3D televisions certainly have big shoes to fill. Watching a 3D film at the cinema is loads of fun -- the glasses work well, the screen is huge and there's nothing to distract you from all that multi-dimensional action. Sadly, you can forget about enjoying a similar experience at home anytime soon.

The impressive 3D effect of films at the cinema comes courtesy of shockingly expensive digital projectors that beam two slightly different images onto the screen. The cheap polarised glasses you wear simply filter the correct image into each eye.
 
At home, however, the 3D smarts are housed in special 'active shutter' glasses that contain their own miniature LCD screens. When the TV shows an image destined for your left eye, the right lens of the glasses goes black, and vice versa. If the images alternate quickly enough -- and the TV is perfectly synchronised -- your brain will merge the two into a single 3D image. Unfortunately, it's still early days for this technology and the quality of 3D visuals varies.
 
When buying a 3D TV, the most important thing is to test it for yourself at different screen sizes. Imagine sitting down and watching a 90-minute film or football match. Can you see any distracting ghosting (this can happen if the glasses and TV aren't properly synched)? Does the image suffer if you stand up or watch it from the side? More importantly, are the glasses well-fitted and comfortable to wear? If you wear specs or contact lenses, try the 3D glasses with and without them.

Although all active-shutter systems work in a similar way, rival brands' offerings may not be compatible with one another, so check if friends and family have already bought 3D gear. Remember that extra pairs of glasses cost around £100 each. Ask yourself: do they feel sturdy enough to endure daily use?

All of the big-brand 3D tellies will work with any 3D Blu-ray player or 3D games console (currently only the PlayStation 3). If you're planning on using the TV for 3D gaming, try a few sessions of Mafia II beforehand. People tend to sit closer to the TV when gaming and this may affect the screen size you go for.

There are other choices to make, too. Plasma TVs often look better than LCD sets in the showroom because they're great at delivering smooth, flicker-free video (particularly useful with 3D content). But, when installed in a sunny room with windows, plasma screens can look slightly faded and washed-out.

When you buy a 3D TV today, you're essentially buying a top-notch, high-definition 2D television that happens to offer 3D as well. These models should have superb video playback, smooth (240Hz) motion control, loads of connections and possibly Internet access, with widgets and Wi-Fi connectivity. Even if 3D television winds up being a mere novelty, you'll still have a great set to last you until the next craze. Smell-o-vision anyone?

Here's the CNET UK line-up of the best 3D sets on the market today.