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'Avatar' 3D Blu-ray now available from Panasonic

To get the new 3D Blu-ray version of the movie, Avatar fans need to either buy a new Panasonic set, have bought one in the past eight months, or opt for the company's 3D Full HD Ultimate Pack.

Don Reisinger
CNET contributor Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
Don Reisinger
Avatar has arrived in 3D Blu-ray.
Avatar has arrived in 3D Blu-ray. Fox Home Video

If you've been waiting for the 3D Blu-ray version of James Cameron's Avatar, you can finally get your hands on it. But it won't be as easy as going to the store to pick up a copy.

Starting today, customers who buy a Panasonic Viera 3D HDTV VT series or GT series set will also receive the company's 3D Full HD Ultimate Pack, which includes two pairs of Panasonic 3D glasses and a copy of Avatar in 3D Blu-ray, at no additional charge. Panasonic is also allowing those who purchased one of the company's 3D sets between March 10 and November 30 to receive a free copy of the film by filling out a mail-in request form.

A Panasonic spokesperson said that consumers can buy the 3D Full HD Ultimate Pack separately for $399.95 if they don't want a new set to get Avatar in Blu-ray 3D. However, the spokesperson said that the film will not be sold as a standalone product.

Panasonic offered no comment on when its exclusive deal to sell Avatar in 3D on Blu-ray would end. Twentieth Century Fox, the film's distributor, did not immediately respond to request for comment on when the 3D Blu-ray version of Avatar would be sold separately.

The 3D Blu-ray version of Avatar has been highly sought after. Panasonic waited until September to finally confirm that it would exclusively sell the film starting in December after months of speculation over when it would finally hit store shelves.