HEADPLAY short review!!

Post by **VRgamesterz** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 10:38 pm

HellOOOw

I went and bought the Headplay, funny thing is I just heard about this thing not more then a week ago just from someone asking about it. I guess im alittle rusty on keeping up on things..

Anyways like I said I paid $516 with next day shipping, a cool box they put it in, packaged up really tight. It says 120 fresh rate but I never got it past 100 to work, maybe upgrade will fix this. The 1024x768 isnt bad, still you get your blurry spots if not position right but I didn't get this for reading but like the time and date are clear enough to see. In 800x600 way better for seeing desktop and reading specs. So my setup is a 7800gt using 162.50 same for stereo3d, winxp sp3 3gig mem and 3.0hz. Im using a setup of 1024x768 at 85hz. I got to say that the size of the sceen seems bigger then the vr920,it states in the booklet 36deg, I think vr920 was 32deg but good size. Putting this on this what sold me and makes me want to keep it for now LOL.. But really putting it on like a golfers hat and then just tighten it on the sides with the velcro and it fit nice on the back, they angled it to where it under the skull area, if you can picture over your ears and then bent down for a good fit.
Plug and play, very simple and turning it on you get a headplay screen for choosing what to use. Once I set it up I tried to clone it with using my monitor, it works at certain fresh rates, well sometimes it will work then sometimes you get a scrambled screen. Vr920 was easy to clone and use during 3d gaming, but this when it did had to much static across the screen.

So the games I tested were UT2004, Painkillers overdose, Bio shock, Fear, an oldie but goodie, orginal quake, dam looks good still. Ut2004 and painkiller and Bio shock man were they made for 3d gaming, the depth look just as good using the CRT with shutters. Because of headplays setup I did notice alittle ghosting when trying to get the most out of the depth look but still good to use. I didn't notice any flickering at all. My women wears glasses and it didn't fit her to good using them, but when she took them off and used the controll for focus, she couldn't believe she could see clear enough, now with the vuzix she got to use her glasses and with them off it was to blurry for her to use. So for anyone with glasses and your not that blind, these will help. When I put the headplay back on they were blurry as heck from her setup. Also moving them if your eyes are closer together or farther apart was a good feature. Cause my bud had to ajust cause his eyes are closer together so I was happy that it worked for everyone with differant needs. Now after awhile you get some sweat on the forehead and thats about it but if you tried a VFX1 then you will know the fealing. The cord the comes from the visor to the box is kinda short, I dont know why these companies keep doing this but its a drag, theres no way to extend this like I did for the Vr920, your stuck with the box being pretty close to you. One thing I did notice when looking at the desktop is if my eyes looked in a corner, the screen got dark like it flickered real quick but when you looked forward you were good, does this make sense to anyone, is this cause of the one screen they are using? I never noticed this in gaming just to point out..

Well got to bounce and if anyone has any questions or would like me to test on things, just ask!!!

Ku

Post by **LukePC1** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 2:11 am

Thanks for the first review of the Headplay

It seems like they use Shutters and one display, but have quite a high quality. Maybe it's the same technology as Nvidia glasses and View-Sonic.

Do you need to use the Nvidia pageflipping driver?
Or do they have a driver on their own?
Is there some special sync, so that some third party could make a driver?

How about the headtracker? Does it have a headtracker? I don't remember

I'm looking forward to your answers
Luke

Post by **CarlKenner** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 2:23 am

No headtracker. And I think that the stereo is like a Z800 with upgraded firmware. You can choose nvidia stereo or you can choose frame sequential stereo. So no possible third party support. But correct me if I'm wrong.

Post by **Okta** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 2:53 am

Would you say there is any decent immersion with the fov being a little better than the vr920?

Post by **VRgamesterz** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 11:42 am

Yeah like Carl said, No headtracking.
The main screen when connected has the option to choose S-video, Vga, 3D standard Vga and Nvidia stereo Vga.
I used the Nvidia stereo for gaming, and in the setup area for the video card I use the DDC VGA glasses I/O
IS there another one that I could try? I wounder if the drivers from IZ3d would work..

Okta, immersion wise, I think it's a decent screen size. You still can see light coming in from the sides and the bottom but when your looking straight at the screen and playing, you really don't mind it, theres no glare of the glasses like I had with the VR920.

Now this is what I've added to compare the 2 HMD's.

With the headplay as it is without headtracking, it fits nice and has a nice resolution, screen alittle bigger and good 3d.
For the $100 less for the vr920 with tracking, I purchased the Power ranger helmet for $25 shipping included. Now taking it apart and working about 4 hours on getting it right, made a good fit with immersion. I'd say the cost is about the same for doing that, minus not having tracking but using the glovepie and some wiiremote, Isee you having a good setup. Everyone was ready to spend $500 on the tdvisor without headtracking, I was to but this is what I bought and I still need to test some more, so keep asking away and i'll try to answer the best I can..

Ltr Ku

Post by **CarlKenner** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 6:16 pm

No, iZ3D driver will not work, unless you can keep the game frame rate permanently above the refresh rate.
You are completely dependent on Nvidia, and Nvidia has already abandoned you.

The Wiimote can't measure yaw without the Wii Motion Plus attachment. The SIXAXIS can measure yaw, but we haven't got it to work wirelessly yet. Unlike the VR920, both will have drift, because they measure rotation speed rather than absolute orientation. The VR920 uses a compass instead of gyros. The Z800 uses a compass as well as gyros.

Post by **pierreye** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 8:48 pm

Head tracking would not be a problem. Just check out http://www.free-track.net/english/. There just release v 2.2 with Wii controller support. You can just use the wii in front, built a simple 3 point iR LED helmet and you got 3DOF tracking. I think this setup is good for flight simulator and driving game. FPS might not be suitable as you can't turn 360 degrees.

Post by **CarlKenner** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 11:12 pm

I use head-tracking for FPS while standing up, like proper VR.

Post by **Okta** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 11:26 pm

Headplays are currently selling for $399 on their site. I can see myself getting one of these. There are no other comparable options.

Post by **UndeadD3vi1** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:13 am

Okta, how will you use it? Its Page Flip Stereo

Post by **Okta** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:41 am

I have a lappy with a 7600go and a 7950gx2 in my pc.

Post by **martinlandau** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 4:01 am

octa I look forward to your review, for only 399, you can't go wrong, and if you do, it seems you will have no trouble reselling it on ebay.

Post by **UndeadD3vi1** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 5:30 am

Okta, if you buy it I'd also be interested in reading the review, but is it worth the price tag? The VR920 is around the same price and works with iz3D and modern cards.

Post by **bob_shaftenkluger** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 7:00 pm

Hi. Maybe Im just being stupid here.. but what about using hardware to convert the signal? I cant imagine it would be that hard, for example, to take the alternate video frames and use the sync signal to switch between the two eyepieces. Or what about some sort of software wrapper that captures and converts between formats. I'm sure people must have thought of stuff like that before, but I have not found any info. Of course I don't yet know what page flip stereo is (theres a lot to read on here, I'll get to that page eventually..), so forgive me if I'm talking about the impossible.

(Edited for missing word)

Post by **UndeadD3vi1** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:38 pm

Actually you make a good point, i'll create a new post in a second.

Edit: http://www.mtbs3d.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3753" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (Support for Page Flipping Sutters but it could do much more as well so releavent to the above post.)

Post by **warlockboyburns** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 6:12 pm

you could use a gyration mouse and a wiiremote with your headplay and get 360 degree hand tracking which is quite satisfying

Post by **ancjob** » Wed Jul 28, 2010 3:18 am

Guys - i do not have the nvidia card supporting 3D so 3D aspect is not of interest to me at the moment

I wonder if this will support Acer 3D laptops or Asus 3d laptops just launched as nvidia 3d card old versions are very hard to find...

Now please let me know for the movies from SD card / DVDs
How's

1)the image size in layman terms [like 2ft abt the same distance as from the laptop]?

2)the image quality [brightness/contrast/color/sharpness etc] ?

3)Any image distortions/blurring anywhere if observed.. ?

4)can these be recommended for movie watching from DVd players / Sd cards

5)Does this support Divx/Xvid AVIs stored on SD cards etc ?

6)can these be used for watching movies for very long time ?

7)Can they cause eyestrain on long time viewing of movies.. ?

I really wanted to get this but not too sure as 3d aspect is not my priority at the moment but these are the only ones supporting 800x600 natively within US $0.5k range

any suggestions most welcome..

thank you

Post by **Okta** » Wed Jul 28, 2010 5:15 am

ancjob wrote:Guys - i do not have the nvidia card supporting 3D so 3D aspect is not of interest to me at the moment

I wonder if this will support Acer 3D laptops or Asus 3d laptops just launched as nvidia 3d card old versions are very hard to find...

Now please let me know for the movies from SD card / DVDs
How's

1)the image size in layman terms [like 2ft abt the same distance as from the laptop]?

2)the image quality [brightness/contrast/color/sharpness etc] ?

3)Any image distortions/blurring anywhere if observed.. ?

4)can these be recommended for movie watching from DVd players / Sd cards

5)Does this support Divx/Xvid AVIs stored on SD cards etc ?

6)can these be used for watching movies for very long time ?

7)Can they cause eyestrain on long time viewing of movies.. ?

I really wanted to get this but not too sure as 3d aspect is not my priority at the moment but these are the only ones supporting 800x600 natively within US $0.5k range

any suggestions most welcome..

thank you

Ok it was a while since i sold it now but let me have a go at answering best i can.

1) 19inch monitor from 1.5-2 feet?

2) Brightness is ok if you can keep the elnses centre on your eyes which you tend to wrestle with a lot while wearing them. The sharpness i found i could never get just right. Colours were a little washed but ok.

3) No major image distortion.

4) You can watch movies ok but they did strain my eyes, i dont think this is the case with everyone.

5) From memory i did watch some divx from the usb but some files didnt work. At worst you can run another input from pc. I dont think it would hack 720p.

6+7) It may depend on you, teh focus is adjustable but i had a little eye strain.

Being that these things are going for $350 US on ebay now they are a decent buy.

Post by **ancjob** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 2:07 am

thank you Okta for your observations
Headplay is really nice within US 0.4k but the bulky liberater is a major turn off
also i have heard that there are some issues with Pal playback / streaming..
they got some fix something..
also that they do not support headplay anymore..somebody told
so kinda in a fix..
Currently i wanna spend on really good HMDs[800x600 native resolution]
i came across vrealities.com thru internet search

I am amazed that majority of thier HMDs are 800x600
Based on my budget i figured out the following
1) http://www.vrealities.com/virtualvisor.html
2) http://www.vrealities.com/i-cinehr.html

3) http://www.vrealities.com/virtualviewer3d.html
4) http://www.vrealities.com/i-trek3dpc.html

For 1) and 2) there are a couple of reviews on amazon usa but not much to be confident regd..

and for 3) and 4) no reviews anywhere but the specs are really nice..

their tech support does not reply at all to the queries

hope somebody has tried them to suggest regd the above..

is Virtual Realities Inc - a good site to order from ?
Has anybody ordered from them ...?
do they really honor their warranties they commit to ?

so keeping my fingers crossed

Post by **Okta** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 2:43 am

Those things look ok but they offer 35 degree FOV so probably same or smaller than the headplay and offer the same stereo support.

You are probably better off to a VR920 or headplay if you dont want to go the emagin z800 for slightly bigger fov.

Post by **ancjob** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:25 am

thank you Okta
Headplay has 34 FOV the and offers 56' @6' ,VR920 more or less and totally laptop product..

so explains 17-19' screen-size for 2' [headply]as explained by you

But these below have 85' @ 5' with 35 fov so i expect around 34-35' @ 2 ft'' for these
I am amazed that majority of HMDs are 800x600
Based on my budget i figured out the following
1) http://www.vrealities.com/virtualvisor.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
2) http://www.vrealities.com/i-cinehr.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

3) http://www.vrealities.com/virtualviewer3d.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
4) http://www.vrealities.com/i-trek3dpc.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Only want that somebody who 'd review above and oblige ...
also if the site is really good to order from directly and do they really honor their warranties..

Post by **Okta** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 5:31 am

ancjob wrote:thank you Okta
Headplay has 34 FOV the and offers 56' @6' ,VR920 more or less and totally laptop product..

so explains 17-19' screen-size for 2' [headply]as explained by you

But these below have 85' @ 5' with 35 fov so i expect around 34-35' @ 2 ft'' for these

Notice in those figures the FOV is about the same? That means someone is lying about the screen size@distance.

Post by **PalmerTech** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 2:28 pm

That site is lying. Notice how some HMDs claim 85" at 5', some 80" at 5', yet they both have the same 35 degree field of view listed? I think they are full of poop.

That said, if anyone has a headplay they want to get rid of, let me know. I would be tearing it down and documenting it with high res photos, and would also explore upgrade options.

EDIT: Also, general rule of thumb: If a site looks shady, send them a message seriously asking about a product. If they do not respond... Be worried. It looks like you already tried that, and to be honest, if they will not help you BEFORE you give them your money, why would they be motivated to help you after they already have it?

Post by **ancjob** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 10:48 pm

The site may not be lying as FOV is the same - may be the focal distance has to do with it
which is what i am unsure--
if the VR guys are saying 95% truth then i will get more of their HMDs...
As 34' @ 2' [laptop viewing distance] are not available for under 700k
Even z800 does not do 34'@2' [laptop viewing distance]...correct me if am wrong guys...
also same goes for cinemizer as well - vuzix is nothing...
Why do not we have the top names foraying into Hi-res HMDs - is this technology NOT so advanced or that commercial viability is not possible..
Big names like Sony etc still not in yet - why?

may be i have to purchase those china/hk only as not many choices out there or else wait..

Post by **PalmerTech** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 2:44 am

Focal length has nothing to do with the size, only the field of view does. Focal length just determines how far away your eye is focusing.

The main reason you do not have large companies going into HMDs is because, quite simply, it is impossible to make an HMD that is small, has a large FOV, and costs under $5000 or so (Nobody would buy an HMD anywhere close to that anyways). People complain about 3D glasses, now imagine someone trying to sell a large, bulky HMD. It would be a hard sell! I am actually trying to work something out manufacturing wise myself to try and combat this trend, but it will be a loooong time before it goes anywhere, most likely.

These companies that are making HMDs are not exactly rocket scientists. There are 3 main display technologies that are used: Kopin display modules, Emagin Display Modules, and mirror split single LCD shutter rigs. The last one is a setup used in i-Glasses SVGA and the Headplay, the Headplay just appears to use much nicer, anti-reflective coated optics. Emagin OLED display modules are 800x600, and responsible for pretty much all other HMDs with that resolution, they all have the same specs as the Z800. Finally, Kopin makes several display modules, the most commonly used in decent HMDs is the 640x480 module. Most china HMDs use this, but without the extra 3D features of the VR920.

You really have very few options. Building your own or spending at least $600 or so on a Virtual Research V6 or V8 with 60 degree field of view (Still only 640x480) is your only option.

I was in the same position as you about a year ago, but you have to just realize that there are no options for a cheap HMD with a good field of view.

Post by **ancjob** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 5:30 am

thank you PalmerTech for the useful info abt HMD tech..s
So vuzix and one more is i-glasses i3tv with 800x600 [fov 26', and 76'@13']

What abt wrap 920 Vs i-glasses i3tv as vr920 is a laptop toy only

1) does wrap 920 have decent screen with very good 3d [flicker free]?

2)i want the virtual screen size > 30' from 2' [laptop viewing distance] to be regarded as decent with very good brightness/colors/sharpness/contrast

i crib abt wrap 920 as the power source is AA cells not the usb..
and mixed views regd wrap 920 so really not sure

i3tv does not have good reviews on amazon either..though a bit expensive..

headplay projects 17'-19'@2' screen with not so good quality brightness/colors/sharpness/contrast as reviewed in this topic..

correct me please if am wrong the z800 also project the same size as headplay stated above..although they are 800x600 OLEDs-real expensive as well

So am lost totally dependent on china HMDs..pity!

Post by **PalmerTech** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:29 am

1) The Wrap is not made for being immersive. It is semi-transparent, and it is worse for 3D gaming than the VR920.

2) There is nothing like that on the commercial market for cheap. I am nearly done making a custom HMD for the member Ido, it will be done within a week, and it has a resolution of 1280x800, 95 degree field of view... But the body of it is an MRG 2.2 helmet, not small video glasses. There is just nothing on the market for a reasonable price/size with the specs you are looking for, sadly. If there was, believe me, we would all have them!

The Z800 has a slightly higher FOV compared to the Headplay, but not by much. Keep in mind also that the Headplay and Z800 are both bad for 3D gaming, because the drivers do not work on modern video cards. IZ3D driver will work with them, but only with very, very powerful computers, and it still has problems.

Fatshark makes an HMD with 47 degree FOV, 640x480, but it has composite inputs only. It uses the same LCDs as a VR920, so I tried modding one into it, but the optics are not very clear. Large image, fine for composite... But bad for VGA.

Post by **ido** » Sun Aug 01, 2010 9:00 am

Listen to Palmer... He has probably had his hands on more HMDs than most people here, especially consumer level ones.

Honestly I was in the same boat as you years ago, always searching for a decent HMD with a wide FOV... It's really what EVERYONE in the HMD club wants. Like Palmer said, unless you mod something, it's doubtful you'll get anything to your expectations.

Thank you again Palmer for doing that mod for me! If you don't get pictures/video uploaded of it I will when I receive it.

Post by **ancjob** » Sun Aug 01, 2010 8:48 pm

Just got my headplay today...
takes a bit of time to adjust - if properly adjusted then it's good...
my only gripe is it's weight which drools upon the nose unless it's secured tightly over the forehead..
Also screen is reflective - so if you have not adjusted this properly and not looking 'head-on straight' it will be black spots ..
but thankfully headplay got me into 3D - seems i am bitten by 3D bug..

so my search continues for a light weight 3D HMD capable of playing popular 3D formats like anaglyph/field sequential / side-by-side etc...

Currently being aware of only Vuzix wrap 920 / AV920 capable of above if anybody has tested 3D with these - please update here for all of us to know .

i do not know if Virtual Visor can do 3D [anaglyph / field sequential / side-by-side ] - anybody who tried Virtual Visor please let me know...

really this HMD business is frustrating - i guess i got to get Z800 3dvisor and close this issue of perpetual search for 3D HMD once and for all... had it been accepting composite input - i'd have gotten it by now...

Cinemizer OLED is another hopeful-wanna be for me ...let's see...