A review of my HMD collection. (Lots of pictures)

[ancjob]

[quote="ancjob"
Pal - it's not the question of love/hate V4/V6/V8

So i am NOT adventurous anymore..got three already [headplay/I-cine Hi-res/AV920]

Okay now I get it..after reading more post from you.
Sounds like you know what you are looking for..hope you find it.

How do you like the Headplay ?
I was always worried the 3D with the Headplay would have a double image or ghosting like you see with shutter glasses since the headplay only has one screen, is that true or does the Headplay have less ghosting than shutter glasses ?
Have you done reviews of your HMD's ?[/quote]

Pal - i tried Imax - haunted castle [field seq] the 3D is wonderful no ghosting absolutely great!
However the colors are not vibrant just ok [18 bit color] if that's ok with you -then you'd like headplay
Also headplay uses highly reflective LCD so if have to adjust it properly to enjoy it
Once properly adjusted the unit is great -real 'big' screen too close - like being in my theater!

i'd great expectations with vuzix av920 [recently purchased from Amazon USA] but it's 3d is bad..using it as a 2D device only..it's color is better than headplay but FOV is less compared with headplay - so your choice!

so for 2D - vuzix is good [headplay is bulky]
and for 3D - headplay is great! if you ignore the bulk/color depth etc..
my last HMD will be cinemizer OLED - waiting for it's release!

hope this helps

[3dvison]

Yes that does help...Thank You.

Just one more quick question about the Headplay.
Is 1024*768 the highest conputer rez. it will accept ?
I see on the Headplay website, it say's it can take a 1080p signal, but I guess that is for non-computer images/video.
So I was just wondering what the max computer input rez. it could take and scale down to it's native 800*600 rez. ?

Also, is it true the Vuzix AV920 does 3D different than the Vuzix VR920 ?
I ask because I tought most people said the VR920 had very good 3D so maybe there is a differance in how the Vuzix AV920 & VR 920 do 3D...???

Sorry I thought of one more question on the Headplay.
Is there a modern up to date 3D driver that lets you use it with Windows 7 and new computer games with 3D on ?
Last one..LOL

[ancjob]

[quote="3dvison"]Yes that does help...Thank You.

Just one more quick question about the Headplay.
Is 1024*768 the highest conputer rez. it will accept ?
I see on the Headplay website, it say's it can take a 1080p signal, but I guess that is for non-computer images/video.

So I was just wondering what the max computer input rez. it could take and scale down to it's native 800*600 rez. ?

answer : yes - it takes max resolution as 1024*768 - i tested it on my NON-3D laptop


Also, is it true the Vuzix AV920 does 3D different than the Vuzix VR920 ?
I ask because I tought most people said the VR920 had very good 3D so maybe there is a differance in how the Vuzix AV920 & VR 920 do 3D...???

answer : yes - i also thought the same regd .AV920 as it does fiels seqential/side-by-sede/anaglyph but trust me it's 3D is NOT crystal clear - also the unit is discontinued if you buy and it turns out defective [like mine did] then you kiss your US $400 goodbye!

Sorry I thought of one more question on the Headplay.
Is there a modern up to date 3D driver that lets you use it with Windows 7 and new computer games with 3D on ?

answer : My laptop does NOT do 3D so i cannot tell you that...my guess is that if your laptop provides for stereo output video feed then - it'd work as when my DVD player feeds it with field seq signal - all i do is to choose 3D mode and i start to enjoy Crystal clear 3D..hope this answers..

pal - this forum is great to get info from experienced users so any questions regd headplay i will try to answer to the best of my knowledge - feel free to ask...

update : the colors also depend on the source quality so on a latest DVDs the color is GREAT!
sorry for the earlier comments but headplay is really GREAT for 2D and 3D[field sequential] and great choice for US$ 0.4k it's weight is the ONLY issue for me to be bothered with!
But i do not think any HMD in the market worth it's salt can compete with Headplay regd it's quality that's for sure - i learned only after kissing my US$400 goodbye when purchased Vuzix AV920 for it's light weight and 32FOV and 16.7 million colors - how foolish was I! currently Headplay is the best rest all poop learned it the hard way...

[3dvison]

ancjob, Thank You once again for the information.
The thing that always kept me away from the Headplay was the single screen for 3D.
I thought that 3D on the Headplay would be no better than shutter glasses as far as ghosting and double image problems. But now it sounds like you feel the 3D on the Headplay is a step up from shutter glasses. Is that correct ?

[ancjob]

ancjob, Thank You once again for the information.
The thing that always kept me away from the Headplay was the single screen for 3D.
I thought that 3D on the Headplay would be no better than shutter glasses as far as ghosting and double image problems. But now it sounds like you feel the 3D on the Headplay is a step up from shutter glasses. Is that correct ?

yes- crystal clear 3d no ghosting , no double images - perfect 3D as it 'd be!
sometimes i feel that it's better version of V8 [800x600] with 34FOV and modernized 3D input.....

pal - headplay is the best for US $400 nothing is even close to it

i do not know what cinemizer 'd be like with OLEDS but as of now headplay is the best 2D+3D device rest all waste of money

also credit goes to headplay for biting me with a 3D bug.......Love the 3D
remember headplay only does Field sequential format

i'd purchased AV920 since the specs said it played field seq/side-by-side/anaglyph - but i was looted Vuzix is a Sham ! - using AV920 only for 2D videos...and it's 3D is BAD..

i have purchased field sequential movies to watch on headplay and building more of collection

[Tone]

Just catching up with this thread... Sorry for not paying attention.

• The guts of a V6 - http://www.vrtifacts.com/hmds/teardown- ... search-v6/
• The VR-4, V6, and V8 all use the exact same optics - three element achromats
• VR-4 accepts either S-Video or RGB on HD-15 (separate sync or sync on green) at NTSC scan rates only. Stereo is achieved by using two such inputs. Stereo/Mono is set by dipswitch on the control box. Color adjustments are on the helmet.
• V6 and V8 accept RGB on HD-15 at 640x480x60hz only. There are two input connectors, one is Left/Mono, the other is Right. If the Right is not connected, the V6/V8 automatically senses monoscopic and sends the left signal to both eyes. Otherwise you get stereoscopic display. Brightness and Contrast adjustments are on the control box. Color adjustments are done in your Nvidia or ATI control panel. Dual head display card is the way to go for stereo.
• Stereoscopic movies are best played back with Stereoscopic Player and a dual head display card. SP handles field interlaced, side-by-side, top-bottom, and many other input formats and will re-format for VR-4/V6/V8.

IMO, Virtual Research's prices on these HMDs were quite fair. They're hand assembled; I've sat on the production line (OK...3-4 people) and assisted in building several V6s. I've also reviewed the bill of materials in some detail. Given that these were short run products (overall production measured in the hundreds) there was no way to drive down costs. The cost of the Epson displays and support chips always kept these HMDs far beyond the consumer market.

[3dvison]

When you say "Dual head display card is the way to go for stereo"
Does that mean any of the newer ATI or Nvidia video cards with two outputs or is a Dual head display card a special type of video card ?

[PalmerTech]

Yup, anything with two outputs. They just need to output two analog signals, be it VGA, or carried from DVI using a converter.

[3dvison]

Got it...Thank's

[Kitty]

Is anyone interested in parting with a good Virtual Research V8 HMD? Or have one that could be used for parts?

[PalmerTech]

Is anyone interested in parting with a good Virtual Research V8 HMD? Or have one that could be used for parts?

Hate to thread jack a tiny bit, but here is mine for sale: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 710wt_1139" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That is all.

It would be nice to have more review threads like this from other members with HMDs!

[ancjob]

Is anyone interested in parting with a good Virtual Research V8 HMD? Or have one that could be used for parts?

Hate to thread jack a tiny bit, but here is mine for sale: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 710wt_1139" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That is all.

It would be nice to have more review threads like this from other members with HMDs!

i'd be interested but the composite to VGA converter with lowest resolution starting 640x480@60 Hz is difficult to get ! nowadays the lowest being 800x600@60-75Hz...which makes my emagin z800 work!...with composite input...

hence this makes the V8 - essentially a PC product !

[Johnny-Mnemonic]

Is anyone interested in parting with a good Virtual Research V8 HMD? Or have one that could be used for parts?

Hate to thread jack a tiny bit, but here is mine for sale: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 710wt_1139" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Guys, please not for parts!
It's the only one available for community, don't ruin it!

hence this makes the V8 - essentially a PC product !

Not essentially PC!
It also runs well on old Silicon Graphics

And it's Virtual Reality helmet, not video-glasses, why would you want it to use for some boredom like movies?

[ancjob]

Is anyone interested in parting with a good Virtual Research V8 HMD? Or have one that could be used for parts?

Hate to thread jack a tiny bit, but here is mine for sale: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 710wt_1139" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Guys, please not for parts!
It's the only one available for community, don't ruin it!

hence this makes the V8 - essentially a PC product !

Not essentially PC!
It also runs well on old Silicon Graphics

And it's Virtual Reality helmet, not video-glasses, why would you want it to use for some boredom like movies?

i need the HMD to be compatible with modern input options !
i do not have the PC with dual output VGA card so 3D perspective is no good !@
now composite input is the one that remains for 2D ... but 640x480@60HZ ... is too low!
current converters have min 800x600@60Hz.... to start with..

hence V8 - useless for me ...

[PalmerTech]

Ancjob, I did a quick google search, and there are lots of composite to VGA converters that support 640x480. Here is the first result:
http://www.ambery.com/4covitovgaco.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here is another one: http://www.svideo.com/video2vga.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But yes, please, nobody buy this for parts.

[bobv5]

Heh, shame for Palmertech that most of us cant afford it. Would buy this if I had the cash! Anyone want to buy my neighbors car? He lost the keys but asked me to sell it for him while he is away.

Edit-- I don't think anyone would use it for parts, I think the idea was that maybe a broken one could be used to build something or repaired.

[cybereality]

Damn, I really want this headset but I'd have to spend my Nintendo 3DS money to get it... arrggg!!!!

[ancjob]

Ancjob, I did a quick google search, and there are lots of composite to VGA converters that support 640x480. Here is the first result:
http://www.ambery.com/4covitovgaco.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here is another one: http://www.svideo.com/video2vga.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But yes, please, nobody buy this for parts.

thanks for the info..
i am ok with z800 - too much hardware and too many wires...why can't they make wireless headsets with huge battery for 8-9 hrs playtime with single charge....
desirable :
head tracker
>60 FOV
supporting modern input - 3D all formats compatible...
light weight...any HMDs ?

[Johnny-Mnemonic]

desirable :
head tracker
>60 FOV
supporting modern input - 3D all formats compatible...
light weight...any HMDs ?

Sensics zSight perfectly fit.
http://sensics.com/products/zSight.php

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilXUqXPnPOY[/youtube]

But price is $23,980

[ancjob]

desirable :
head tracker
>60 FOV
supporting modern input - 3D all formats compatible...
light weight...any HMDs ?

Sensics zSight perfectly fit.
http://sensics.com/products/zSight.php

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilXUqXPnPOY[/youtube]

But price is $23,980

well 450g is not light - expected 89g - but this is way too heavy....
price - if you have 10-20K then there are a lot of options .....
i'd recommend buying emagin z800 - still a great choice <2k albeit with vga input only....

[Okta]

desirable :
head tracker
>60 FOV
supporting modern input - 3D all formats compatible...
light weight...any HMDs ?

Sensics zSight perfectly fit.
http://sensics.com/products/zSight.php

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilXUqXPnPOY[/youtube]

But price is $23,980

24k for a VR hmd with a short fat 3 foot cable? I think these guys are trolling us just a little.

[PalmerTech]

The cable can be used with an extension. The reason it is 3 feet is because it is meant to go to a backpack unit, they sell a real time video streamer for it on their web site, so you can use it wirelessly.