Vuzix rolls out 'first' widescreen HMD

Although the iWear AV310 Widescreen from Vuzix isn't the first 3D HMD we've come across, or the largest virtual display (likened to a 52" screen viewed from 9-feet), it's the first 16:9 widescreen version to hit the market. Equipped for use with both NTSC and PAL, this unit will run you about $250 and has a mysterious "video" input for use with a wide range of devices, though there's currently nothing to say what style of connector can be used or what resolution it runs at. Oh well... we're still waiting on a headtracking version anyway.

Update: As a commenter pointed out, this likely isn't the first "widescreen" HMD, though the company is claiming it's the first 16:9 model.

[Thanks, Greg]

[Freakin Ijit @ Sep 17th 2008 6:49AM]

I WANT for a flightsim WITH head tracking!

Now where are those motion-sensor chips I had around here...

[xxcorpxx @ Sep 17th 2008 8:01AM]

they have that already in another version. go to there site...
This is just the WS for your iphone/ipod, been waiting on this one for a while. Guess now I just have to wait for the price drop.

[Rocketboy @ Sep 17th 2008 8:40AM]

Don't worry, I'm sure it will be on Woot! in 6 months.

[Bazza @ Sep 17th 2008 6:56AM]

A 52' foot screen viewed from 9ft?!?!

Ah. You mean a 52" screen viewed from 9ft.

[blizz419 @ Sep 17th 2008 8:23AM]

i was gonna say the same thing, like huh a 52' screen from 9-ft away lol here ya go engadget make a post-it of it some were lol ' = foot "= inch got it now?

[Paul @ Sep 17th 2008 7:15AM]

Good post. But the price is bit high.

Regards,
Paul
www.goguwahati.com

[Hotrod @ Sep 17th 2008 7:24AM]

So basically I can lay down on my stomach, in my bed, and watch movies. I want one, I don't care if I look like cyclops.

[Ignatius @ Sep 17th 2008 8:27AM]

or Geordi La Forge.

Actually, I wish these were one-eye rather than both, then it'd be much easier to do other tasks as well. You're pretty much useless if you've got these things on.

[Mark @ Sep 17th 2008 1:06PM]

Same here. To quote Paris Hilton "this is so hot". I didn't know these things were so affordable.

[Charlie @ Sep 17th 2008 7:58AM]

Not the first, not by about 10 years. I recall drooling over the widescreen version of some popular brand of HMD on ebay in high school since it had like 100 extra pixels of horiz. resolution. (not even talking about some medical display or something here, this was a consumer level HMD that could be had at least on the used market for

[Philip Hofstetter @ Sep 17th 2008 9:14AM]

what's the resolution on this thing?

[somevariable @ Sep 17th 2008 5:25PM]

its like having a 720X480 52'' screen 9 feet away from your face anywhere for $250. not completely terrible, but it really needs to be close to 1080p or atleast 720p + full peripheral vision before it becomes better for most things. Also option to send a different video signal to each eye for potentially perfect 3D would also be great, especially with the head tracking. While they are at it, they might as well add a transcranial E/M interface to let you control it with your mind/emulate feelings and call it The Matrix.

[thedesolate1 @ Sep 17th 2008 10:38PM]

Do those things actually work? I have seen similar devices at the sharper image but I have always been skeptical about them.

[Bad Beaver @ Sep 17th 2008 9:36AM]

For $250, the resolution will be insufficient. Check their website, the 640x480 model is $100 more, and even 640x480 is insufficient.

[jared @ Sep 17th 2008 9:46AM]

Their model numbers are typically based on "thousands of pixels". Solving for 16:9 aspect, assuming 310k pixels (or 310k and change), and looking for 0 (mod 10) boundaries for x and y:

probably 740 x 420

[pregunta @ Sep 17th 2008 9:49AM]

I've been using the AV920 for a while plugged into my PSP. It's been great for video podcasts and remote play on my PS3 without waking my light sleeping wife at night. I would love a WS so I don't have to constantly change the aspect ratio on my videos, but the things I would really like are a higher resolution and component inputs so I can play games while enjoying the nice fall weather on my porch. Until then, my PSP is a wireless media terminal.

[Starnerf @ Sep 17th 2008 10:05AM]

If you want headtracking get the VR920. Games looks awesome in stereo.

[christian @ Sep 17th 2008 10:12AM]

From the vuzix website regarding their AV320:
Twin high-resolution 320x240 (230,000 pixels) LCD displays.

So I'm guessing this one will be no more than 720X480, if that.

[allislost @ Sep 17th 2008 10:26AM]

Imagine Doom4 with head tracking plus two sensors in the opposite corners behind you...

...You're on your last shotgun round with 2 imps chasing you. There's a stone pillar up ahead so you decide to quick turn and blow an imp's head into pieces before you take cover. Now you're behind a stone pillar changing weapons while imp fireballs fly by your head. You have your back facing the tv, telling the twin sensors that were behind you that you're hugging the pillar protecting what little health remains. You can't look behind you because once the twin sensors lose you it'll signal the game the you decided to come out from behind the pillar and into enemy fire.

So now you have a choice, either fight the remaining imp with your pistol or run into the next room to look for weapons and/or health...

THAT'S that kind of shit I'm waiting for... True immersive gameplay.

[Ben M. @ Sep 17th 2008 10:46AM]

dude that would be scary to be fully immersed in a game like doom or fear i'd probly poo mahself

[pregunta @ Sep 17th 2008 10:52AM]

Try this: http://www.naturalpoint.com/trackir/

Coupled with an HMD you get 6 DOF. I've used it in flight sims and I am totally immersed in the cockpit. For shooters like ArmA, you can move your head back and forth to look around corners. It works well too without the HMD but you have to turn the sensitivity up and look out of the corners of you eyes while turning your head.

[allislost @ Sep 17th 2008 11:34AM]

I just had idea!

IF my scenario could be possible, one way to know which weapon you're switching to when your back is facing the tv is by having your character say the name of the weapon out loud, but the cool thing would be is matching the intensity of the situation to the character's voice.

1 imp - ...shotgun...

5 imps - SHOTGUN!!!!!

[Mega Math @ Sep 17th 2008 10:27AM]

Do they hurt or damage your eyes?
Because the lcd is at 1.5 or 2cm from your eye. And to make it look bigger there is a magnifying glass. Won't this affect your eyes in any ways?
Just wondering!

[Ben M. @ Sep 17th 2008 10:43AM]

good question i was wondering that too

[pregunta @ Sep 17th 2008 10:58AM]

It gives you no more eye fatigue than watching tv, just don't keep the settings too bright. After watching a full feature I take a break mainly because my eyes haven't moved around much like watching tv on a couch. Some people get motion sickness though. I've had no problems.

[rendeb @ Sep 17th 2008 11:09AM]

Does anyone know if those people wearing glasses are affected with blur when using these devices since you obviously can't wear your glasses?

[Starnerf @ Sep 17th 2008 11:15AM]

You can wear your glasses. They have an adjustable nosebridge that can be pulled out to different lengths.

[NickTheRat @ Sep 17th 2008 12:14PM]

yeah, i want this as an eye patch. one eye getting a screen. then u can hook up that cube like micro computer to it and that wrist mounted keyboard... get a satellite connection card usb thingies and then ur coking with oil!

[Kyle @ Sep 17th 2008 1:08PM]

Here is the one eye screen.

http://www.vuzix.com/iwear/products_taceye_lt.html

[Brad @ Sep 17th 2008 1:49PM]

Why would you want to plug a 16:9 device into the freakily-proportioned iPhone? Pardon my ignorance, but does the iPhone output a proper 16:9 version of it's screen, or only videos?