Given that carting around an
HMD with your PMP cuts down on that whole portability factor and all, but this new Linux PMP from Dreamax is notable for coming bundled with one all the same. The head-mounted Active Matrix 3DS OLED-XL microdisplay visor is being made by eMagin, known for their
Z800 3D visor, and sports an 800 x 600 resolution reportedly equivalent to sitting seven feet from a 54-inch screen. The visor includes an integrated magnetic earphone station, adjustable nose clip and other "ergonomic enhancements" indicating that HMD companies might actually be aware that wearing these things is usually brutally uncomfortable. The Indicube i-800 itself is a Linux-based PMP with 12GB onboard storage plus an 8GB flash card, expandable to 32GB flash. Sizing up at 2.3 x 4.8 x 0.9-inches, the Indicube sports a USB 2.0 interface and an NTSC/PAL input that auto-detects AV from a number of sources including TVs, DVD players, iPods, PCs, other PMPs, smartphones, and game consoles. No word on price or availability for the package, but the eMagin HMD will also be sold separately starting in March.
[Via
Linux Devices]
posted January 7th 2008 8:07PM
Just one thing to say: Are you kidding?
No it's legit. Someone I know on a forum bought the display for their iPod and they say they love it.
I WANT THAT.
If it has divx support (which any self respecting linux item has) 12gb is like, 32 movies.
looks great, but 7 feet from a 54inch is cutting it really close. I'd wanna try one of these before buying one of these as long as the price is not off the roof.
Are these things bad for your eyes?
I'd be happy if they just dropped the price back down on the Z800's.
Z800's rocked until they added $1000 to the price of some $600 goggles.
I was a poor college student when I heard this was happening. Now I have an income stream but there is NO WAY i'll shell out $1600 for some OLED goggles that are going to fail 5 years down the road (emagin's OLED's have notoriously short life span).
I'd say screw emagin, but they seem to be screwing themselves just fine.
It's not just emagin's OLED's that fail like that either. OLED's, by nature, have a brightness half-life based on usage(blue pixels and brighter pixels wear out faster) and are very susceptible to oxidization(air damage). Most of the emagin panels that die do so from oxidization. All you have to do is bend or bump it in a way that slightly warps the seal on a panel.
After Sony announced their OLED panel, everyone likes to talk about how superior OLED panels are, and how they're going to replace LCDs, but I don't want a monitor that I'd have to replace in a year or two because it's half as bright or lost it's uniformity. Disposable tech for such an expensive item is a step backwards.
Hurry up and release cheap LCD VR glasses for gaming!
emagin can suck it. they make hte best HMD's but their executive board should be roasted over open flame for treason against their own industry.
the z800 was their first HMD, a bit bigger unit with two slightly larger SVGA OLED's, with a bundle of head tracking gear above and beond what most HMD's stock. in short, a wonderful product, but a bit before its time.
well, their stock performance sucked so they just jacked up the price on units. what do you do if you are failing to sell units at $600? you jack up the price $1000 to $1599! I LIKED YOUR CRAP BUT YOU CAN GO ROAST.
With the prices the way they are on LCDTVs, I can't imagine paying more than $300-400 for these glasses.
What about people who wear glasses? Can't find any info if they can wear these.
What about people who wear glasses???
Wake me up when the transmission between the PMP and the glasses goes wireless... and I think we're going to need a little more distance in the display. Only seven feet from a 54" screen? OUUUCH! that's gonna hurt...
I would encourage you to get with a programmer who also understands vision really well. It may be possible to program the display to compensate for whatever your prescription is -- some sort of autofocus for the visually impaired.
That way, you could just take your glasses off, and wear these things like everyone else.
If that doesnt happen, then think positive dude: everyone who wears glasses like these for prolonged periods of time will eventually need real glasses themselves! LOL! these things CANT be good for your eyes...