live, and we depend upon that world.

"I believe broadcasting has a very important function in keeping natural history in the awareness of an ever increasingly urban population."

Attenborough's next two Sky 3D flicks, ready for broadcast next year, will be shot in Kew Gardens and the Galapagos Islands respectively, the latter of which he last visited back in 2006.

"Galapagos is one of the most wonderful places in the world. There are extraordinary creatures living there that live nowhere else - a whole slew of marvellous animals" said Attenborough.

"But one of the things that make them even more extraordinary is that because the islands were not discovered by human beings until relatively recently, and they had remained isolated for so long, the animals still haven't become frightened of human beings. You can walk among them carrying your own snap shot cameras or even carrying a 3D rig and they won't go away. They continue behaving in just the way that they would do naturally. Galapagos is full of drama, full of charismatic creatures which you can film; it is a natural for 3D."

The commissions are part of Sky's commitment to increase its investment in original UK content by 50% to £600million a year by 2014, further cementing its position as one of the biggest investors in the UK's creative enterprises.

The Bachelor King 3D will air exclusively on Sky 3D at 8pm on New Years Eve, 31st December. It will then have a theatrical release, before returning to Sky 3D in 2012.

The BBC are gearing up for the final of their popular Strictly Come Dancing celebrity talent show by announcing that it will be broadcast in 3D.

Building upon the trial run the broadcasters worked with during this summer's Wimbledon tennis tournament, the Beeb are now turning their attention to how best to get Bruce Forsyth's sizeable chin to jump out of your TV.

So long as you have a 3DTV and a Freesat or Freeview HD box, you'll be able to enjoy the spinning stars footwork as they battle it out in the Blackpool final. Unlike most 3D TV broadcasts, there is no need for a Virgin Media or Sky subscription to get in on the action. In another "technical trial", the show will also be streaming in 3D over the iPlayer VOD platform.

"We have decided to do one of the highest viewed, highest profile programmes we have, live in 3D, not from the comfort and safety of Television Centre, but from an outside broadcast in the middle of Blackpool - and a week before Christmas," said Andy Quested, head of technology for BBC HD and 3D.

"The phrase 'you don't have to be mad to work here, but it helps' springs to mind."

The show will air on 17th December at 7pm.

Via: BBC

3D cinema has many detractors, calling out the discomfort of the glasses and the inflated ticket prices. They once had a high-proflie supporter in the shape of directorial legend Martin Scorsese, who had stated jsut a few short years ago that he had no intention of ever making a 3D film. Now, following the success of his first 3D flick Hugo, Scorsese has admitted to a massive about-turn over the benefits of 3D filming, going so far as to suggest he may never work in 2D again.

"Quite honestly, I would," said Scorsese when asked by Deadline if he'd consider a 3D only future behind the camera.

"I don't think there's a subject matter that can't absorb 3D; that can't tolerate the addition of depth as a storytelling technique. We view everyday life with depth."

So what brought around the change of heart?

"Well, the story of Hugo," he said. "The climate of what Jim Cameron did with Avatar and 3D seemed right and the subject matter was just perfect for it. And it was time to take a chance with it."

"(3D) shouldn't be limited to fantasy or sci-fi. Look at (Werner) Herzog's use of it (in Cave of Forgotten Dreams), Wim Wenders with Pina.

"It should be considered a serious narrative element and tool, especially when telling a story with depth as narrative."

Scorsese also talked about how a number of his older classic films like The Aviator and Taxi Driver could have benefitted from 3D technology.

"Taxi Driver, because of the intimidation of the main character, his presence is everywhere, a frightening kind of presence."

Could we see a 3D retro-fitting of Taxi Driver on the cards? With Cameron doing the very same thing with his blockbuster Titanic, anything is possible.

Name: Samsung UE60D8000

Type: 3D LCD TV

Specs: Click here for full specs

Price: Around £3,350
When it comes to 3D TV, bigger is always better. At 60 inches, Samsung's UE60D8000 is one of the largest screens you can get in your house before going into 3D projector territory, and is backed by an impressive array of connected TV features. However, it's also one of the most expensive sets we've ever tried, nearly £1,000 more than its 5-inch smaller stable-mate at around a whopping £3,350. Does the TV perform well enough to justify the price tag?

Design

A 60 inch beast, the UE60D8000 manages to offer a gigantic screen while remaining catwalk-slim in profile. Measuring just 30.45mm deep and weighing 24.8kg with its slick, four-pronged silver foot base attached, it's as pretty to look at as it is svelte and (for its size) lightweight. A thin silver bezel sits around the edge of the screen, rounding off a space aged look, with a glowing Samsung logo (which can be turned off) sitting at the centre of the lower edge. Volume, power and channel buttons sit on the TV's left hand side, while a wealth of rear-mounted connections, angled in-line with the screen, make it perfect for wall mounting.

A premium set deserves a premium remote control, and the UE60D8000's weighty, metallic zapper fits the bill nicely. Backlit, with a brushed metal feel to the buttons and slightly raised lines to guide your fingers in low lighting, it sits comfortably in the hand and, when paired with the clear and intuitive UI on show here, makes navigating the set an absolute breeze. One-button access to web connected Smart TV apps and 3D features are appreciated, but as as with the Samsung UE55D8000 and the rest of the 8000 Series, the remote really needs a dedicated button for motion processing settings, as these are the ones that we found we most regularly tweaked, and yet are among the most deeply hidden options on the set.

Connectivity

Samsung don't scrimp on the connectivity option with the UE60D8000. 4 HDMI ports (one ARC enabled) are supplemented by 3 USB ports, a component port, Optical Digital Audio Out, DVI Audio In, PC Audio In, PC In (D-Sub) and a headphone socket too for good measure. RF connectors and F-connectors for Freeview HD aerials and Freesat HD satellites respectively both also feature. As well as an Ethernet port for wired web connectivity, the TV also comes with built-in Wi-Fi if running the extra cable up to your screen isn't convenient. Setting up the Wi-Fi connection was simple using the onscreen menu and it maintained a consistent connection when browsing the Smart Hub platform and performing DLNA streaming, which we'll discuss in more detail in a second.

Picture Quality

Both Freeview HD and Freesat HD tuners come built in with the UE60D8000. Paired with one of the slickest EPGs we've seen this side of a Sky+ HD set top box, you're straight into the HD party more or less right out of the box as a result.

For the most part, the UE60D8000 looks a treat when it comes to 2D picture quality, with Samsung cramming in edge-mounted LED backlighting with dimming for deep blacks, as well as their 800Hz Clear Motion system for smooth action, which pairs 200Hz processing with frame interpolation and backlight scanning to hit the claimed 800Hz mark.

As is usually the case with flatscreen HD TVs, the picture needs a fair bit of tweaking before it looks its most natural, pin-sharp best with high-definition content. While there are a handful of decent presets to stick with if you're not the most confident picture tweaker, thankfully Samsung have filled the set with all manner of imaging controls if you want to really make the set shine, including gamma and white balance controls, HDMI black level response and plenty of digital noise reduction settings.

Once you've got it up to scratch, it's an often stunning HD set. Incredibly bright for a panel this size, colours are punchy and vivid, making our Toy Story 3 Blu-ray test footage really come alive. It's also a fantastically sharp image too. Viewing our Blu-ray copy of Batman Begins and watching the early training scenes in the snow between Christian Bale and Liam Neeson, the epic mountainside surroundings of the icy scenes shimmered with detail.

Motion processing techniques are always a little bit iffy, but for once, merely sticking to the pre-set Clear Motion Rate "Clear" setting on the UE60D8000 managed to subtly smooth over fast moving scenes without ever leading to that strange floaty effect overusing the technology usually results in. Largely detailed action scenes, like those found in the Lord of the Rings trilogy Blu-rays, looked a treat as a result.

That's not to say it's always a perfect image however, and the extra screen real-estate has caused a few problems of its own. The strong backlight can be a little inconsistent in its dimming timing, particularly in darker scenes where it's presence can intermittently prove unwelcome as it bleeds into both the corners and lower central area of the screen. It's not an uncommon problem for edge-lit LED displays, but at around the £3,350 mark you'd expect a little better than what's made the cut here in this set.

Standard definition content is upscaled nicely on the UE60D8000 though, which usually proves to be a challenge on a screen this size. Instead, images are never stretched uncomfortably, and clever smoothing techniques make even the lowest bitrate footage perfectly watchable.

3D visuals

Samsung throw in two pairs of their newest 3D glasses with the UE60D8000. These use Bluetooth rather than infra-red to sync with any 3D content onscreen. On one hand, it's frustrating that any older Samsung specs you may have lying around are made redundant by the new standard, but on the other the new specs are far lighter than many rival's pairs, and don't suffer nearly as badly from flickering and ambient light interference as the preceding pairs from Samsung. They're still expensive at £100 a pair, but, again, at least you're getting two sets here.

3D visuals really knock you out on a screen this size. It's hard to explain the importance of a big screen when it comes to immersing yourself in 3D visuals, but with so much of your peripheral vision dominated by the screen itself, it's easy to get lost in the eye-popping action. Using our test copy of Werner Herzog's Cave of Forgotten Dreams through a PS3 console, we were totally enveloped in the subterranean, stalactite filled adventure. Thanks to the strong backlight on show here even the movies moodier, darker cave-bound scenes retained great detail.

It's a pity though that the screen suffers from the same crosstalk issues that many 3D sets we've tried also fall foul of. Ghosting is a regular annoyance when watching 3D content, and while it's not a deal-breaker, it's a nasty side effect that's arguably even more prominent with a screen this size.

Sound Quality

Surprisingly good for a flatscreen, the UE60D8000 offers a fair amount of boom and bite from its stereo speakers. Thanks to the sheer size of the screen there is fairly decent stereo separation on offer, with a comprehensive set of equaliser settings making dialogue sit cleanly at the fore of the soundscape.

Samsung also throw in a few pseudo surround-sound settings too, including SRS TruSurround HD adding to the width of the image. As ever, bass response is lacking in a screen this thin. You're never going to match the audio quality of a dedicated home cinema set-up (it would be a ridiculous oversight were you not planning on pairing this premium set up with at least a soundbar), but the UE60D8000 offers audio quality as good as you're likely to receive from a flatscreen telly.

Smart Hub and Media Playback

Once you're connected to the internet with the UE60D8000, heading over to the Smart TV apps hub shows off a welcoming, intuitive web-connected set up. As well as being the area from which you access networked media files or those stored locally on a plugged in USB drive, it also features well over 30 apps, from VOD services like LoveFilm, iPlayer, YouTube and Vimeo to social networks such as Twitter and Facebook and Skype messaging. There's even a fully open web browser based on the WebKit engine.

Since the last time we had a Samsung smart TV in our office for testing the company have also added a dedicated 3D on demand channel called 3D Explore. Much of the content is free and a perfect way to showcase your set's 3D abilities while you grow your catalogue of 3D Blu-ray titles. As it's mostly trailers and documentaries on show here it's not full of Hollywood blockbusters, but we were happy to see a number of familiar IMAX-like historical titles making an appearance, free of charge.

Media playback, via a USB stick or DNLA networking, remains as comprehensive as you'd like. Be it SD or HD file types, lossless audio or dirty CD rips, the screen had no issues whatsoever handling whichever format or codec we threw at it.

We've been impressed with the Smart Hub before, and that feeling remains with the UE60D8000. Consolidating media playback and web connectivity into one place is a sensible choice, and as the Smart TV platform is growing, Samsung appear to have mastered the art of fitting all the new apps in seamlessly. Where it does suffer though is at pulling off onscreen text-entry, needed quite regularly to scan and search the platform. It's fine to click through individual letters to put in the odd Wi-Fi password, but if you're leaving messages on Facebook or searching YouTube regularly it's a bit of a chore. An input method similar to that which Sony use on their PS3 (similar to the text/dial lettering and numbers seen on a home landline phone) would be a simple way to alleviate this problem.

Verdict:

Without question, the UE60D8000 is a fine TV. Apart from a few backlighting issues its 2D and 3D visuals are up there with the best of them, and in Samsung's ever more powerful Smart TV app hub, it's got one of the best web-connected feature sets to boot too. Text entry is a chore, and audio quality is still mediocre at best, but these are problems not unique to Samsung's 8000 series, but the flatscreen market as a whole. While these few foibles are admittedly minor, when you consider the fact they're in a £3,350 set they get a little harder to stomach. Contrary to the constant stream of junk emails I receive, an extra 5 inches is not worth hundreds of pounds, and here it's one of the only clear advantages over Samsung's own smaller, cheaper offerings. An impressive set then, but unless that extra screen real estate is a must have, you'd save yourself a pretty penny by opting for the marginally smaller UE55D8000 instead.