"nVidia Promises 3D For All Games", minus 3-D moni

Post by **Silversurfer** » Sat May 03, 2008 9:28 am

gizmodo UK is reporting the above subject, but my question is what does this mean that they Zalman monitor relationship?

here is a quote below:

"3D, the entertainment almost-ran, is hardly a mass-market consumer technology for movies and games but nVidia thinks it has a solution.
The company is working on a software driver for its graphics cards that will allow any PC game to be played in 3D without games developers having to do a thing. Can it really be that simple?
The software will let gamers choose between ‘normal’ or ‘3D mode’. Simply put, it works by creating a left-eye/right-eye view of the game and will require some special 3D glasses to combine both into the 3D experience. nVidia claimed it’s working on the glasses – a real departure for the card company.
And, before you groan with the memory of the crappy plastic and cardboard things you get in the cinema, nVidia’s Drew Henry, general manager of the company's Media Communications Processor (MCP) group, promises they’ll be cool and ‘not geeky looking’.
I’d like a bit of 3D gaming myself but I’m yet to be convinced that nVidia’s seemingly simple software approach can pull it off. I hope it does. It’ll be a lot cheaper than the first dedicated 3D monitor.-Martin Lynch
[News.com]
games 3D news"

Article:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/ ... l_gam.html

Neil have you heard anything about this shift @ NVIDIA from monitors to producing their own 3-D glasses and universal 3-D game technology software, if I get the drift of this article?

Post by **Neil** » Sat May 03, 2008 9:31 am

I don't yet have word on the glasses. However, I did speak with NVIDIA and they confirmed there was a misunderstanding about the drivers. Game developer involvement is still required as has always been the case for best results.

Regards,
Neil

Post by **Silversurfer** » Sat May 03, 2008 10:05 am

Neil wrote:I don't yet have word on the glasses. However, I did speak with NVIDIA and they confirmed there was a misunderstanding about the drivers. Game developer involvement is still required as has always been the case for best results.

Regards,
Neil

I send you a private message which you may choose to ignore, however I'm more interested in the lack of/or need of a dedicated 3-D monitor for the NVIDIA 3-D glasses to function on any regular monitor.
Any chance you could confirm this is the case as this would negate the need for me to purchase Zalman/iZ3-D monitor after just shelling out on a 30 inch Gateway monitor in November including tax and shipping from the States?

Cheers Silver surfer

Post by **Neil** » Sat May 03, 2008 6:56 pm

Why do you think I would ignore a PM?

I responded as best I can.

Regards,
Neil

Post by **Okta** » Sat May 03, 2008 9:21 pm

So where has this information come from? Are nvidia sugesting they are working on new shutter glasses, polarized glasses for the zalman, or hmd?

Neil, surly some little birdy can tell you something?

Post by **Neil** » Sat May 03, 2008 9:43 pm

With the exception of my remarks about the game developer part of the story that NVIDIA agreed with, I don't have reliable information to share. Remember, there wasn't a single actual quote from NVIDIA in the whole article. I think it is premature to set expectations.

Regards,
Neil

Post by **yuriythebest** » Sun May 04, 2008 3:25 am

who knows if that article is even legit? perhaps it's a grossly skewed version of the news about their newer drivers that support zalman.

Post by **Okta** » Sun May 04, 2008 9:18 am

That is what first came to mind.

Post by **yuriythebest** » Mon May 05, 2008 1:01 pm

ahaha classic! it already got translated into russian!!!

http://overclockers.ru/hardnews/29026.shtml

Post by **Sabre2552** » Mon May 05, 2008 5:43 pm

There's also this article, which has a little bit more information, although it's still very vague and sketchy.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Nvidia-0 ... 4654.shtml

Post by **yuriythebest** » Mon May 05, 2008 5:52 pm

is it a bird, is it a plane?? Ok, here are the possible things it could mean

1. the article is plain wrong
2. nvidia wants to re-add support for shutterglasses and call it a new feature? wtf??
3. nvidia developed some kind of HMD
4. nvidia has developed some kind of never before seen VR glasses technology, unlike any other

if nvidia does develop some universal solution where you suddenly buy some glasses <100$ and have stereo for the newest games with your old LCD monitor that'd of course be swell, and the anticipation is very exciting, but then again there's a chance that nvidia will come out and say that they have no idea where these articles came from.

Post by **flexy** » Sat May 10, 2008 3:27 am

interesting.

but i cant think of any "new" technique....especially for LCDs.

Post by **BlackShark** » Sun May 11, 2008 4:59 am

here : these guys interviewed nvidia-France on the phone (language is french)
http://www.clubic.com/actualite-139266- ... vidia.html
they talk about GTA4 at the beginning, the interview comes after (around 600 seconds)

The nvidia guy is very very vague, at the beginning he talks about using your plasma/lcd hdtv to provide flicker-free stereoscopy and that watching a stereo movie from your couch is amazing, but then when he starts to talk about the glasses he keeps talking about "active stereoscopy" and "active glasses" all the time, and at some point he says that you'd have to plug your glasses to the geforce and then quickly after that the glasses would display images "one after an other". so he's describing a shutter glass system.

A bit later, he says that you can build your own 3d system but that they are also considering selling "bundles" with everything included (i believe the glasses could come in the box of the graphics card).

And finally : he says that some games look better than others, depending on what the game developpers do, so nothing new and revolutionnary, they're just bringing back their good old driver.

So my guess is that nvidia just wants to make some noise since they're back in the stereo3d world. They're using their strong influence, their reputation, and the general lack of knowledge about s-3d to make people believe that they are re-inventing 3D.

Post by **flexy** » Sun May 11, 2008 6:08 am

>>>
The nvidia guy is very very vague, at the beginning he talks about using your plasma/lcd hdtv
>>>
thats exactly what i thought.

The point is, all major HDTV manufacturers (already Samsung, Mitsu, Ariwa(something) start to implement the "3d-ready" technology into their TVs. From a manfucturer and consumer point of view this is good, especially since the added 3D comes at almost no cost. HDTV sets will cost the same - the only thing people need is a few bucks for the glasses.

So. Now some companies already started supporting this new system w/ drivers. foremost tridef. But they charge money for the drivers.

NV certainly now sees that this could become mainstream, 3d features "for free" with every new sold TV set. So they would be stupid not to actively support this, write drivers and offer complete sets, glasses, drivers, grapchics cards etc...

The tech is not new AT ALL, but its a little changed and improvemd technical implementation and it doesnt have the drawbacks of "flickering" as it had years ago. From that point of view, yes, they're warming up an old story.
The new thing is that this tech now is easier accesible to the consumer, also because of most better PCs now are capable to support 3D.
You basically only need the TV, plug your glasses/emitter in, connect your PC to the TV...and here you go.

I was (and i am) 99% certain thats what its about, no "new" "secret" wonder VR/3D technique to be released - and ironically already other companies (tridef...) ahead of NV... thats also one reason we got the new Vista drivers..after YEARS of not updated NV 3D drivers. But its funny since, according to some "news" it reads like NV is planning something new...its NOT...its just NV jumping on the "3D-Ready" bandwagon also..and they certainly want their share on the cake, and people NOT only buy ED or whatever brand glasses and tridef drivers, but NV glasses and drivers

So..i could think that further....NV "delays" opening up the DLP features in the drivers (the support is already built in!!)...til they have a complete ready set of new glasses out under their brand name...and then they offer this as a Nvidia "3D Pack".

They're certainly not in a hurry. In the states the first 3d ready DLPs are available since March, here in EU now we have the Samsung Plasma on the market since May, 1st. People SLOWLY catch up...but sooner or later many, many people getting new HDTVs will have "3d ready"..whether they care or not. So..it will be a big market and certainly a big part of it gamers.

I know about the 3D DLPs/Plasmas since a few days only...i already decided to get the 50" European version ASAP. But the little research i did showed me that a 50" HDTV screen is a WAY, WAY better deal than a VR set at about the same price. Actually, i think this 3D implementation is the most reasonable of all other kinds of 3D techniques i know of.

Post by **Silversurfer** » Mon May 12, 2008 8:54 am

Neil wrote:Why do you think I would ignore a PM?

I responded as best I can.

Regards,
Neil

Neil I think you misunderstood me. I meant you could/should ignore my PM due to the fact that you had already answered my question in your article relating to the same topic. "no worries, it's all good"

Silversurfer

Post by **Neil** » Mon May 12, 2008 9:08 am

No worries, it's all good!

Regards,
Neil

Post by **nubie** » Thu May 22, 2008 12:03 pm

Is there a reason that LCD shutter glasses won't work?

Frankly I think that Shutter glasses could be better than ever on an LCD because LCD's are a polarized technology already. As far as I know there are only 4 different types of polarization possible, and it should be possible to make a free card that will tell people what version their LCD is (small piece of polarized material with markings on a cardboard surround to designate the angle).

Since the LCD already has the high-quality polarizers in it already you only need the glasses to shutter between off and polarized, the addition of the LCD polarization will make it blank (of course you could have some clip-on polars for DLP/etc, and the Head tracking guys may have some ghosting).

The real question is whether or not the flicker will cause a problem.

I just wish that nVidia would be open and honest about what they are doing, but as always that is not how to do business, promise big and non-specific, deliver whatever you want, claim that it is what the consumer "actually wants".

I find it strange that these people doing reviews/interviews can't spend a little time googling to find the slimmest bit of info. But I agree that it is tough to find info on many things on the web, mostly due to fake/useless site spamming on search engines, about 10 years ago you could find a ton of correct info with a simple search, but first Yahoo and now Google are getting to the point where they are spammed out.

I might be biased as a heavy DIY'er, but I have noticed that many times you run into an issue when actually building/using something and find that the instructions or promises aren't complete, and you can't actually accomplish anything with the information you have. Lots of times it is a person asking for help and they have no clue what they are doing, but because they saw or read something feel that they should be able to accomplish it in an afternoon.

Post by **yuriythebest** » Thu May 22, 2008 1:32 pm

nubie wrote:Is there a reason that LCD shutter glasses won't work?

Since the LCD already has the high-quality polarizers in it already you only need the glasses to shutter between off and polarized,

??? forgive my ignorance but polarized glasses are passive, shutterglasses shutter. Are you talking about some kind of hybrid of polarized shutterglasses?

Post by **nubie** » Thu May 22, 2008 2:16 pm

yuriythebest1 wrote:
nubie wrote:Is there a reason that LCD shutter glasses won't work?

Since the LCD already has the high-quality polarizers in it already you only need the glasses to shutter between off and polarized,
??? forgive my ignorance but polarized glasses are passive, shutterglasses shutter. Are you talking about some kind of hybrid of polarized shutterglasses?

LCD technology functions by using two polarized layers and a liquid that in a rest state acts as another polarized layer, when activated it will rotate the polarization up to 90° to create a "darker" area in its sub-pixel.

"Shutterglasses" are made using LCD technology, thus they have polarizing filters and an energized liquid.

http://www.howstuffworks.com/lcd.htm

Very good video by Tim Hunkin*, note that he says "polaroids", he means polarizing filters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a__o45b0Vuo

(* I highly recommend anyone remotely interested in machines watch all of his stuff, there is some more on Google, and a nice Torrent that he recommends on his own website: http://www.timhunkin.com/ See "Television" for the Secret Life of Machines information.)