I promised to tell about my experience with my new 3d-monitor, here is the beginning (tomorrow I'll edit this post to add stuff, now I want to go back to my games ASAP)
The monitor
In 2d the monitor looks terrific! When I bought my other 22" tft screen (iiyama E2200WS) I payed 150 euro's more than the cheapest because I liked it so much, but now my Zalman stands next to it it looks like some cheap model from some cheap company!
However, if you are planning to use the monitor in a place with much light I wouldn't buy it. Even at 8PM I could do my hair with the Zalman as a mirror, because of the glossy coating :O.
If you are planning to use it beside some other 22" tft-screen it's very nice that you can adjust the height and angles very easily.
The 3d-glasses
The glasses are very light weighted and comfortable, and your screen barely gets darker when you wear them.
The effect of the interlacing
To get a 3d-image the Zalman monitor shows one line of pixels for the left eye, one for the right, one for the left, etc.
A positive effect of this method is that you barely see stereoscopic crosstalk("ghosting") (when looked from the right height and angle!).
But the negative side of this technique is that your resolution gets cut in half. It's not that you see disturbing black lines or so (unless you have very good eyes), but I miss my real 1680x1050 resolution a bit.
Some 3d-games I've tested
The first game I tried was Crysis: Wow! What a beautiful game! I almost fell from my chair (it's new for me, real 3d, was used to red/blue glasses). The performance was great (everything on high except shadows on low, postprocessing and shaders on medium, 1680x1050 0xAA, very fluently on my 8800gt). However, I sucked at shooting people
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif)
Summary: looked really great except for a few bugs, but it's (for me) impossible to play with this settings (normally I play delta easily, now I had a hard time playing on easy)
Then I tested portal: very good 3d, performance was excellent: perfect.
Call of duty 4 did work, I was totally amazed by the good 3dimensional effect, but after the training level I started the mission on the boat, and then my framerate dropped to 7fps
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif)
So I installed GTR2: Wooooooohooooooo it's not normal! So beautiful, that feeling, it's just as if you can grab that steering wheel, and take over the car yourself. I especially liked the raining, then you can really good see the depth of the wind-shield. I never liked this game that much, but now it's my favorite I think, it's so cool in 3d!
I was so impressed by GTR that I had to install Trackmania United: also a very nice game, I really like the jumps in 3d, and it's nice to drive with high speed! However, it was less exciting that GTR (in my opinion) because it isn't first person. Though there was no noticeable performance loss: highest quality on 1680x1050 about 40fps, and I have seen no bugs/glitches, works perfect.
(Probably tomorrow) you'll get more details, message me if you got any games you would like to know if they work, I got a nice collection of games here, so I take requests (as long as it is no game like Barby goes shopping etc
![Razz :P](./images/smilies/icon_razz.gif)
Ciao,
Very happy sleepless Sjonnie
Edit1:
Ghosting
As I mentioned yesterday it is very important to look from the right angle and height. I want to emphasize this, because a few degrees/centimetres can make the difference between no ghosting and no 3d! If you buy this monitor you'll get used to sitting in the right position, but if you want to brag about it, and show your friends, then some of them will see 2 pictures instead of 3d, and it won't impress them.
With the most games you don't even see any ghosting, at the very most a little, but I have to warn, in games with high contrasts such as bioshock, or other games with a few lamps and a dark background it's pretty easy to notice ghosting!
I've installed another couple of games:
Bioshock: As said, there is more ghosting than in other games, and there is another con: despite the ghosting it is só só f****** not normally 3dimensional, so realistic, that this game becomes very scary! I played it for 10 minutes, and after a few terrifying frightening moments I stopped to catch some air: 5 minutes later my heart was still in my mouth. This is definitely the most impressive game with this monitor that I've seen so far! (Haha I also got a good set of speakers, that also helps)
Grid-demo: Thanks Cybereality for the advice, but hmm, it looked like a really nice game, and the framerates were excellent (60-70fps), but I didn't get any depth, does anybody know how I can make this game 3d?? Btw it's also nice to play this one in 2d, it's a neat game.
Rainbow Six 3: Raven shield: Hmm, this game doesn't work either
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif)
Couldn't test many games today because I had to babysit, but tonight I'm installing Battlefield 2, DiRT, Unreal Tournament 2004 and if there's time left I'll play Call of Duty 2
AJ, I don't have flight simulator X so I can't test that one for you, I have IL-2, but I borrowed it to a friend, tomorrow I'll get it back, and I'll test it for you
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
Stay tuned
Edit2:
Battlefield 2 is very beautiful in 3d, especially when you shoot someone, however guns you wear and vehicles you're in are a bit strange (looks like there are 2 shadows of them in the air or so), not very distractive, after a quarter or so you don't even notice anymore. It is difficult to aim because the guns get double I think, it's hard to say, but I can conclude that it is really nice to play in 3d, but not if you want to be as good as possible.
DiRT didn't work, I think it runs on the same engine as Grid because it's from same designer, and looks the same, shows just like Grid only some 3d with convergence.
UT2004 is só awesome in 3d!!! Very cool! Just like you're playing UT for real
![Razz :P](./images/smilies/icon_razz.gif)
My Call of Duty 2 cd is broken
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif)
Edit3:
IL-2 Sturmovik did NOT work for me, it was even worse than DiRT and Racedriver Grid, nothing worked, the game started but there was totally no interlacing. Maybe others get it to work (I've read) but I don't.
NFS: Most Wanted is awefully awesome in 3d! You can't play it first person, but when you use the hood-camera it's really entertaining! Framerates where perfect, and thanks to the color-use there's most of the time totally no ghosting visible. If you own a Zalman 3d-monitor, and you never played this game I really think you should give it a try, I really enjoy it!
Btw I barely see any ghosting anymore, so you have to get used to sitting in the right position, but after 2 days this becomes a monitor with almost no ghosting.
Tomb Raider Anniversary everything works perfectly in 3d, as if the game was meant to be 3d
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif)
Any more requests?
Edit4:
GTA San Andreas works, but it's so full of bugs that I don't like to play it
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif)
Call of Duty 2 is super awesome in 3d! The first shooter in which it isn't superhard to aim and that works (in the meaning of at least 30 fps). Aiming is just as easy as without 3d except for aiming from the hip, but you don't use that so much, and it doesn't take too long before you're able to shoot from the hip without a cross-hair; though if you have to be accurate you use your right mouse button.
It is super cool! The gun is beautifully in 3d, and the surrounding too. I couldn't imagine any better 3d except for higher resolution, bigger screen etc.
Post requests, and I'll test the demo, or the real game if I got it (got a whole collection, so if you got a good taste, I'll probably have your game too)
Edit5:
Starwars Battlefront II is just like CoD2 super awesome in 3d! Aiming is easy and the third dimension is very nice
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif)
Edit6:
Rainbow Six: Vegas doesn't work
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif)
UT3 Does work, though you have to use dragons utility, and then it is 3d, but not as much as UT2004 :S, I find it weird that this game works, and R6:Vegas not, because they use the same engine!
MotoGP07 is very cool in 3d! Just like Tomb Raider it is so perfectly 3d, that you can't imagine any better 3d-experience with it, though it's hard to find this one in stores (or you have to buy it online).
Right now, after using the monitor for a week I can tell that the ghosting is about 1% of the first time I used the monitor, in other words: when you get used to sitting in the right position the ghosting will be as good as gone
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif)
Edit7"
Assassin's Creed doesn't work :'( :'(, does anybody know how I can get it working? same probs as with R6:Vegas, convergence, but no separation :S even with Dragons utility :S
Edit8
Heya everybody. Haven't posted here for a while, but I have to do an update because of the new drivers.
Crysis still has the water-bugs, but the rest is great.
Call of Duty 4 now works perfect in 3d, and has high framerates (couldn't be more fluently)
Grid now work perfect in 3d, with perfect framerates as well. Haven't tested Dirt, but I guess that one works too now, since it's based on the same engine as Grid and of the same makers.
Assassin's creed works great too now, it's really fun in 3d! I especially like the moments when you jump off high buildings.
Haven't tested Unreal Tournament 3, but I heard people say that it works great now too.
I have tested Saints Row 2 with the drivers before this one (i thought it was something like 177.10 or so), but it sucked because of low framerates.
I also installed two other games that worked perfect in 3d: Audiosurf (which had great depth in it) and Attack on Pearl Harbor which couldn't have a better third dimension
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
The last game I would like to mention is Battlefield 2, there are still some weird shadows, but even then I think it's one of the best games to play in 3d. I don't know what they have changed since the last drivers, but it suddenly looked even better than before.
Ghosting:
After some experience there is totally no ghosting anymore. The trick to get rid of the last bits was just to sit at the right distance (about 60cm I guess), the right angle (easily adjustable) and the right height (eyes at 3/4 of the screen).
Zalman vs. 3d Vision
First of all I would like to say that I have no experience with 3d vision at all.
I have thought about buying a huge tv in combination with 3d vision. Reasons to do so are:
- Higher resolution (Full HD: 1920x1080, M220W: 1680x1050)
- Less ghosting. If you play from the right position there is totally no ghosting on the Zalman. But if you like showing off you'd rather want a 3d vision, since friends will see the depth immediately and be astonished. With the Zalman you are helping them to see the effect for the first 5 minutes.
- Size (Up to 73" vs. 22"). To have the best 3d experience you'll want a very big monitor. The bigger the better. Although you can better have a 22" at 60cm distance on your desk, than a 66" at 2m from your couch.
On the other hand Zalman's monitor is very cheap nowadays. There can be lots more reasons to buy Zalman's monitor, but I don't know the negative sides of 3d Vision + DLP TV, since I haven't used it.