ESPN will meet its target of 100 3D events in its first year of production, and from Feb. 14 it will start to broadcast 3D content 24-7 on its 3D channel. "It's our Valentine's gift to you," said Bryan Burns, ESPN vice president for strategic business planning and development.

But one thing that won't propel 3D TV forward any time soon is glasses-free viewing. Despite technology demonstrations here from Sony, Toshiba and others, executives here said a system good enough for mass market use is still three to five years away.

They hope improvements in the 3D glasses on offer will make them more palatable. Samsung showed a few pairs in its booth that weigh less than earlier models and are better balanced. The electronics have been moved from the front to the back of the ear piece so they sit more comfortably on the head.

Samsung also showed improvements to its technology that converts 2D programming to 3D in real time. It doesn't match the quality of original 3D content but it gives consumers who've shelled out for a 3D set something else to watch.

Almost all the glasses on show at CES are active -- the type that open and close each lens rapidly to produce the 3D effect. Passive glasses, which use polarization to present a different viewing angle to each eye in turn, are cheaper and lighter but seen as suitable at the moment only for theaters.