Stereoscopic solutions ... in 2008 ,a good idea anyone ?

stepsbarto · Post by **stepsbarto** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 5:21 am

Hi guys,

I dont post often here but regularly read the news ...
So its time to share my thoughts and maybe you can help me

.

I've been playing 3D Games for several years (mostly adventures,car racing games,jump n run...etc ) with shutter glasses on my CRT .
In 2007 I was quite excited with the new upcoming monitors (though there were delayed every month) . I saved my money
and was waiting to buy myself a really good brandnew stereoscopic display solution ...

Ok ... I get myself a ZALMAN 19" some time ago but I send it back in time.I was a bit disappointed for some reason .

And now ,here's where I need some input :
I have lets say 800 to 1000 € to spend .... but for which display solution ?

As I've read there are the following existing and coming up in 2008 :

- iZ3D - already available ,but not in my region,without testing it its difficult to buy,maybe to much ghosting and maybe too expensive for me

- dual projector polarized - no longer supported by nvidia,maybe too expensive,(ghosting ?)

- active projector - only 85 Hz available ,no longer supported

- DLP 3D TV - not supported by nvidia,no other driver at the moment,not available here,maybe too expensive and too big

- HMD - I dont like that one (personal opinion) ...

- planar mirror DIY - nice price, but really too bold for my desk

- Zalman and other VREX - less ghosting but narrow view angle,half resolution maybe I'll go for the 22"

- shutterglasses - I'll stick to that ....

.... did I forget anything ?

Any comments are appreciated ...

regards
steps

Post by **Freke1** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:29 am

so true - so very true
- but I will probably some 3D monitor the next time I upgrade the hole computer.
There are just a little to many uncertains about drivers/punkbuster etc. right now.

Post by **sharky** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 2:16 pm

hi!

iz3d has a beta version of the drivers wich is supporting PB... not all games work but they are becoming more and more.. for now those are supported:

Rainbow Six Vegas, Fear Combat, team fortress2, and others. i dont know the full list, but they are adding games.

bye

sharky

Post by **jackeberg** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 6:06 am

Right now the 3d monitors are prices pretty close to the cheapest samsung tv. I am interested myself but I feel bad about paying as much for 22" as a 50" samsung would cost me. I would rather build a larger desk to fit the 50" monitor, quite large.

Post by **Freke1** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:41 pm

There's one "problem" with big monitors: They are too BIG for the desktop.
I've tried a Fresnel lens on my 19" which makes it looks like 25".
And then it's impossible to overview the entire screen - I keep looking around to see ammo and health status and the map and then back to the crosshair. Just thought I would mention it - since this was not something I had expected.
The effect is really great (FOV ~ 80 degree) but it's harder to play efficiently.

Post by **3DGUY** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:07 pm

"dual projector polarized - no longer supported by nvidia,maybe too expensive,(ghosting ?)"

Are dual projectors not supported by nvidia any more, i thought that still worked ?.

Post by **LukePC1** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:34 pm

3DGUY wrote:"dual projector polarized - no longer supported by nvidia,maybe too expensive,(ghosting ?)"

Are dual projectors not supported by nvidia any more, i thought that still worked ?.

Well their new driver is supposed to support ONLY Zalman (and another Solution???).
The old driver still works, but it is a little old and has some problems.
Most of the other solutions are getting special 3rd Party drivers...

Post by **Likay** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 4:32 pm

Nope. You have to settle with 162.50 as the last stereodriverversion using dual polarized projectors. Regarding ghosting a dual projector rig beats shutterglasses/crt and the iz3d with horses length. Nah well... still have a lot of old games to try and hopefully 3d will become mainstream this year. If only so, then universal 3d-drivers will be of no problems anymore. Hope future gamemakers use the Unigine for their projects!!

cheers

Post by **Xerion** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 4:47 pm

Suprisingly I don't even see any ghosting on my active projection rig. But maybe I'm just blind

Do see quite a lot of ghosting on my CRT though...

Post by **3DGUY** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:10 pm

Thats a shame, i would have like to build a Dual projection setup to play new games on. Lets hope the new driver will solve those problems.

Post by **chrisdfw** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:18 am

Xerion wrote:Suprisingly I don't even see any ghosting on my active projection rig. But maybe I'm just blind Do see quite a lot of ghosting on my CRT though...

The Sharpe XR-10X projector is gods gift to a single projector affordable (under $600 on Ebay) 3d solution at 1024X768!

There is no ghosting and the color wheel spins fast enough that you get no noticeable change in color.

The only time you see the slightest flicker is on something bright white and only at first until your eyes adjust.

I will always be of fan of this coupled with the fastest 79XX Nvidia card you can get your hands on.

I freak people out with how realistic racing games like R-Factor look...even the glass windshield looks real and in 3d...

Post by **Freke1** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:46 pm

I been searching ebay for XR-10X projectors (before Nvidia's announsemt). The bidding start at 1$

. I would to try big screen 3D so bad.
This driver mess is frustrating. Now I have to upgrade to Vista, 9 series, Zalman... well a hole new computer, really.
And then it won't be able to do big screen 3D, arghhhh (I want to be ready to play Battlefield 3 in 3D).
Like stepsbarto is talking about: TOO MANY PROBLEMS!

Post by **chrisdfw** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 5:33 pm

Given all of the unknowns I would not jump on the bandwagon of investing in an expensive system that may not work with anything but a few specific games and even then your don't know if it will be fast enough or what effects have to be disabled to get it to work.

The best 3d bang for the buck is still the fastest 79xx card and a single core 3800+

You can crank the realism up pretty high and still get good frame rates on those games that are over a couple years old.

I own 2 XR-10x projectors just because I am paranoid that I won't be able to get one if my first one breaks and after experimenting with many solutions it is my favorite. I even prefer the slightest flicker of 85hz over the minor ghosting of using a 2 projector and polarizer setup. Ghosting of any type really ruins the 3d immersion for me.

Post by **CarlKenner** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:52 pm

You forgot anaglyph

Post by **Xerion** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:32 am

chrisdfw: you should run your 2 projectors through a triplehead2go from matrox, and maybe even get a third

I read on stereo3d.com's forums this actually works with stereo

Post by **chrisdfw** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:11 pm

Xerion wrote:chrisdfw: you should run your 2 projectors through a triplehead2go from matrox, and maybe even get a third I read on stereo3d.com's forums this actually works with stereo

I have always wanted to do that but I am concerned about what frame rates I will get at 3072X768 resolution on a 79xx series card. Flight Simulator 2004 or X would be a good test.

At $300 for the triplehead2go, it would be an expensive purchase if it failed.

It is the perfect fit as the triplehead2go analog version has a maximum of 85hz at the 3 X 1024X768 mode. Even if there was a projector that could do higher resolution or higher refresh rate, the TH2G won't go any higher.

Post by **A.J.** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:31 pm

I have triplehead2go digital and I was just about to buy 2 DLP projectors to try this but then the driver news came...

Post by **DDuckMan** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 7:12 pm

Count yourself lucky. I spent 1500.00 on a CRT monitor and nVidia card 9 months ago for my S3D setup. After what nVidia did, I have no interest in sinking any more money into S3D. I hate to think what some are thinking that have new dual projector setups.

Post by **Likay** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 8:18 pm

I won't express in words my feelings about the news of future nvidiastereodriver releases being Zalman only... lol.

.
No matter what, gaming in 3d on a big screen even with "slightly" old games is still a real kick!
There's a lot of stereocompatible games yet to play and meanwhile (yes, i'm optimistic) new stereodriver solutions may surface.
However i believe there's more on the line here regarding stereo than just the nvidiadriver. If only 3d will have its breakthrough then all other things (stereodrivers, compatibility, native stereosupport in games, hardware solutions etc etc..) automatically will follow. If not, then we could all trash the stuffs we've got for s-3d and that would be too bad.

. Actually being without 3d hurts a lot more than bying an expensive setup for this purpose. In that case i'm looking forward to show my grandchildren how WE used to play!

cheers

Post by **b4thman** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 6:11 pm

Planar is not supported in 16x.xx nvidia stereo drivers (betas). I think it only support anaglypt and shutterglasses. If anybody can use a 16x.xx driver in planar type, please, say how to do. If I use two lcd monitors the driver only gives me the anaglypt type option, and if I use my crt it gives me all other options. Why two tft monitors limit the stereo modes I can use, and the crt does not limit anything?.

Post by **Likay** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 6:59 am

Later drivers do support all modes like they did before. They don't seem to recognize all monitors/projectors and that results in having the anaglyph option only. I don't know about a workaround for this but i have two vga-tv-converters attached to the comp. (to do stereorecordings on vcr's). When i have them attached i have all options in the drivers. Connecting the iz3d for example removes everything but the anaglyph mode.
The difference: The iz3d is connected with dvi connectors and the vga-tv-converters with vga... Maybe that's why it works.

cheers

Post by **b4thman** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 9:00 am

I have two Viewsonic VA1716w 19" monitors using VGA (the monitors have not DVI).

I have a Samsung CRT monitor too, and if I use the CRT + 1 Viewsonic, I can use Planar and all other types (I don´t understand why). Only using the two TFTs I loose all modes but anaglyph.