Build Your Own: Wall-Sized 3D Gaming, Just Like Theaters Do It

[enzo matrix]

[citation][nom]tigerwraith[/nom]But I do have a question would of mattered if you used LCD projectors?[/citation]
Liquid Crystal Display projectors?
*facepalm*

 

[redguard117]

[citation][nom]skora[/nom]Whats the next price bracket up for a projector with higher res?I like the idea of dual projectors better than the alt-image standard, but they didn't ask me.Here's a wild thought, soon, everyone will have their own glasses that not only do the shutter for 3D, but will also be able to be personal monitors. Connect to any computer/phone/TV with your glasses. Displays might even become unnecessary. That will be the next wireless mainstream device. The iShades. Phone, mobile pc and display, earbud is right there. Have pants that have built in keyboard. We'll all just be sitting there with our shades on and never see the person next to us as we get lost in the cloud. And it all starts with 3D glasses.[/citation]

An optoma hd20 with 1080p costs 999 usd. Similarly, a vivitek H1080fd has 1080p resolution at 999 usd. The vivitek has a smoother picture, better quality, and better measured (not manufacturer provided, which are always very inaccuate) brightness than the optoma. These are both dlp, but they cant display 120 hz which is why you need 2. Similarly, lcd projectors must be dualmounted as the technoogy does not exist to have them output 120 hz. I would recommend waiting a year until they release 3d dedicated projectors, with integrated video processors.

A better option right now would be the mitsubish hc3800, great dlp projector, ~1300 usd with mir for a free replacement lamp currently. Much better than the optoma and vivitek. However, depending on teh gain of your screen and the zoom ratio you use, you might not be able to output a quality picture. Since my projector projects at 19'8" it didn't work unless i used a much higher gain screen, which would result in a narrow screen angle. Thus, I ended up taking the 2000 usd panasonic pt ae 4000u lcd projector, hands down the best value currently besides the 2500 usd epson 8500 ub which is also very good. Although i cannot do 3d without 2 because of lcd's current limitations, it outputs an amazing picture and requries less maintenance with less distortion due to the inorganic lcd panels.

That was an aside, but if your looking to go projector right now forget about 3d and take the panasonic pt ae 4000u with a quality stewart greyhawk or black diamond screen. If you're intent on 3d you'll have to wait for picture quality to reach equivalency with current projectors, which will take a few years, so either save up the money for the future or buy a non-3d dedicated projector currently.

 

[redguard117]

[citation][nom]enzo matrix[/nom]Liquid Crystal Display projectors?*facepalm*[/citation]

that facepalm is undeserved: lcd projectors exist and currently take home the value crown with epson and panasonics sub $3000 offerings. The projection mechanism involves reflection on the lcd display

 

[ImmortalJman]

I really look forward to an update when a 3D blu-ray becomes available and if there's any solutions to do it with dual projectors.

 

[enzo matrix]

that facepalm is undeserved: lcd projectors exist and currently take home the value crown with epson and panasonics sub $3000 offerings. The projection mechanism involves reflection on the lcd display

lol. Usually I do a quick google search even if I am sure something doesn't exist. Guess I messed up.

 

[Guest]

Crosstalk on polarized 3D doesn't get worse if you tilt your head. You use RCP and LCP light (right and left circularly polarized light) to do polarized 3D, not linearly polarized light.

Linearly polarized light would be severe fail in more ways than crosstalk. Not only would it reveal an increasing amount of the wrong image, but you would also lose a corresponding amount of the correct image.

 

[cleeve]

[citation][nom]fluidic[/nom]Crosstalk on polarized 3D doesn't get worse if you tilt your head. You use RCP and LCP light (right and left circularly polarized light) to do polarized 3D, not linearly polarized light.Linearly polarized light would be severe fail in more ways than crosstalk. Not only would it reveal an increasing amount of the wrong image, but you would also lose a corresponding amount of the correct image.[/citation]

Any polarized setup will fail as the head is turned... granted linear is much worse, but even circular polarizers will mess up a bit as you tilt, and at 90 degrees your head will be perpendicular to the 3d image separation which is always a total fail.

 

[moogen]

any follow ups on this? has anyone tried this with the test blu-ray, monsters vs. aliens?? i'm eager to build my own rig!!

 

[Guest]

hey...this article is all on dual projecor set-up. I'm thinking of getting a DLP projector (Mitsubishi XD series).. can I use these polarization filters from Awater and how many would I need? Tx guys

 

[cleeve]

[citation][nom]lanre[/nom]hey...this article is all on dual projecor set-up. I'm thinking of getting a DLP projector (Mitsubishi XD series).. can I use these polarization filters from Awater and how many would I need? Tx guys[/citation]

You'd need one filter for each projector, a total of 2.

If you're considering Awater, you should probably contact them and ask.

 

[lanre]

@ Cleeve... I already called Monika and she is very friendly. I am looking at a 120Hz projector so don't think I'll be needing 2 projectors and 2 filters (or will I?). Also looking at getting one of these new blu ray 3d dvd players to hook it up to but not sure about the compatibility.

What do you think? Thanks

 

[cleeve]

[citation][nom]lanre[/nom]@ Cleeve... I already called Monika and she is very friendly. I am looking at a 120Hz projector so don't think I'll be needing 2 projectors and 2 filters (or will I?). Also looking at getting one of these new blu ray 3d dvd players to hook it up to but not sure about the compatibility.What do you think? Thanks[/citation]

Ah! I see. Yes, if you're going 120 Hz 3d-capable then you don't have to worry about the polarized filters... just the active shutter glasses and whatnot.

If you're driving this with a PC, you should be looking for a 3D-Vision compatible projector, Acer has 'em.

 

[lanre]

I think I'll need d filters coz I'm going to be having quite a number of people watching movies with me and cant afford to spend that much on shutter gasses (at least 30 people!)- Plz confirm that.

Looking at exploring it with a blu ray 3d dvd player first. Think it will work?

 

[cleeve]

[citation][nom]lanre[/nom]I think I'll need d filters coz I'm going to be having quite a number of people watching movies with me and cant afford to spend that much on shutter gasses (at least 30 people!)- Plz confirm that.[/citation]

A single 120 Hz projector = expensive LCD shutter glasses.
If you want to use cheap polarized glasses, you need 2 projectors and 2 polarized filters.

[citation][nom]lanre[/nom]Looking at exploring it with a blu ray 3d dvd player first. Think it will work?[/citation]

The only way for 3D Blu-ray to work is with a single polarized projector and nvidia's 3D Vision LCD shutter glasses system. 3D blu-ray does not work with polarized glasses yet because there isn't a player that supports it.

Even Nvidia's solution will take a little while to be released, I don't think it's quite out yet. You'll also need Cyberlink's PowerDVD 10 Ultra Mark II. By the time this stuff is released though, there may be other player options available. But nobody has announced Blu-ray 3D support for polarized projectors.

This is covered in the Blu-ray 3D review I recently wrote here:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/blu-ray-3d-3d-vision-3d-home-theater,2636.html

 

[spartanii]

When you discribe playing Left for dead I was so excited I stared looking at prices, now im very unexcited. I guess we will just have to wait a few more years and hope we have the money to buy computers and aren't roaming the badlands in leather chaps and hockey mask looking for gas

 

[DigiDiet]

Nice writeup! I would love to put something like this together, but it's hard to justify the cost of buying two $1000 projectors for a project like this. I know the resolution isn't as good, but two of the new LED micro projectors like the AAXA M1+ would bring the total down to about $1000 for everything, making it a much more palatable for common folk. Only serious drawback I see would be needing to turn down the lights to get a good image.

 

[cleeve]

[citation][nom]DigiDiet[/nom]Nice writeup! I would love to put something like this together, but it's hard to justify the cost of buying two $1000 projectors for a project like this.[/citation]

Hold off for our 3D Vision 3D projector review, coming very soon...

 

[techshui]

[citation][nom]Artman256[/nom]From the dual projector page - "the filters polarize the light across a plane". This is not entirely true, old systems did that, but modern systems use circular polarization, which avoids the problems caused by tilting your head.[/citation]
Yes, but the author purchased linear polarization filters from awater 3d (Germany). That's why he used linear glasses too.

What I don't understand is why the iZ3D driver had so many glitches?

The monitors that iZ3D makes are dual-LCD screens, aren't they? So they're just like the polarized images from dual projectors, only on a smaller scale.

On the other hand, DDD seems more focused on shutter-glasses, yet their dual-projection driver was more polished? At least for some games it was.

 

[mrv1991]

sounds like the screen displacement can really mess up your vision if used extensively. I think that if each projector is a centimeter off, your eyes may suffer trying to readjust. I don't want to get glasses because my projectors were not scaled or placed perfectly

 

[cleeve]

[citation][nom]mrv1991[/nom]sounds like the screen displacement can really mess up your vision if used extensively.[/citation]

I don't think that is the case. Your eyes are designed to constantly re-evaluate 3D space. I've used uncalibrated screens that were an inch or so off and there's no associated visual fatigue, at least that I experienced.

 

[akula2]

Hello,

This is 1-1/2 yr old article. Could you please update this article, with better prices and some good performance details?

Thank you.

 

[cleeve]

[citation][nom]akula2[/nom]Hello,This is 1-1/2 yr old article. Could you please update this article, with better prices and some good performance details? Thank you.[/citation]

Well, there's a newer 3D Vision projector article you should look at that's essentially still contemporary:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/3d-vision-projector-acer-h5360,2687.html

Other than that, most of the new articles we do are 120 Hz monitor/TV centric.

 

[akula2]

Thank you, Cleeve. I shall have a lot at that article and leave my comment(s) there, if any.

 

[akula2]

typo: I shall have a look*

 

[Lala Zela]

Hello buddy, i am Zela from northeast corner of India. I read your article that compelled me to acquire circular polarised glasses through online shopping after waiting a long period of shipping! But in vain, i cannot see the 3D effects still after melting one piece of the pair of two glasses. My projectors were Sharp 3D ready DLP PG2500X (?) and its twin non-3D ready DLP.... which i connected by VGA cable to one of them and utilize the VGA out of it for another one. Does it need to have two outputs from the PC side to make separate connection to the two projectors, or do i need 3D converter hardware or a specialized player softwares (i used cyberlink powerDVD 13 ultra software that supports 'red/cyan', 'micro polarizer' and other modes)? Anyone who could advise me, I appreciated all, thanks.