@brantlew: Yeah, I'm kind of in the same boat. I'd really like to buy something, and money isn't necessarily a problem, but I don't actually need to buy anything. Over the years I've realized I just stock pile gadgets and a lot of them barely even get used. Currently I am planning on building a VR demo sort of like a proof of concept, but its probably months off. For me, having the proper software is the most important thing as standard PC games aren't really VR yet. So I will probably wait until I have my software ready before I buy anything. By that time the ST1080 should be out and maybe there will be other developments.

http://my-bud.com/mall/goods/goods_view.asp?goods=3&category=1&word=&asc=2&sorting=0&top_size=20

check this out
2d to 3d conversion
4200mah battery
100" at 4m

less than 500usd

the only bad thing is the low resolution

i wanna know the diagonal FOV this has ?
is this better than the vuzix 1200 crap ?
anybody know abt?

I just got my ST1080. I'll have a more detailed review later, but for now I'll say:
1. The ST1080 is currently the best consumer HMD money can buy.
2. The ST1080 is not very good.

I just tried my ST1080 and agree it's not very good. I think the HMZ is the best consumer HMD, though. It can be modded to be comfortable. The ST1080 is comfortable, but can't be modded to have a better display.

It seems you can now order the cinemizer for the astonishing price of 649 euros. The resolution is a disappointing 870x500 but could it be possible that the lenses Zeiss have used might make up for that lower resolution? It's certainly very adjustable with both IP and independent focusing adjustments. The FoV is 30 degrees, so not much off the ST1080.

I have to disagree. The difference between 30 degrees and 45 degrees is very significant.

My mistake I, for some reason, had it in my head that the ST1080 had a FoV of 35 degrees.

What is good about the HMZ FOV that this area is what both eyes can actually see in 3D at the same time. If you have more than that you don't see 3D anymore cause the respective other eye cannot see it anymore.

Sorry but 30 degrees is a joke in 2012. Hopefully they can step up their game with future models, but this just won't cut it for VR or gaming purposes.

I've been doing some simulations. Zeiss say that 30 degrees is the equivalent of a 40" screen at 2m. I take it that that's the same as a 20" screen at 1m (please correct me if I'm wrong). I tried sitting 1.08m away from a 21.5" widescreen and found the results when viewing 16:9 content to be satisfactory to the point that sitting any closer was slightly more fatiguing. (2.39:1 was a little small but still watchable). Even watching 3D content (it's a 3D monitor) still had a fair bit of pop to it.

Am I doing it wrong or do movies just require a smaller FoV than gaming and VR? Also, if anyone has a link to a calculator or some simple formulae for calculating screen size-distance equivalents to FoV could they please post them? It would be very helpful in making my choice, thank you.

I buy today mi shinny hmzt1 i love ....its like a piece of art ...its just awe dudes

To reach THX certification the farthest seat in the cinema must have a 36 degree horizontal viewing angle.
As you move closer the viewing angle is wider. I cant find any confirmation on what they consider optimal, but from memory I think it is 40 degrees. The viewing angle for tv is narrower, simply because you usually
watch tv for longer periods of time.

However, the content filmed for movies are made for that purpose and framed so that you are supposed to be able to see generally what is spread across the screen. In other words you can fill up too much of your peripheral vision.

So why wont the high FOV of Oculus Rift cause the same type of eye fatigue?
If you look at movie content in a 90degree viewing angle, you will not be able to see all you need to see and will have to move your head or strain your eyes. Important content will fill up your peripheral vision, and you have to strain yourself to get all the input.

A game with a 90 degree viewing angle where you move your head freely are not made and framed in such a way that you need to look at all content in a frame at all times and you can turn away from something and choose yourself what you need to look at.

Its closer in comparison, to how you navigate within your field of view in real life.
So, you are better off comparing real life fov vs game (vr) fov and then tv fov vs cinema fov

You also have to consider the IMAX theaters. I just went there tonight (to see Skyfall) and sat up front. The screen basically covered my entire FOV, but it looked great and did not give me a headache after 2.5 hours. Not sure what THX has to say about that, but I had a good time.

In a Imax theater you can move your head, in a hmz-t1 you cant and rely only on moving your eyes.
Doesn't count that you can in theory add motion trackers to the hmz-t1. It would seriously strain your eyes if you had to move them too much in that timespan.

Also, you might not represent the average movie viewer, and both sound levels and lots of other things have to cater for more people than hardcore fans of high FOV. That means, even sitting at front row have to be within the comfort zone for the average viewer.

I never experienced regular movies on Imax, but I don't think I am going to want to watch regular movies on a much larger view than 40 degrees.

Maybe I am misreading your post? Can you really imagine comfortably watching Skyfall on a rift with the picture covering the entire width of each eye?

PS;

I just search skyfall+Imax and it seems it has been specially framed with Imax in mind. This makes more sense to me and might explain why you did not experience discomfort.

This is exactly why I think the SVP is such a good fit for the Rift:


I've just uploaded some new 60fps 3D samples with different warps here: viewtopic.php?f=138&t=15047&p=87885#p87885

I've been keeping a comparison chart of consumer HMDs here:

http://www.roadtovr.com/head-mounted-di ... ison-chart

I also did a Rift vs. HMZ-T1 vs. ST1080 article here (though it's a bit dated now; from August):

http://www.roadtovr.com/2012/08/11/hmd- ... hmz-t1-937