The iz3D LCD monitor helps you get your game on in 3D

As immersive as a game like Blizzard's World of Warcraft might feel sometimes, the truth of the matter is that you're probably still viewing the action on some lame old 2D monitor, not the rosy future we envisioned, not by a long shot. Well Neorok Optics is restoring some of our faith in humanity with their new prototype iz3D monitor that they're showing off at Blizzard's Blizzcon event. They create a 3D effect by modifying a traditional monitor with polarized glass, and providing polarized glasses to the viewer, resulting in each eye being shown a different angle of the action. To make a 3D image from the 2D render provided by the game engine, they use an Nvidia card with dual DVI outputs and stereo drivers, then their hardware box takes those images and analyzes them to figure out what's in the foreground and background. The results are of course "simulated" 3D images, but they're hoping for more integration with Nvidia in the future, so hopefully better things are to come. The 17-inch display should be available in December for $1499, with a 19-inch and 23-incher in the works.

[n00bmaster @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

too bad I have amblopia and cant see it :(

[Zoitz @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Regular LCD monitors already have 2 polarizers (1 behind, 1 in front of the LCD panel). The description of what they've done doesn't make any sense.

[uclatommy @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

They're talking about polarizing the light that comes from the monitor. The monitor essentially displays two images but the light from each image is of different polarity. The effect of this is that when the glasses are put on, each eye can see only one polarization creating the illusion of perspective.

[Darth Abe @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

They really need integration into the game engine for this to become worthwhile. Maybe if they could make this one 3d display system the industry standard we could get somewhere, not that its ever going to happen...

[waffa @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

I�m not wearing those funky 3d glasses or any other form like goggles while I�m playing a game especially a mmorpg, just like I won�t wear headphones because it�s just to long to have something around your eyes or ears. If it worked without the shades this would be cool but it doesn�t so it�s lame (for games could be cool for movies).

[Jazzay @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

wasnt there a laptop that did 3d without glasses? i dont remember who made it or how it worked, but reviews said it gave quite the headache.

[Chris jones @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

any more than 1 hour of viewing though 3d glasses will drive me insaine.

[Adam @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Sharp has these guys beat by miles. Already shipping and no glasses. Software is what's what's stopping 3d from taking off, not the hardware. Well, and the price.

The 3D notebook
http://www.sharpsystems.com/products/pc_notebooks/actius/al/3du/

The 3D moniter
http://www.sharpsystems.com/products/lcd_monitors/15-17_inch/ll-151-3d/

[vectorbug @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

But does it have a blue light? Now that would be revolutionary.

[Ima Pseudonym @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Tell them to do something about that HUGE "iz3D" badge on the front.
Holy cow, it looks like it's really comin out at ya!

[Benny @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

Why bother with a 1500 dollar monitor when I can do the same thing on my Sony 21 for 99 bucks?? And it looks great too!

http://www.edimensional.com/index.php?cPath=21&osCsid=751dafd10b914933d8b5632be078d31b

[Dylan Horkin @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

I have edimensional. While they're nice, the lenses of the glasses are just LCDs, and they don't completely block the light - so it causes more eyestrain because you can tell they're flickering

[David C @ Dec 19th 2005 2:31AM]

I can answer all your questions about iZ3D if you email me directly at [e-mail], since I don't want to clatter this page.

However I would like to give you some food for thought comparing eyeware-free vs shattered-glasses(e-dimensional) vs polarized glasses approach:

Usually there is a trade off that you need to make between a) wearing eyeware b) viewing comfort c) 3D depth. You need to sacrifice at
least one of those in order to get others right. Before iZ3D, we used to have SmartrON, Tritron line of 3D monitors that does not require glasses and was comfortable to look
at, but we had to make a sacrifice to 3D depth -- it was a mistake, and we admit it.

Parallax barrier based solutions (Sharp and others) sacrifice viewing comfort. As Jazzay noticed, you get a headache, plus you have funny visual experience as you move your head horizontally. But you don't have to wear glasses.

Polarized glasses approach makes you wear polarized glasses (basically sunglasses), but you can view 3D comfortably for extensive periods. BTW, answering to waffa, all professional players wear headphones, and I
talked with couple of them, and no one had any objections wearing polarized glasses. They hated shattered glasses though, because you
can't really play more than 15-20min with them.

I am not even going to discuss shuttered glasses approach, they have been around for quite a while, and I am sure most of you know what kind of visual comfort you get wearing those clunky shuttered glasses.