3D Vision Blog » Other S3D Tech

GRilli 3D Film Overlay Turns 2D Displays into 3D-capable Ones

Bloody — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:59:56 +0000

GRilli3D is a company making an interesting product called GRilli, a special film overlay in the form of something very similar to a screen protector that turns a 2D display of a normal device into a 3D-capable autostereoscopic 3D screen. Currently the GRilli is available for sale only for Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch, but the way that the film overlay works can be applied to other devices as well (and versions for other devices are already in the works). The format that the 3D content needs to be stored in and displayed in order to work with the GRilli filters is stereoscopic vertical column interlace, so you can easily convert 3D photos and videos in it if you have them in Side by Side format for example. There is also a free application available on the AppStore to demonstrate how would a game work in stereo 3D mode with GRilli overlayed on an iOs device and the source code for that application is also available for developers and there is also a Unity 3D game engine plugin for using the Grilli filters. Also the CineXPlayer application for iOS-based devices has support for the Grilli 3D film overlay, so you can use this player for better quality when playing back vertical column interlaced 3D videos and you can also play Side by Side videos with it. Furthermore the CineXPlayer also supports 2D to 3D conversion of videos on iPad, so you wan take advantage of this feature as well.

The installation of the GRilli overlay filter on a compatible device is very similar to putting a screen protector on your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad, the only difference is that you need to open a special calibration image on the device in order to stick the plastic filter correctly and have the best effect. You can download some sample images and videos in the correct format for viewing from the Grilli3D website as well as the free GRilli SESCA application from the AppStore. You can get the from Amazon or from C3D Stereo. The price of the 3D film overlay is $14.99 USD for the iPod Touch and the iPhone version and $29.99 USD for the iPad version.

Now, there is one very important question that you are probably going to ask about the GRilli 3D filter, due to the fact that it is not that easily removable after being applied, and that is what happens to the ability to display normal 2D content when you apply the filter on your device. The good news is that the device remains capable of pretty much normal use in 2D mode, the textual content is mildly impaired, as single pixel text may need zooming for clarity. There is also a faint “rainbow” effect, but otherwise the use of the device is not limited by the GRilli in 2D mode and you get to play some cool stereo 3D content on your mobile Apple devices without the need of wearing any kinds of 3D glasses. Of course the 3D image would be with half horizontal resolution due to the way that the filter works by creating a sort of horizontal barrier between pixels (Grilli3D calls it “Corrected and Convergent” barrier system), but since the iPod Touch, iPhone, and iPad do offer quite high resolution, especially the models with the Retina display that should not be that much of an issue. And don’t forget that due to the way that the GRilli 3D overlay filters function you are going to be able to use your device in autostereoscopic 3D mode only in a Landscape orientation and not when in portrait mode.

- You can visit Grilli3D’s website for more information about the product…

New Approach In Making Games Work Better in Stereo 3D Mode

Bloody — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:59:21 +0000

How often does it happen that when you run some new game in stereo 3D mode it looks almost perfect, but there are just one or two small things that don’t look Ok in stereo 3D and this ruins all the experience, so you have to revert back to playing in 2D mode? The answer to this question is very often and just a few games make things better by offering you an advanced options menu or config file that you can use to turn off some of the extra details or effects in order to get rid of the problematic things in stereo 3D mode, so that the game can be fully enjoyed with the added perception of volume. Moreover not a lot of game developers do address issues in their games related to stereoscopic 3D rendering in their patches, so the ever growing community of stereo 3D gamers is left alone to find alternative ways to fixing things…

One new such alternative, made by the user -=HeliX=- in the Nvidia Forums, is a DirectX 9 wrapper DLL file that can give you the ability to modify the pixel and vertex shaders in games using DirectX 9. The wrapper comes in two versions, one a Debug to find and save the problematic shaders and another Release version for when you just need to run a game with the modified shaders. Now, the idea is that when running a game in stereo 3D mode using the Debug wrapper and you find something not rendered properly in stereo 3D, you would be able to save the problematic shader and then you have two options – either fixing the shader yourself (not something most people can do) or deleting the contents of the shader, so the next time you run the game via the Release wrapper you will either have the shader rendered properly or it will not be shown anymore and the game will look better in stereo 3D mode, and after finding the few pixel and vertex shaders that are causing the issues in the game it might become much more stereoscopic 3D friendly. The author has also provided an example fixes for some of the issues inside Assassin’s creed Brotherhood and Dead Space along with the two versions of the DLL wrappers, so you are ready to go and try this solution. There is a more detailed explanation on how to use it in the dedicated topic in the Nvidia Forums, you can read all the details following the link below. And while this wrapper has apparently been developed for use with 3D Vision, it might also work well with other solutions for rendering games in stereoscopic 3D mode such as the iZ3D driver or DDD’s TriDef 3D Ignition.

- For more information on how to fix or disable shaders in games you play in stereo 3D…

Phereoshop, a Free 3D Photo Organizer, Viewer, Uploader

Bloody — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:26:44 +0000

If you have a lot of 3D photos you’ve probably discovered it can be a pain to organize them properly, even previewing and doing some simple editing could be a job you are not willing to start doing as it is not very convenient. The free StereoPhoto Maker application is a useful tool, but in the hands of more experienced users for doing some adjustments on 3D photos, but it is not intended for organizing your photos or even not very convenient for previewing 3D photo galleries. And here comes another interesting free tool called Phereoshop, it is a simplified 3d photo organizer, viewer and uploaded by the guys behind the 3D photo website www.phereo.com (the software platform that the photo section of 3DVisionLive is based on).

While Phereoshop is essentially for organizing and viewing your 3D photos it also comes with some simple and easy to use adjustments for editing 3D photos, offering features such as color correction, stereo alignment and cropping of images. The uploading part is there just to help you get the photos you want to share online easier on the Phereo’s website, for that you would need to have a registration at the website of course. The software is compatible with 3D Vision, you just need to disable the green Nvidia warning the first time you preview a 3D photo and you should be Ok, and you can of course also preview in other formats if you don’t have 3D Vision. The software can sure take some more improvements and get more features, but even now it is something that might be quite useful for novice users in 3D photography. So it is something worth trying out…

- Visit the Phereo website to download the free Phereoshop application…

Stereoscopic 3D Video Interview with LG Electronics at CES 2012

Bloody — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 09:31:02 +0000

Neil Schneider from MTBS interviews Frank Lee, Manager of Public Affairs for LG Electronics during the CES 2012 . In the interview, shot in stereoscopic 3D, Frank Lee talks about their new glasses-free monitors, simultaneous game-play features on their passive 3D HDTVs, new 3D displays, AIO PCs, SMART TV sets and more. The interview is in three separate parts as it covers quite a lot of stuff, above is embedded only the first video, follow the link below for the other two parts…

- Head on to MTBS3D for the rest fo the video interview with LG Electronics…

Should You Pull the Trigger on Radeon HD 7970 for Stereo 3D Gaming

Bloody — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:06:02 +0000

About a month ago the new Radeon HD 7970 GPUs were revealed by AMD as the must have solution for gamers willing to have a really powerful next generation video card in their system. And a bit earlier than that AMD has released a Catalyst Preview driver 12.1 announcing some new and exciting features for gamers. Both of these also came with some very interesting promises for gamers interested in stereoscopic 3D as well, such as multi-gpu CrossfireX support in stereo 3D mode, HDMI 1.4a 30Hz 3D mode on supported hardware, 60Hz 3D mode support over HDMI, Eyefinity setups with active stereoscopic 3D monitors.

So the question that many gamers interested in playing their favorite game titles in stereoscopic 3D mode were asking themselves (and me too) is if they should buy a new video card based on the new AMD Radeon HD 7970 GPUs. And while a lot of people may be really tempted in pulling the trigger on a Radeon HD 7970 for stereoscopic 3D gaming platform, I would strongly suggest to wait a bit more and not to be in a hurry. There are a lot of things that we are now expecting from AMD, but they are apparently not in a hurry to deliver them, especially after the release of the HD 7970 that yet again brings some architectural changes and probably way too many features for the company to quickly bring them to the users. It has been about a month already since the official announcement of the Radeon HD 7970 and while the card is “Out of Stock” already in most places or is being sold for an extra high price where there are some quantities, there is still no proper driver available for that GPU. Let me explain what I mean by that, on AMD’s website there is still only one driver available for the AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series of GPUs, released on 1/9/2012 with no version or information what features it supports, it is only available for Windows 7 64-bit OS, so you can pretty safely assume this is not the typical official video driver you are used in getting from AMD for their products.

The problem with this driver release is that there is no information about what features it supports, not only regarding the stereo 3D, but in general what from the all new things that were announced with the release of the new GPU are already supported. The latest official Catalyst Driver 11.12 is from 12/13/2011, or over a month ago and it does not have support for the new GPUs. So AMD may need some time for releasing a proper driver and for making available all the features initially introduced in the Catalyst Preview driver 12.1 as well as all the new things announced as supported for the new GPU. And especially if you are interested in using the HD 7970 for stereoscopic 3D gaming you might have trouble not only in getting the new software related features, but also in getting the 3D-capable hardware that is going to be compatible with them. Not to mention the fact that you may have trouble finding more than one of these cards or that you will have to pay extra for them and then find out that stereo 3D mode is not yet supported in CrossfireX in the driver. Better play it safe now, instead of being sorry later on, because of being too eager to get your hands on the new hardware. I do plan to do some testing of the new AMD Radeon HD 7970 in stereo 3D mode when a proper driver for it is released…

The 3DeeCentral Software for iPhone Gets New 3DeeCamera Feature

Bloody — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:55:00 +0000

SpatialView’s 3DeeCentral software for watching stereoscopic 3D content on iPhone got an update allowing you to easily capture photos in stereo 3D with the single camera available on the iPhone 4/4S and then to preview the photos in 3D on the smartphone. In order for this to work you need to use the 3DeeCentral software together with SpatialViews’s special adapter called 3DeeSlide for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S that transforms the 2D display of the phone into an autostereoscopic 3D one (with reduced resolution in 3D mode). You can see a demonstration of the new 3D photo taking feature on the video above, it seems quite easy and there is a ghost image being displayed to help you take the second photo, and there is an extra adjustment phase for the two photos available after that, so that the resulting 3D image could be great. Not sure if the software can already take advantage of the improved camera features such as higher resolution in the iPhone 4S, most likely not yet as it requires the use of iOS 4.3 and not iOS 5 as a minimum. The only drawback is that you would need to move the 3DeeLens on and off the screen quite a lot if you are taking multiple pictures in 3D using the application. The interface could probably be easily tweaked, so that you will not have to do all the acrobatics with moving the lens that makes the screen in 3D and then removing it to see it back in 2D when taking 3D photos. Also sharing of the 3D photos you have taken with this application could be a bit limited, especially if you want to send it to someone that does not use the 3DeeCentral software. Also have in mind that the 3DeeCentral software is free, but it does not work on jailbroken iPhones.

- For more information about the free 3DeeCentral application for iPhone…

First Impressions from LG Optimus 3D with Android 2.3.5 (V21b)

Bloody — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 10:23:37 +0000

I was finally able to get the new firmware update V21b for the LG Optimus 3D smartphone that brings new and improved stereo 3D features for the device as well as other non-3D related ones and also updates the OS to Android 2.3.5. So after updating the firmware to V21b (dated 13th December) I tried the new features such as the ability to use the light and image stabilization when shooting in 3D mode, the new video editor, the updated 3D Game Converter, improved 2D to 3D conversion… so here are my first impressions.

I’m starting with the camera application and the new things regarding the ability to record still photos in 3D and 3D videos as this is one of the things with most improvements. The most important thing here is the improvement of the bitrate of the 3D video recording, previously the device recorded 720p (half horizontal resolution) 3D video with 6 Megabits bitrate and now it uses double that bitrate, so 12 Mbps. This means more data and details get captured and 12 megabits for 1280×720 frame size is very good bitrate actually, maybe in later firmware updates we could also see improved resolution as well. You can now also also use the digital video stabilization in 3D mode, something that Optimus 3D previously had only available for 2D video recording, do not expect wonders from it, but it can help improve things a bit, especially if you have shaky hands. Another thing that was previously only available in 2D mode is now available for 3D as well, both photo and video recording, and that is the LED light that can be used as a kind of flash for photos and constant illumination light when recording videos. Now I was a bit skeptical about that, as having only a single light source in between the two camera sensors (and not in the center even) is usually a bad thing to use for recording 3D photos or videos as it casts different shadows in the left and right eye images and the resulting 3D image seems weird as a result. But since the Optimus 3D does not use a typical flash you can find on cameras, but instead uses a LED light the results when using the light for capturing 3D in darker conditions aren’t that bad actually. The key thing here is that the LED light isn’t that powerful and as long as you are not shooting something very close to the camera sensors you will barely notice the different shadows (in the left/right image) or not notice them at all. And using the LED light can help you get a bit better results in darker conditions compared to shooting without the light, just have in mind that you should not use it for macro or very close shots and you should be Ok.

Next up is the new mobile video editor that the firmware update introduces for the LG Optimus 3D smartphone, a video editor that supports working with both 2D and 3D material. The video editor looks and works surprisingly good, but there is more work to be done in order to improve it further and make it a bit more functional than it already is. The interface is quite intuitive, although it took me a while to figure out how to export the finished edit and not just to save the project I’ve created. You can easily import 3D videos and create 3D edits, but unfortunately, you cannot use 3D photos or import 2D photos when you are working with 3D videos. Simple text functionality would also be good to have as a feature in the next update. After all this is the initial release of the software and it only offers some basic functionality when you need to quickly stitch multiple videos, or trim a clip and add some background music and then send it to someone or upload it online. Another thing that I’m kind of missing as a feature is the preview in stereo 3D mode of the 3D edits, instead of seeing them in Side by Side format.

Regarding the 3D Game Converter software, something that was actually introduced in the previous firmware update, for converting non stereo 3D games into stereoscopic 3D format for viewing on the autostereoscopic 3D display of the smartphone there are some improvements, but nothing that serious. It is more of an interface redesign in order to make the software easier for use and more intuitive, but there appears to be no new game profiles introduced in it with settings for new games. At the first run of the 3D Game Converter after the firmware update was applied I got a message that there is new version of the software available, but that one probably had some minor fixes.

As for the improved 2D to 3D conversion, it is hard to say if it is working any better than before, the depth effect in 2D photos converted to 3D seems a bit better, but for videos it is hard to say… don’t forget that the result from the conversion depends a lot on what is in the photo or video as well. What is still missing though is the ability to convert 2D videos from YouTube in stereo 3D format on the fly, so you are stuck to only watching 3D videos on YouTube for now. All in all LG have done a good job in improving the capabilities of their 3D smartphone further with just a software update, but there is more work needed to be done and hopefully they will take the time to make the Optimus 3D even better in the future…

I need some time to see if the battery life has been improved with the new firmware and OS version. What I did not like after applying the update is that the issue with delay in taking stereoscopic 3D photos has not been addressed at all. If you are trying to shoot a moving object in a 3D photo you still need to follow it with the smartphone while focusing and continue after you press the photo button for a second or two in order to capture it correctly. This however makes it nearly impossible to compose a 3D photo and take it the way you want it to be, you just have to hope that it turns out well enough and while this may provide you with some nice unexpected results at times, it could be more problematic for getting the results you want.

Club 3D DisplayPort to Active DVI Dual-Link Stereo 3D Adapter

Bloody — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:55:19 +0000

If you are looking for an active DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter for use together with a laptop that only has a DisplayPort interface available, but you want to be able to connect a 3D-capable LCD monitor with a DVI interface, then Club 3D might have exactly what you need. The Club 3D CAC-1051 DisplayPort to active DVI Dual-Link stereo 3D adapter is a claimed to be compatible with both AMD HD3D technology and Nvidia 3D Vision technology, so it should work problem free for both. According to the manufacturer the adapter should also work with AMD Eyefinity and Nvidia 3D Vision Surround setups as well, so not only useable for laptops, but also for desktop systems what feature more DisplayPort connectors than DVI for example and you have 2D or 3D monitors that don’t have DisplayPort support. The adapter comes with a standard DisplayPort input (not a mini one) and standard size digital only DVI-D output, there is an extra USB connector that needs to be plugged in a free connector in order to provide the extra power required for the adapter. So if you are looking for an active DP to DL-DVI adapter to go with your stereo 3D setup this one should work flawlessly, as not all such adapters may provide you with a problem free experience when used for building a stereoscopic 3D setup.

- For more information about the Club 3D DisplayPort to DL-DVI Stereo 3D Adapter…

Toshiba Qosmio F750 and F755 3D Laptops Get S3D Gaming Support

Bloody — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:12:14 +0000

Toshiba has released a BIOS update for their Qosmio F750 (EU, Asia) and F755 (US) 3D-capable autostereoscopic (glasses free) laptops that adds support for gaming in stereo 3D mode, a feature that was not available initially at the release of the products. Up until recently you could officially only play 3D movies on these laptops, or use a workaround for getting stereo 3D support for other things thanks to the Screen Activator software. But after updating the BIOS of your Toshiba Qosmio F750 or F755 laptop to version 2.00 you should also be able to take advantage of Nvidia’s 3D drivers to get the full set of stereoscopic 3D features.

You need to download and install the following updates in the order listed:
- Nidia Display Driver version 8.17.12.9039 (290.39)
- Super-D IC Driver version 1.0.1613.809
- Toshiba Blu-ray Disc Player version 1.0.1.299
- BIOS version 2.00: for the F750 or for the F755 model

Have in mind that you need to have the resolution set to 1920×1080 in order for the stereo 3D mode to work, although the actual resolution in 3D mode is lower. You need to enable the Nvidia stereo 3D support form the “NVIDIA Control Panel” under the “Set up stereoscopic 3D” pane by clicking on the “Enable stereoscopic 3D” check box. Have in mind that some games might not work in stereo 3D mode and others may not work correctly to ensure a problem free experience. Also note that due to the not so powerful video cards used in the Toshiba Qosmio F750 and F755 3D laptops some games may not have high enough fps for comfortable usage, and even lowering the detail levels may not help in making them playable. Still being able to play games in stereoscopic 3D mode on these autosterescopic 3D laptops is nice to have as a feature finally, even though they are not targeted at gamers. If you have already updated yours and tried the new feature you are welcome to share your feedback…

Interesting 3D-related Projects at KickStarter You Can Support

Bloody — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 21:16:56 +0000

Looking over at KickStarter I’ve found some interesting stereoscopic 3D-relates projects that you may decide to help turning into reality if you like the ideas behind them, so you can check them out and maybe pledge your support…

TOOB Immersive Dome Display

TOOB plans to manufacture and sell the world’s first affordable dome displays. TOOB has spent the last 2 years developing its 2nd generation product TOOB Earth. The founders have taken the company from concept to a pre-production stage, but need your help to purchase the tooling and raw materials in volume to enable the first production runs. With tooling in place the company can then take commercial orders and the momentum you will create will carry the company into the next phase, which is full scale production.

Chic Norwegian Designer 3D Glasses by Ingri:Dahl

Ingri:Dahl is a brand producing designer 3D glasses. We need you to make a pledge in order for us to launch a new Spring 2012 Collection! Make a donation as small as $1 and receive a gift that ranges from a heartfelt thank you to an entire Spring collection and even 3D movie tickets!

iRail 3D – A 3D Photo System for iPhone 4 & Compact Cameras

The iRail 3D is a precision compact camera rail system for taking 3D still images with the iPhone 4 and 4S, or any suitable compact camera. What is a suitable camera? Almost any one which will take a 5-second video. The iRail 3D is precision CNC machined out of blocks of aerospace grade aluminum and anodized to military specs for looks and durability. All the design work and production drawings are completed and ready to go. Backers of this project will be helping to create the first production run of the iRail 3D. Your pledges will enable us to produce top-quality rails right here in the USA.

3D Vision Blog » Other S3D Tech

GRilli 3D Film Overlay Turns 2D Displays into 3D-capable Ones

Related posts you might be interested in:

New Approach In Making Games Work Better in Stereo 3D Mode

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Phereoshop, a Free 3D Photo Organizer, Viewer, Uploader

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Stereoscopic 3D Video Interview with LG Electronics at CES 2012

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Should You Pull the Trigger on Radeon HD 7970 for Stereo 3D Gaming

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The 3DeeCentral Software for iPhone Gets New 3DeeCamera Feature

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First Impressions from LG Optimus 3D with Android 2.3.5 (V21b)

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Club 3D DisplayPort to Active DVI Dual-Link Stereo 3D Adapter

Related posts you might be interested in:

Toshiba Qosmio F750 and F755 3D Laptops Get S3D Gaming Support

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Interesting 3D-related Projects at KickStarter You Can Support

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