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Sony To Sell 3D Head-Mounted Display

Posted by samzenpus on from the personal-theater dept.

angry tapir writes "Sony says it will start selling a head mounted display that provides a 3D theater for music videos, movies and games, targeting people who prefer solitary entertainment rather than sitting in front of a TV with family or friends. Sony Corp said on Wednesday that the 60,000 yen ($A730) 'HMZ personal 3D viewer' is set to go on sale on November 11 in Japan, and is planned for the US and Europe, perhaps in time for Christmas, although dates have not yet been set. HMZ uses Sony's own OLED screen."

12 of 153 comments (clear)

  1. Nice international currency by CrashandDie · · Score: 2, Informative

    Also known as EUR 542 or USD 654.

    1. Re:Nice international currency by Inda · · Score: 3, Funny

      60,000 JPY = 780 USD

      780 USD = 546.23 EUR

      546.23 EUR = 60068.91 JPY

      Oh yes! I've found a way to print money!
      (Patent Pending 2011 - don't even think about it.)

      --
      This post contains benzene, nitrosamines, formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide.
    2. Re:Nice international currency by UnresolvedExternal · · Score: 3, Funny

      Well darn it Captain Obvious, I think you may be right! Although my spidy sense is making me think he may have known that already...

  2. Marketing FAIL by taiwanjohn · · Score: 2, Funny

    From TFA: "It seems unlikely that most people — or even technology enthusiasts — will want to buy a product that involves sitting alone and wearing a little helmet."

    Apparently they don't know very many /. readers.

    --
    XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve your problem, you're not using enough of it. --AC
  3. Optimized ... by kevinbr · · Score: 3, Funny

    For solitary porn viewing, incase you need BOTH hands free.

    1. Re:Optimized ... by ciderbrew · · Score: 4, Funny

      Leave the door wide open. If they don't want to see then they shouldn't look. If you can't wring one out at home something is wrong with the world. If the Mrs complains tell her you're only helping out with some of the house work. Its got to be done.

  4. Gyro inside? by whiteboy86 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    That would be an awsome feature for a flight simulator *yaw/pitch/roll sensing*, so you could really be able to, you know, "look around".

    1. Re:Gyro inside? by ShakaUVM · · Score: 2

      >>People have done this for a while.

      I know. I used to work for a company that built HMDs for the military, maybe 15 years ago or so. We took the technology and built VR arcade games out of it.

      >>Sadly, the effect isn't that great - you lack your peripheral vision

      It depends on the HMD. Our $100k HMDs basically covered a pretty wide range of vision. (150 degrees square or so.) They were used in military flight simulators (which were a lot of fun to play in at lunch) as well as by people actually inside of the planes.

      The biggest problem, actually, is that when you have a monitor strapped to your head, you can get crazy neckstrain.

      Also, motion sickness is always a problem, especially when what you see and how you move your head don't sync up.

      >>So for straight up flying it is interesting but doesn't add anything much.

      Eh, the military would disagree with you, I guess.

  5. Laugh now... by hellfire · · Score: 2

    But this is where content consumption is eventually going. Someone is simply going to invent a set of eyeglasses that connect to your cell phone that provide a complete visual interface including augmented reality. Maybe Steve will be able to complete that cloning technology in the next few years and his clone will return as CEO and invent the iGlass. Then suddenly, as if almost overnight, four-eyes will change be a compliment on your style and taste.

    Until then, we can laugh at people who wear these impractical and goofy looking things. But at least it's not a TV Hat

    --

    "All great wisdom is contained in .signature files"

  6. Specs by martijnd · · Score: 2
    1. The Sony HMZ-T1 is a personal 3D viewer with HD resolution (1,280x720px) delivered through two newly developed 0.7-inch OLED panels.
    2. The Sony HMZ-T1 does not feature a head tracker. With a head tracker you could use the HMD for 3D games.
    3. The 3D viewing experience with the HMZ-T1 is like viewing a 750-inch screen from 20m distance.
    4. Source: http://www.i4u.com/47613/sony-hmz-t1-3d-oled-hmd-unveiled
  7. Re:The first step towards Si-Fi VR by Namarrgon · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Please don't call it "Si-Fi". That's almost as bad as putting 'y's in there.

    <shudder>

    --
    Why would anyone engrave "Elbereth"?
  8. uh huh... by Syberz · · Score: 2

    Because the glasstron sold sooooo well...

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    ~Syberz