sync-doubling shutterglass mode w/ iZ3D's Over/Under output
Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:11 am
How to try sync-doubling mode with iZ3D's Over/Under output:
What is it and how does it work?
What sync-doubling does is insert an extra vertical sync pulse halfway through each frame of the video signal so that each input frame gets split into two frames. Your CRT stretches each top/bottom half of the original video signal onto the full screen size so that 800x600 @60Hz becomes 800x300 @120Hz. This coincides with the 3d display data output from iZ3D's driver with left-eye view on the top half and the right-eye view on the bottom half. With 800x300 @120Hz stretched fullscreen, the image appears something like interlaced mode since you can see some black between the horizontal display lines. I'll talk more about this later. We will use a 800x600 @60Hz video signal even though other modes can work too if your CRT can handle it.
What you need in order to try this:
1) a VGA input CRT capable of 800x600 at 120Hz,
2) a compatible dongle that can do sync-doubling
3) shutterglasses (wired, or wireless with IR emitter)
4) possibly a DVI-VGA converter. I use these with no problems.
5) you need to have installed the v1.10 iZ3D driver with side-by-side output included and not be out of time on the trial period.
Testing your CRT:
Before we go any further, first a warning, from what I've heard, trying to drive your monitor at a too-high freq can damage it. Personally, I believe that warning is out of date and every monitor I've owned shows an "out of freq" message or just goes black w/o damage because every modern CRT should have over-freq protection circuitry built-in. If you're worried about it, check the docs for your monitor or research it online. Try at own risk.
From your desktop, test your CRT in 800x600 at 120Hz and see if that works, then set your desktop to 800x600 at 60Hz and your game to 800x600 and then exit your game to the desktop. Actually, let's just use the iZ3D logo test for starters. Make sure you select "Fullscreen Window Mode" under Profiles/Game in the iZ3D driver control window.
Dongles (aka Controllers):
Compatible dongles include E-dimensional, X3D (3d-world), H3D, X-Force, and maybe some others that I don't know about offhand.
If you have an X-Force dongle, then you're in luck. Just use the button to enter sync-doubling mode (it's the one that makes your CRT switch modes) and the switch to turn on the glasses.
If you have one of the other dongles, then learn how to use ED-Activator and set up the hotkeys and memorize them so you can switch to normal mode with no problem. Get familiar with your setup control and try it on the desktop. When you're ready, put it back into normal mode.
Do the iZ3D logo test:
Set iZ3D's driver to Side-by-Side over/under mode and activate your dongle's over/under sync-doubling mode. Now your monitor should be running at 120Hz and you should have your shutterglasses on. Close one eye and you should see half of your desktop (top or bottom) stretched across the entire display. Close the other eye and see the other half. It's odd but just use one eye to navigate your pointer to the iZ3D logo dynamic 3d test and click it. X-Force dongle users can activate their mode after they click on the logo test since it's a hardware user-control device. Now things are a little better but still not good. The problem is that the right-eye view is too high compared to the left-eye view. We need to tweak a config file in order to fix this by using iZ3D's gap control feature. Escape out of the test and switch your dongle to normal mode.
Summarizing: the iZ3D driver makes the over/under image on the top/bottom of the screen and the E-D Activator triggers the dongle to split that into two frames via sync-doubling and also shutter the glasses.
How to adjust the gap between top/bottom images:
(also works in left/right mode if somebody needs that)
What we need and have is a way to put a black band (the gap) between the top and bottom images. This has the effect of moving the right-eye view down and the left-eye view up. The total vertical res is still 600 so that means that each image is going to be less than 300 lines tall, ie: there is some more vertical squeezing of the images but it's necessary.
For windows-XP, use Wordpad to edit C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\iZ3D Driver\Config.xml and use the search function to find "gap value". Change that value, save and try it. It's a trial and error process. I find that 26 is perfect for me when usinig 800x600 res. Just remember, increasing the gap lowers the right eye view. When you've got the perfect value, go ahead and try your game. The ED-Activator only works on the desktop so if you try it in-game, you're going to exit your game to the desktop and you probably don't want that. Just use ED-Activator on the desktop and start your game using one-eye. Yes that sux. Once again, X-Force users don't need to do that since they have hardware controls.
On second thought, if your game has no problem alt-tabbing out and in, then start the game, alt-tab out, use ED-Activator, and alt-tab back in. That ought to be better than the one-eye method. You can keep your glasses off until you're in-game in sync-doubling mode. It's only some games that crash on alt-tabbing back in.
Enjoy it if you can.
--- iondrive ---
What is it and how does it work?
What sync-doubling does is insert an extra vertical sync pulse halfway through each frame of the video signal so that each input frame gets split into two frames. Your CRT stretches each top/bottom half of the original video signal onto the full screen size so that 800x600 @60Hz becomes 800x300 @120Hz. This coincides with the 3d display data output from iZ3D's driver with left-eye view on the top half and the right-eye view on the bottom half. With 800x300 @120Hz stretched fullscreen, the image appears something like interlaced mode since you can see some black between the horizontal display lines. I'll talk more about this later. We will use a 800x600 @60Hz video signal even though other modes can work too if your CRT can handle it.
What you need in order to try this:
1) a VGA input CRT capable of 800x600 at 120Hz,
2) a compatible dongle that can do sync-doubling
3) shutterglasses (wired, or wireless with IR emitter)
4) possibly a DVI-VGA converter. I use these with no problems.
5) you need to have installed the v1.10 iZ3D driver with side-by-side output included and not be out of time on the trial period.
Testing your CRT:
Before we go any further, first a warning, from what I've heard, trying to drive your monitor at a too-high freq can damage it. Personally, I believe that warning is out of date and every monitor I've owned shows an "out of freq" message or just goes black w/o damage because every modern CRT should have over-freq protection circuitry built-in. If you're worried about it, check the docs for your monitor or research it online. Try at own risk.
From your desktop, test your CRT in 800x600 at 120Hz and see if that works, then set your desktop to 800x600 at 60Hz and your game to 800x600 and then exit your game to the desktop. Actually, let's just use the iZ3D logo test for starters. Make sure you select "Fullscreen Window Mode" under Profiles/Game in the iZ3D driver control window.
Dongles (aka Controllers):
Compatible dongles include E-dimensional, X3D (3d-world), H3D, X-Force, and maybe some others that I don't know about offhand.
If you have an X-Force dongle, then you're in luck. Just use the button to enter sync-doubling mode (it's the one that makes your CRT switch modes) and the switch to turn on the glasses.
If you have one of the other dongles, then learn how to use ED-Activator and set up the hotkeys and memorize them so you can switch to normal mode with no problem. Get familiar with your setup control and try it on the desktop. When you're ready, put it back into normal mode.
Do the iZ3D logo test:
Set iZ3D's driver to Side-by-Side over/under mode and activate your dongle's over/under sync-doubling mode. Now your monitor should be running at 120Hz and you should have your shutterglasses on. Close one eye and you should see half of your desktop (top or bottom) stretched across the entire display. Close the other eye and see the other half. It's odd but just use one eye to navigate your pointer to the iZ3D logo dynamic 3d test and click it. X-Force dongle users can activate their mode after they click on the logo test since it's a hardware user-control device. Now things are a little better but still not good. The problem is that the right-eye view is too high compared to the left-eye view. We need to tweak a config file in order to fix this by using iZ3D's gap control feature. Escape out of the test and switch your dongle to normal mode.
Summarizing: the iZ3D driver makes the over/under image on the top/bottom of the screen and the E-D Activator triggers the dongle to split that into two frames via sync-doubling and also shutter the glasses.
How to adjust the gap between top/bottom images:
(also works in left/right mode if somebody needs that)
What we need and have is a way to put a black band (the gap) between the top and bottom images. This has the effect of moving the right-eye view down and the left-eye view up. The total vertical res is still 600 so that means that each image is going to be less than 300 lines tall, ie: there is some more vertical squeezing of the images but it's necessary.
For windows-XP, use Wordpad to edit C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\iZ3D Driver\Config.xml and use the search function to find "gap value". Change that value, save and try it. It's a trial and error process. I find that 26 is perfect for me when usinig 800x600 res. Just remember, increasing the gap lowers the right eye view. When you've got the perfect value, go ahead and try your game. The ED-Activator only works on the desktop so if you try it in-game, you're going to exit your game to the desktop and you probably don't want that. Just use ED-Activator on the desktop and start your game using one-eye. Yes that sux. Once again, X-Force users don't need to do that since they have hardware controls.
On second thought, if your game has no problem alt-tabbing out and in, then start the game, alt-tab out, use ED-Activator, and alt-tab back in. That ought to be better than the one-eye method. You can keep your glasses off until you're in-game in sync-doubling mode. It's only some games that crash on alt-tabbing back in.
Enjoy it if you can.
--- iondrive ---