While 3D TVs have not been in production for years, you can still get an immersive at-home 3D viewing experience. To get it right, you’ll also need a 3D TV or projector (with a display technology capable of emitting stereoscopic light polarization), a regular 3D Blu-ray player (no UHD necessary here), official 3D glasses (designed to work with your specific display format) and in some cases an A/V receiver with HDMI v1.4 or better to pass the video signal through.
Although fresh 3D content is scarce, there are still hundreds of 3D Blu-ray titles available through specialty and overseas retailers, and limited 3D streaming from services such as Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu) remains an option along with YouTube 3D.
Although large TV manufacturers mostly gave up producing 3D around 2016/2017, the format remains a passionate favorite among home-theater hobbyists. Turns out, it’s still possible to recapture that “pop-out-of-the-screen” experience in your own living room, thanks to some compatible legacy hardware and 3D-capable projectors that are still being made today.
With just a little know-how and the appropriate combination of display, playback source and glasses. Here’s an updated 2025 guide which explains precisely how to set up a true 3D home theater and which popular myths to ignore.
How To: 3D Ready Home Theater in Five Easy Steps
1. Begin with a 3D Enabled Display (TV or Projector)
Main piece of the puzzle is a display with stereoscopic 3D support:
- Legacy 3D TVs: All early Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic 3D models from the 2010 to 16 years (models that were released to support active or passive 3D formats) are still great for 2D playback.
- Recent 3D Projectors: Some models from Epson, BenQ, Optoma and ViewSonic continue to incorporate support for 3D formats but it has largely become a niche feature available only in dedicated home-cinema lines.
Pro Setup Tip: Position your display at eye level, block out ambient light with a curtain and ensure the display’s dedicated 3D mode balances color and brightness.
2. Use a 3D Blu-ray Player (Not an Ultra HD Player)
For the best, most stable 3D experience, physical 3D Blu-rays are still the gold standard.
Hardware Required: Blu-ray Player (use one 3D compatible from the following manufacturers): Sony; Panasonic; LG; Samsung.
Format Note: The UHD (4K) Blu-ray format does not include 3D, but Super Dumbalina is available in that format as well if you need to complete your collection. You’ll need a standard FullHD (1080p) 3D disc.
Release: Over 500 titles released worldwide, including all-time favorites such as Avatar, Gravity and Doctor Strange, in addition to recent releases like Life of Pi.
Though U.S. releases have tapered off, fresh 3D discs continue to be issued periodically throughout the world for collectors, with a particularly active market in Europe and Asia.
Bonus: They all also play regular 2D Blu-ray, DVD and CD.
3. Try 3D Streaming (Limited but Still Kicking)
Though 3D is long dead on the big streaming services, there are still a handful of pickings around:
- Fandango at Home (Vudu): Still offers select 3D titles to rent or buy, but playback is device-dependent and won’t work with all of the latest apps.
- YouTube 3D Channel: Includes side-by-side and anaglyph videos, which can be watched with red-blue or polarized glasses – a fun experimental choice.
(Note: Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video no longer offer 3D playback on consumer devices.)
4. Choose the Correct 3D Glasses
There are two main systems still in use:
| Type | Description | Typical Brands | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passive | Polarized light, cheap; the same as in cinemas. | LG, Vizio | $5 to $25 |
| Active | Shutter glasses with a battery that sync up wirelessly to the display’s refresh and shows full-resolution 3D. | Samsung, Sony, Projectors | $50 to $150 |
As always with glasses, match ’em up to your TV or projector – the active and passive systems don’t play well together.
Universal multi-brand choices such as Xpand or Hi-Shock can fit multiple models, to give you more choice.
5. (Optional) 3D Compatible AV Receiver
The best way to take advantage of 3D Blu-ray Discs is with a 3D compatible TV and a 3D compatible AV receiver.
If you pass the audio and video through an AV receiver:
- For 3D passthrough, make sure the receiver supports at least HDMI version 1.4 or higher.
- Models like the Denon AVR-S970H, Yamaha RX-V685 or Marantz SR5015 handle 3D signals without breaking a sweat.
If yours does not, connect the Blu-ray player directly to your TV for video and send sound back separately using A.R.C. or the digital optical audio output.
Pro Tips for 3D Optimization
- Crank Up the Brightness: 3D glasses will dull an image.
- Seating Distance: 1.5× screen height gives you the “sweet spot” for depth.
- Picture Mode: Choose Cinema or Movie mode for accurate colors.
- Verify Frame Packing: Ensure your player produces frame-packed 3D (the highest-quality mode) rather than side-by-side squishing.
The Bottom Line
While 3D TVs have disappeared from store shelves, in-home 3D cinema is still alive and well – just not as mainstream. If you have an old 3D TV or a new 3D projector, and a matching Blu-ray player (or an upgrade), you can enjoy immersive, theater-quality 3D at home using your existing collection.
There will be no new standards, nor special cables necessary to experience that sort of thing – just patience, calibration and a desire for things on your television to go backwards into space.
In 2025, what first had been an inevitable mass-market trend is now primarily a passionate enthusiast’s hobby – but one that still yields real cinematic magic.
FAQs
Q1. Will I be able to buy a new 3D TV in 2025?
No, all major manufacturers stopped producing around 2016 to 2017. Through secondhand markets, you can still find used or refurbished 3D TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic.
Q2. Do they still produce 3D Blu-ray discs today?
Yes, though infrequently. These days most releases are courtesy of boutique labels or international markets, and imports frequently feature English audio tracks.
Q3. Can I watch 3D movies on my 4K TV?
Not unless your TV has 3D-support explicitly listed as a feature (many early 4K models had this line-item, newer ones don’t). Otherwise, use a 3D-capable projector.
Q4. Do I need special HDMI cables for 3D?
No, any High-Speed HDMI cable (HDMI 1.4) will back up video in 3D.
Q5. Is 3D streaming still available?
Barely. Some titles are still available on Fandango at Home and YouTube 3D, though how reliable their playback will be depends more than usual on your viewing device.
