Nvidia 3D Vision 2 & compatible monitor or 3DTV

[Acextreme]

Hi, I would like to seek answers on a number of things:

■Is it true that to play a 3D movie on 3DTV, you don't need the Nvidia 3D Vision 2 kit, but just the 3DTV software which you can buy on Nvidia's website to enable 3D on 3DTVs?

■If I were to buy the 3D Vision 2 kit to use along with a compatible 3D monitor (e.g. Asus VG278H), will that Asus monitor be able to display 3D movies and 3D games from a PS3 too?

■Lastly, if I were to choose a 32" 3DTV, can I use that as my computer monitor too? I play FPS a lot and I heard that TVs are not suitable for use as a monitor due to the TV's image processors (e.g. Bravia engine and the likes?) processing the signals in order to churn out "better" quality imaging. However, if I can turn those features off (e.g. Samsung allows user to off its Wide Color Enhancer Plus feature under options, etc), will it then have less latency and thus able to use it for FPS gaming like computer monitors?

For now, that's all the question I have. Thanks in advance for your kind help.

 

[cookybiscuit]

A TV doesn't make that great a monitor, but the processing you are talking about should be able to be turned off an just about any fake 120Hz TV, so its not too big a deal. If you want to use Nvidia 3DTV Play, you don't buy the kit and instead buy the software, and then you use the glasses that came with the TV. Bear in mind that not all 3DTV's are supported, http://www.nvidia.com/object/3dtv-play-system-requirements.html, if its not on there (short of an EDID hack) it won't work.

If you are serious about 3D then I'd either go for a monitor like the VG278H or a DLP projector, either of these will provide much less ghosting than a TV, near 0 on a projector, and a monitor will be brighter thanks to Lightboost, which makes a massive difference.

If there are 3D games on PS3 that support SBS, yes they will work, otherwise, no. Chances are you won't want to use them anyway after using the Nvidia 3D, console 3D is fake 3D, Google Crysis 2 3D to see what that means, pretty complicated.

 

[Acextreme]

Well, basically, right now I have 2 choices:

(a) Get a 32" 3DTV and use that as my monitor too. The reason for this is I love large screens, especially since I am going to do sim racing on the PC, watch movies, and gaming on the PS3. However, since I also play quite a lot of FPS and on quite a competitive level, my worry is that it might have larger latencies compared to regular computer monitors. Unless turning off those features or using the TV's gaming mode can eliminate these unnecessary image processing functions when used with a PC, I am worried that those added latencies might adversely affect my FPS performance.

(b) Get a 27" 3D monitor. Well, it's a little smaller, but I can live with it. Only concern here is whether it will work with the 3D on other platforms such as PS3 or blueray DVD player. Actually, the only PS3 3D game I want to play in 3D is Gran Turismo 5, which is a PS3 exclusive, and I don't think it is Side-by-side (SBS) 3D. Thus, I am not too willing to spend so much on a 3D monitor with a smaller screen and not able to utilize it with other 3D contents.

Actually, a last option would be to buy a 3DTV and a computer monitor but this is too costly in price and space, so I don't want to go this route. So how should I go about doing this?

 

[gibbousmoon100]

I don't consider this answer a necro, as your answer was never adequately answered. And I can't adequately answer it either, but I can offer some more input:

1. The VG278H works perfectly with a PS3 over hdmi. I have it connected right now, and I have the DVI connected to my PC for 3D PC gaming. (I have the VGA connected to my xbox 1 via an adaptor.) The only thing wrong with this setup is there is serious lag when switching between inputs. You literally have to press the switch button, stand there and wait for 10 seconds, and then quickly press it again before the OSD prompt disappears, making you start all over. If you don't switch between video sources very often, this is not a big deal, I suppose.

2. In my experience, the monitor and nvidia glasses cause more eyestrain than polarized (passive) solutions. The shutter movement is noticeable to me the moment it is activated, even if there is no 3d onscreen. But many people insist that the overall 3d effect is better than in the theaters (which usually use passive glasses), including people who come to my house and people who have posted reviews on the internet. I have no idea how they come to this conclusion, as 27" is nothing compared to a movie theater screen, but there you have it. I disagree with them, but perhaps I am in the minority. Stereo 3D experiences are nothing if not subjective.

In conclusion, I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that you can't have the best of both worlds. For 27" 1080p 3D gaming, this and the VG278HE are the only options you have. The latter runs as high as 144hz but does not include a built-in emitter, so it will be incompatible with your PS3's 3D functions.

For 3D movie viewing, it's hard to avoid the importance of size. Watching 3D movies at 27" is fun (and the visual quality is stellar with that monitor, for sure), but it can't compare to the theater experience. A 45" TV (which can be had for the same price) with passive 3D, assuming it is good quality, will probably provide a superior experience.

Like you, I am a fan of technology convergence. Monitors and TVs are moving closer and closer together every year! But they are not quite there yet.