The more experience people have with 3-D technology, the more interested they are in having more 3-D options, according to a new joint study from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® and the Entertainment and Technology Center at the University of Southern California.

The study, 3-D TV: Where Are We Now and Where Are Consumers, also showed that 3-D technology is positioned to become a major force in future in-home entertainment. As with many successful technologies, such as HDTV, interest in 3-D increases as consumers experience it first-hand. In the past 12 months, nearly 41 million U.S. adults report having seen a 3-D movie in theaters. Of those, nearly 40 percent say they would prefer to watch a movie in 3-D than that same movie in 2-D. That’s compared to just 23 percent who have not seen a 3-D movie in the past 12 months. The study also found that today’s 3-D technology is positioned to move into the home and is becoming a major purchasing factor of TV sets. Sixteen percent of consumers are interested in watching 3-D movies or television shows in their home, while 14 percent are interested in playing 3-D video games. All told, more than 26 million households are interested in having a 3-D content experience in their own home. More than half of U.S. adults said having to wear special glasses or hold their heads still while watching a 3-D TV would have no impact on them purchasing a 3-D set for their home. New 3-D display technology that would require no special glasses was unveiled at the 2009 International CES, produced by CEA. Another driver for purchasing a 3-D capable set is content. Nearly 30 percent of U.S. adults said having access to 3-D content though cable, satellite, fiber-optics or over-the-air broadcasts would positively impact their decision to buy a 3-D capable TV. The study also found that consumers were willing to pay more for a 3-D experience. Nearly half indicated they were willing to spend more for a television capable of displaying 3-D content. In fact, 15 percent of consumers said they would spend roughly 25 percent for such a TV. The parallels between 3-D and other successful technologies like HDTV suggest great potential for 3-D in the home.