Hi BadBloke,
I'm going through the trials and tribulations of 3D set-up myself at the moment. Fun isn't it?
Firstly what are you looking to do with your 3D set-up? Is it mainly for gaming, movies, application etc.? Let me know and I'll try and help you a little further.
Currently manufacturers employ a variety of different methods to render a 3d image to the viewer. Even manufacturers that use the same 'method' will require you to have glasses specifically for their device as they will tune them that way. There is good news however.
http://www.4rfv.co.uk/industrynews.asp?id=123612
You're at the cutting edge of 3D; the first generation proper, as it were. Think of it a little like deciding whether to go for Betamax or VHS back in the 80's. The difference between the 80's and today is that there are many more varieties of 3D technology than there were video playback technologies back in the day, thus making the chances of you backing the future-proof one very remote indeed. On the plus-side though, you get to play with technology that most people havent even considered for their own homes yet. It may well, if history is any indication, inevitably be a wasted investment as the technology develops.
Enough waffling from me, time to answer what questions I can for you.
Are there any other pitfalls I should be aware of?
In a perfect setup you would never get ghosting or crosstalk because the screen would have lost it's image before the next is projected. TV's tend to suffer with this much more than monitors in my experience. Particularly the large screens; your 50" LCD's etc.. A good gaming monitor like the Benq 24"'s are great in my experience (I just bought the120hz XL2410T and I'm gob-smacked by its picture quality).
Are there different grades/quality of 3D glasses?
I think I answered that question above but to clarify; Each manufacturer will produce glasses for his device. Sometimes different product ranges from the SAME manufacturer will be incompatible. It's a minefield, quite literally. In short though, for PC 3D there are 2 main formats currently. Nvidia has a solution that involves a transceiver and active glasses and AMD have a solution that theyve handed to their partners whereby the partners will develop the tech and AMD will develop the software (drivers) for that tech.
In general and when referring to TV's specifically, there are probably differences in the manufacturing processes and the quality of materials etc., but I assume youre referring to the 'quality of image' when you pose this question as opposed to 'Can I trampoline on the headset, feed it to my dog etc. and expect them to still work'.
Will any 3D glasses work with any 3D monitor?
Answered above
If web browsing or word processing will a 3D monitor function perfectly ok. E.g. Will there be any 2D degredation if choosing not to use it as 3D?
Absolutely not! If anything your 2D expereince will be enhanced. Your desktop will be smoother, your mouse movements smoother, even your wife/girlfriend/hamster may be smoother....
I have a 24" 75hz HPwp that I have loved the last 3-4 years right next to my new shiny Benq. It's very noticeable how much better the 120hz monitor is, although I doubt I would have known had they not been side-by-side.
Is £330 enough to get decent quality for a 3D setup or is that too low a budget?
£330... hard one. With some specials you might get to that price-point. The PC solution thats out there right now, Nvidia, is around £120 plus the monitor (Benq XL2410T) @ £282, making a whopping £400 outlay. That said, 3D tech will drop in price as more manufacturers come to market. There are definitely alternative displays out there but my experience is with Benq. After much research and deliberation, they were who I plumped for as they gave me the most bang for my buck.
I hope the information was useful to you and please feel free to message me if you wish to discuss further.
