Samsung and Panasonic will start selling 3D TVs in US stores this week.

Samsung announced Tuesday that it is selling two 3D sets. Combined with the required glasses and a 3D Blu-ray player, the prices start at about $3,000 USD for a 46-inch screen.

Panasonic has said it will sell its first 3D set Wednesday.

Although it's clear that 3D sets for the home will appeal to technology and home-theater enthusiasts, it remains to be seen if the TVs will entice regular consumers to spend $500 or more above the price of a comparably sized standard TV and Blu-ray player.

The 3D effect requires viewers to wear relatively bulky glasses that need to be recharged occasionally. They're not like the cheap throwaways that have been used in theaters since the 1950s.

When you're wearing these 3D TV glasses, room lights and computer screens may look like they're flickering, making it difficult to combine 3D viewing with other household activities.

And for now, there isn't much to watch in 3D. Samsung is including a 3D copy of "Monsters vs. Aliens" on Blu-ray discs with its packages, in a deal with the studio, DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. Its CEO, Jeffrey Katzenberg, said that it would convert its "Shrek" movies to 3D for Samsung TV buyers later this year.

"We continue to see this amazing level of enthusiasm and excitement for 3D. The rate of adoption for this into the cinema has been a rocket ship these last couple of months," Katzenberg said.