3dGlasses
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Praying mantises get extra-tiny 3D glasses to test their vision
While 3D video may not be very popular these days, someone's still wearing 3D glasses -- or rather, something. Newcastle University scientists are outfitting praying mantises with very small 3D eyewear to test their depth perception, which is unique in the insect world; most species are limited to 2D. The researchers want to see if the bugs are fooled by the effects of a 3D movie like that you'd see in a theater. If they are, we'll know that they evolved 3D vision similar to that of humans and monkeys.
SMI Eye-Tracking 3D Glasses use rim-based cameras to adjust perspective
Can 3D glasses get any less fashionable? Of course they can! And here's some proof. Today, SensoMotoric Instruments (SMI) teased its new Eye-Tracking 3D Glasses, which use a pair of small cameras mounted to the eyeglass rim to keep tabs on your gaze, adjusting perspective as you look about a scene. The rig uses ActiveEye technology from Volfoni, and can detect eye distance as well in order to provide a 3D-viewing experience that's optimized for each user. Adding some optional hardware, including optical targets (as seen in the video after the break), can enable 6D head tacking support, for an even more immersive experience. Naturally, the solution is a bit cumbersome, and while pricing hasn't been announced, we don't expect it to come cheap -- it's definitely something you'd be more likely to see implemented as part of a virtual reality system, rather than a device you'd use at home. So, while you may never see such a product in the flesh, you can still get an idea of how it'll work in the video after the break.
Switched On: The old adventures of new 3D
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. In the unmarked office of 3-D Vision, Inc., you can see a television or PC display a videogame or movie with a convincing stereoscopic effect. That might not seem very unique. However, the television is a CRT from the 1990s, the video game is Super Mario for the Nintendo 64 and the movie is The Wizard of Oz, made in 1939. Despite the growth in 3D television sales, the requirement to wear 3D glasses has loomed as one of the most significant barriers to adoption. 3-D Vision's technology still requires glasses, at least for now. However, with some caveats, it overcomes some of the other, oft-overlooked barriers to 3D adoption by creating 3D video from 2D content on 2D (or 3D) displays. On televisions, this is achieved via a small set-top box -- a prototype of which approaches the size and noise level of a mini-fridge -- that plugs into the video source and the TV and converts the video in real-time with virtually no latency. The box should be available early next year.
Epson Moverio BT-100 3D goggles now shipping in the U.S. for $699
Any Americans out there wanna buy a wacky head-mounted 3D display? Then Epson's Moverio BT-100 micro-projection headset ought to be right at the top of the your not-so-long list of options. It's just started shipping in the States for $699, including its Android-powered trackpad controller that streams and navigates content on the perceived '80-inch' transparent viewing window. You could even pair the Moverio with a Parrot AR.Drone and discover what it feels like to be an Apache pilot strafing your neighbor's rabbit.
Panasonic prices, dates some of its 2012 HDTVs (VT, GT, ET) and accessories in Japan
If Panasonic's CES 2012 lineup of plasma and LCD HDTVs interested you, it's time to dig into more details it's just released about their Japanese cousins. Those "Infinite Black Ultra Panel" plasmas will arrive April 20th as the VT5 series and AV Watch reports the 60-inch will be priced at about 500,000 yen ($6517), while the 50-inch is 360,000 yen ($4694). There's also details on the new GT5 plasmas, in 60-, 55-, 50- and 42-inch sizes, as well as the DT5 and ET5 LCDs. All of those are 3D capable and will start rolling out March 9th (April 20th for some of the larger sizes), although the ET series is its first that works with passive 3D glasses. The new 3D glasses -- passive (2,000 yen, $26) and active with Bluetooth link (13,000 yen, $169) will also arrive in March along new Blu-ray players and recorders plus a refreshed Skype camera that's slimmer and half the weight of last year's model. Hit the links below and let Google Translate bring in the details, we should probably hear more about US prices, specs and ship dates in a few weeks.
Lumus teases 720p video glasses, takes transparency to a new level (video)
A new pair of glasses from Lumus won't help you capture any precious moments, but it will help you get your discreet HBO fix. Unlike most video headgear, these marvels will let you peer past their lens-projected view screens, opening the door to an augmented reality that doesn't rely on miniature displays. The lenses create an 87-inch virtual screen viewed from 10 feet that is only experienced by the individual wearing the headgear, onlookers will only see a pair of odd spectacles. 1080p buffs won't be pleased to know that the this set of specs can only do 720p, but the Israeli company has said that a full-HD flavor is in the works. The bifocals won't be hitting retail shelves anytime soon, but we'll be sure to take them for a spin during CES next month. Hit the video after the break, which includes visuals of an earlier prototype in action.
Hack your monitor and 3D glasses, ensure ultimate privacy
You've always wanted a bit more privacy with your monitor (porn jokes notwithstanding) and if you're willing to tear apart a spare LCD monitor and a pair of 3D theater glasses (thanks, Dreamworks and Pixar!), you'll get it. In lieu of a thicker tinfoil hat, Instructables' dimovi suggests removing the LCD's frame, cutting out its polarized film with a utility knife before removing the screen's film adhesive with a combination of cleaner and paint thinner and reassembling the monitor. Once complete, grab the glasses, cut out the lenses and combine them with the plastic film removed from the monitor before inserting them back into their frames. The result is an LCD monitor that displays a white screen to anyone not wearing the customized glasses, your actions being confidential, no matter what they might happen to be. Check the how-to video embedded after the break, or hit the source link for full instructions
Sony, Panasonic, Samsung team up for 3D supergroup
Normally when the giants of the entertainment industry team up, it's to record "We Are The World"-- but not this time. Sony, Panasonic, X6D and Samsung are forming a supergroup that makes the Traveling Wilburys seem small-time. They're forming the "Full HD 3D Glasses initiative," a project to standardize 3D glasses. Currently, we have wholly incompatible active-shutter models based on different technologies, which the consortium wants to replace with a unified standard that will let you use the same pair of spectacles on any display or at any theater that uses the Xpand 3D standard. The doors open on the joint testing center later this month, which will check and approve products to the program, gaining the logo you see before you as a badge of honor.
Playstation 3D Display hits shelves November 13, Sony answers your burning questions
We'd imagine come November 13th, the above will be the scene inside many a PS3 owner's house. That's when Sony's hot little 24-inch PlayStation 3D display will officially be available in the US, Canada, Europe and parts of Asia. Sony took to its US PlayStation Blog today with the news, along with a lengthy FAQ to keep your GAS at bay in the meantime. If you'll recall, the 240Hz 1080p display packs a single set of component inputs, two HDMI 1.4 ports, stereo RCA outputs, a headphone jack, an integrated subwoofer, and of course, 3D-capability with supported titles. For five hundred bucks you'll get the PS 3D Display, one pair of USB-rechargeable 3D Glasses ($70 for each additional pair), a copy of Motorstorm: Apocalypse and even an HDMI cable. Notably, its fancy (and exclusive) SimulView feature will let two sets of 3D shades grab either the left or right side feed in supported 3D games for a private 2D view. Disappointingly, this puppy isn't wall-mountable, but hey, that 24-inch panel surely makes it ideal for a desktop setup, no? Full details at the links below, along with a refresher shot of those 3D specs just past the break.
Sony to stop paying for movie theater 3D glasses, theater owners fire back
As if going to the movies wasn't getting expensive enough, now theater owners and studios are fighting over the cost of 3D glasses -- again. Sony Pictures sent out a letter indicating that starting in May 2012, it won't foot the bill for moviegoer's 3D glasses anymore, pushing the charge onto the theater instead. The Hollywood Reporter uncovered the letter and indicates the total pricetag for a major movie like the ones Sony has planned for next summer -- Men in Black III and The Amazing Spider-Man -- can run as high as $5 to $10 million in total. Studios have been covering the cost to help push 3D so far but Sony's declaration could lead to other studios following, and changing to a model where moviegoers buy and keep their own 3D glasses. It'd be nice to think keeper pairs could reduce the surcharge -- or for 3D haters, switch more showings to 2D -- but with a half-full box of candy apparently worth its weight in gold, we're not optimistic.
Vuzix Wrap 1200VR video eyewear does 3D with head-tracking for $600, now available
If you scored yourself Vuzix's Wrap 1200 side-by-side 3D video eyewear last month, you may want to know the company's VR variant is now available for $600 (about 100 bones more). With the Wrap 1200VR, you'll again be viewing a simulated 75-inch, 3D (or 2D, if you'd prefer) 16:9 display at ten feet away. The shades feature a single 852 x 480 monitor per eye and support input resolutions of up to 1280 x 720. The VR bit comes from the included Wrap Tracker 6TC with compass, which enables head-tracking with three degrees of freedom. Better yet, its coupled drift control should maintain silky smooth visuals when you're tilting your noggin' to scope out the on-screen action. Out of box, these specs are said to play nice with most Windows machine's graphics cards and VGA connections, but adapters are required to rock them with your PS3 or Xbox 360. If your eyes are already tearing up with joy, you'll find full details in the PR just past the break. Update: We initially reported the that the Vuzix Wrap 1200VR outputs video in simulated 720p, when it actually supports input resolutions up to 1280 x 720 -- both WVGA monitors have a resolution of 852 x 480. We've updated this post accordingly.
The coolest thing I saw at IFA: LG's passive clip-on 3D glasses
Berlin's Internationalen Funkausstellung is by no means an unexciting consumer electronics show. Sure, there aren't nearly as many new gadgets to play with as you'll find at even the tamest year of CES, but there's still plenty else around to leave almost any tech buff feeling full. Still, this year's most exciting gadget -- to me, at least -- wasn't a new tablet, or cell phone, or even that Android-controlled robotic vacuum. No, the highlight of my week was these clip-on 3D glasses, which LG reps handed out to every interested spectator as they entered the company's booth. These dead-simple, yet completely life-changing specs were almost certainly overlooked by the 20/20 vision-abled, but for folks like me who can't stand sliding one pair of glasses over another just to watch Kung Fu Panda in three dimensions, those clip-ons you see above are the absolute best swag I could ever hope to find. There's really not much to them. The 3D experience was identical to what you'll get with traditional passive glasses -- these simply clip on top of your eyeglasses, rather than resting on their own. They also offer UV protection, and "communicate seamlessly with the TV." Well alright then. While attendees could get their own pair for free at IFA, you can also find these online for about 20 bucks -- sold as the LG AG-F220. I'd like to see them become much more widely available, and more affordable as well. So listen up, Hollywood: if you ever again want me to hand over five extra bucks at the box office to watch an animated bear kick his furry paw directly toward my temple, these better be waiting on the other side of the ticket scan.
Toshiba Qosmio X775-3DV78 review
When NVIDIA played its signature GPU number-bump card back in May, it made a point to throw around some big names. Alienware, MSI and ASUS each announced notebooks with the outfit's new GeForce GTX 560M, but one lone machine played coy, listed only as the "new Toshiba gaming laptop." Known today as the Qosmio X775-3DV78, it pairs 1.5GB GDDR5 with the aforementioned GPU, an Intel Core i7-2630QM processor, 1.25TB of storage split between two drives and 8GB of DDR3 RAM. So, can this heavyweight desktop-replacement hold its own in Engadget's review ring? There's only one way to find out. %Gallery-130544%
Vuzix Wrap 1200 brings 3D to the glasses for $500
3D glasses are nothing new -- we've been tossing on RealD specs at the theater for at least a couple of years. But in typical Vuzix fashion, the Wrap 1200 brings a pair of displays directly to the glasses, simulating a 75-inch 3D screen. Tiny 852 x 480-pixel monitors display native 16:9 content on the three-ounce specs, and iPhone and component video cables are included in the box, letting you plug in to a variety of content (there's no HDMI support, however). The display supports side-by-side and anaglyph 3D, and you can also revert back to 2D content if things don't pan out as expected. The Vuzix Wrap 1200 is rated at three hours of playback with the pair of included rechargeable AA batts, or you can substitute lithium ion batteries for up to seven hours of use. Jump past the break for the full rundown from Vuzix, or hit up the source link to grab your own pair for $500. Update: Originally, we reported that the Vuzix Wrap 1200 only supports anaglyph 3D, when it is in fact capable of side-by-side display as well. The post has been updated to reflect this correction.
3D glasses vending machine lets you be fashionable in the dark
There are certain things worth paying to upgrade: earbuds, perhaps, and maybe even Spotify. But when it comes to buying fancy 3D glasses for the sole purpose of looking cool in a pitch-black theater -- well, aren't we already spending enough on popcorn and Funyuns? EX3D doesn't seem to think so. Starting August 13th, moviegoers in San Diego will be able to trade in those freebies for fashion at a 3D glasses vending machine. At $22 - $30 a pop, these "affordable" and "stylish" glasses may be a boon for those who wouldn't be caught dead wearing the same specs as their friends. Of course, you can also use these babies out of the theater on a passive 3D TV. As for us? We'll stick with the freebies, thank you very much. Jump past the break for the full PR.
Panasonic, Sony, Samsung and XpanD finally team up for an active 3D glasses standard
The lack of a universal standard for active shutter 3D glasses became painfully clear during our 3D TV shootout last year, and gave plenty of reasons for buyers to skip the pricey specs altogether. Nine months later we see that LG has jumped onto passive 3D and CEA is playing catch up on the IR glasses problem, but many of the new HDTVs for 2011 are using Bluetooth technology to keep their glasses in sync -- again without any promise of cross-manufacturer compatibility. A day late and a few dollars short, Panasonic, Sony, Samsung and universal glasses maker XpanD are announcing the "Full HD Glasses Initiative" which should lay down a standard for consumer active shutter glasses to communicate over Bluetooth or IR. The new glasses should be backwards compatible with this year's TVs, although early adopters from 2010 have no such guarantee. The press release (included after the break) indicates we can expect the new models to arrive in 2012, assuming they haven't lost more ground to the FPR army and can still convince buyers to even look at 3D by then.
Samsung re-ups free 3D glasses promotion but tightens the strings this time
Back in May Samsung kicked off a promotion guaranteeing two free pairs of glasses with any of its 3D-capable HDTVs, and after that expired it has followed up with a similar deal. Key differences this time around are that instead of getting the glasses from Samsung, buyers should be able to pick up the two pairs at the retailer when they buy their TV. The 3D Starter Kit with glasses and movie is still available as well, but this should fill in the cracks on other models and promotions. The only downside is that now it's not guaranteed to cover every 3D capable model and it appears to be up to the retailers to participate, so doublecheck what accessories are coming along if you're buying a new Samsung HDTV any time soon.
Westinghouse first 3D HDTV hands-on (video)
It's official: everyone has a 3D HDTV. No, not every consumer -- not even close -- but with Westinghouse's official entry into the 3D market earlier this week, nearly every television manufacturer, both large and small, has brought at least one 3D product to market. We took a look at the 47-inch Westinghouse W47S2TCD at the CEA LineShows in NYC today, and were actually somewhat impressed with its performance, especially from a distance of more than six feet. Passive displays still don't offer the same level of quality as 3D sets that use active glasses, but they're often more affordable, and adequate for most consumers. Our biggest issue with this display is with backlight bleed just above the Westinghouse logo, which is especially noticeable with darker content or when navigating through system menus. The TV carries a MSRP of $1,200, but Westinghouse says to expect a street price of "well below" $1,000, which should help it compete with other budget sets. It uses passive technology and ships with four pairs of glasses, though the manufacturer claims that you should be able to use other polarized glasses, including those RealD specs you'll forget to return after dropping $19 on your next 3D IMAX movie. Jump past the break for a hands-on video from the show floor.%Gallery-126917%
Westinghouse announces its first 3D HDTV, coming to a discount department store near you
Just 18 short months after 3D made its big HDTV debut at CES 2010, Westinghouse is finally ready to make its own entry into the third dimension, with the 47-inch W47S2TCD. Like most Westinghouse sets, there's really nothing special to make this rather generic TV pop (until you toss on one of the four included pairs of 3D glasses), but you will be getting a passive 1080p 3D display, 3:2 pulldown, three-way selectable color temperature, and a backlight enhancement tool called DayBright. The company is also unveiling five other TVs, including its first connected TV -- the 46-inch WC-4625T -- which includes access to Netflix and Vudu. The 47-inch 3D TV will likely be sold at retailers like Best Buy, Costco, and Target with a suggested retail price of $1199, but we imagine in-store pricing will be significant lower -- with the recent announcement of Vizio's 42-inch passive offering for $699, shelling out an extra $100 per inch for the new Westinghouse set is not likely to sit well with bargain hunters.
Sony's 24-inch PlayStation 3D 'dual-view' monitor: here's how it works
Sony's got some wonderful ideas here at E3 2011, but the company's left quite a few threads for journalists to sew up -- what's the battery life like? How much will continuous client gameplay cost? Just how does that split-screen 3D monitor work? Sony's 3D gaming czar Mick Hocking flew in from Liverpool to talk stereoscopy with the press, and we've got some answers for that last one. What you see above is an LCD panel that refreshes at 240Hz, and delivering 3D at 60 frames per second to each eye, by using the typical active shutter glasses technique of blocking light to your left eye when the "right" image is displayed, and vice versa for the right eye. However, the glasses have a special button that makes both lenses of one player's glasses display images for the left eye, and both lenses of another player display images for the right, allowing each to have their own 60fps feed all the time for private split-screen gaming. While that potentially means you could use these glasses on non-Sony 3DTVs too and get the same effect (or, you know, just pick up a Sharp Quattron 3D or Vizio Versus, which do much the same thing). Hocking told us that this particular unit also does additional software processing to reduce ghosting. But what of games? The 3D guru said there'll be a number of titles supporting the feature when the monitor hits this fall, and that other 3D titles could potentially (and easily) be patched if they also support split-screen to begin with. Hocking says developer enthusiasm's been particularly intense for split-screen, even more so than the holographic and head-mounted display technologies that Sony's working on, and we may see the feature integrated in Bravia televisions should the idea take off.
