Although I don’t understand why 3D HDTVs have become all the rage lately — I have yet to be impressed by one — it’s not preventing everyone from jumping into the fray. Toshiba is the latest, releasing two models as part of its Cinema Series line.

Now 3D aside, the picture quality from these televisions are top notch from what I saw. They include Toshiba’s ClearFrame technology which prevents some of the loss of clarity in fast moving pictures that plague your everyday LCD set, and 1080p resolution. The set also includes built in Wi-Fi, and features Yahoo Connected TV technology.

Two sizes are available, a 46 and 55 inch model, which would retail for $2,599 and $3,299 respectively. The company also includes a lower end version without 3D in the same sizes, at prices of $2,299 and $2,799. The glasses would be sold separately which run about $170 a piece.

As you can see, the cost of 3D in the living room is really still prohibitively expensive. Toshiba tells me that they eventually will bundle these glasses with the television — but not for the foreseeable future. That probably means “we won’t do it until somebody else does.”

Like I said at the beginning, I don’t see the point — and until this technology is perfected and the 3D is much more impressive, I don’t think many consumers will either. Maybe one of our readers can convince me that this isn’t just a fad.

Along with the 3D TVs comes Toshiba’s first 3D-capable Blu-ray player, the BDX-3000, which will retail for $250 (Isn’t it weird to say Toshiba and Blu-ray in the same sentence?) and will be releasing quite soon. The televisions should begin to appear shortly across the company’s retail channels.

 
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